Exceptional Sheraton carved and inlaid mahogany serpentine card table, the tops and base of the apron with dart inlaid edges and extruded corners, above a conforming frame with flame birch veneers and a central oval of flame birch in a mitred rectangle, raised on delicate turned and reeded legs with drum turned tops and ending in turned elongated bulb feet. Portsmouth, circa 1810-15. 36" wide, 18" deep, 29" high.

Details of this card table are similar to a group of tables associated with Salem, Massachusetts and often documented to Nehemiah Adams based on a labeled example with seemingly identical legs. However, as noted in the discussion of the Sheraton card table illustrated as plate 34, pp. 259-61, Jobe, Portsmouth Furniture, cabinetmakers in Portsmouth adopted the design as well. The Portsmouth examples have similarly shaped tops and legs, as well as virtually identical veneer patterns. However, they exhibit a stronger vertical emphasis, with a thinner apron, and the scale of the leg appears more delicate with a more elongated bulb foot section. In addition, the Portsmouth tables have more “showy” flame birch veneers, as compared to the more subtle figured mahogany veneers most often seen on the Salem examples.