Tea table, c. 1730–1750
Probably Hartford, Connecticut
Cherry and pine
26 3/8 x 28 7/8 x 19 in. (66.98 x 73.33 x 48.26 cm)
The Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Collection, anonymous gift, 1985.B.13

During the late 1600s, the wife of King Charles II of England, Catherine of Braganza, became fascinated with oriental products and popularized tea drinking. By the end of the 17th century, England imported twenty thousand pounds of tea annually. Accompanying the tea were new rituals for its consumption, resulting in specialized pots, cups, kettle stands, and tables for serving and display. Tables with raised rims designed to prevent expensive tea accoutrements from falling developed around 1700. This particular table is among the earliest forms made in colonial America. The gracefully S-curved cabriole legs, known as "horse bone feet" from colonial documents, form a pleasing contrast to the rectangular top. The emphasis here is on excellence of form rather than ornament or color. Though the origin of this table is uncertain, evidence suggests it was produced in Connecticut, where cherry was frequently used to make formal furniture.