This is an extremely practical table in that it takes up virtually no space, but creates a breakfast and/or occasional table of good size when fully opened. Rare to find a Meeks piece, a descendant of the great Phyfe tradition in New York baring its original stencil. Note the dovetails on the drawers in either side of the apron. They are magnificently constructed, showing Meeks at their best.
A related unlabeled Sunderland table without drawers is illustrated in The World of Antiques, Art & Architecture in Victorian America, by Robert Bishop and Patricia Cobentz (see scan below). This table has brilliantly vibrant mahogany veneers over solid mahogany for stability. For a small table such as this, it is quite heavy and dense. The two drawers at each end are crafted and finished throughout with beautiful dovetails, and the drawer bottoms also finished in the traditional hand-crafted manner. The primary decorative motif are lyres which support the table below each drawer. The stretcher is also similarly embellished with open work which give this piece a design lightness which complements the form. The support legs are beautifully turned in the Sheraton manner, a holdover from an earlier period. This table is in mint condition.
Height: 28 3/4 in. Depth: 32 in. Width: 8 3/4 in. – 45 1/2 in.