A Classical Carved Mahogany Sideboard, Baltimore, c.1820

This sideboard is illustrated in Three Centuries of American Furniture by Oscar P. Fitzgerald and was in the James M. Goode Collection (a scan of this illustration is included below). The form, at this time, was fairly novel, appearing in the October 1822 issue of Ackerman’s Repository.  Of note are the architecturally developed angled pedestals embellished with gadrooning above and carved paw feet below, all of which sit on a plinth raised by ball feet. These angled pedestals are reminiscent of Egypt and exotic forms of the past. The doors open without suggestion of their being doors, and the drawers above are architecturally developed within the cornice molding.

The original revolving rack for wine is still in place. The depressed marble mixing surface is also fairly novel and with only a single drawer below to integrate these two imposing pedestals, a lightness of design is achieved. The backsplash is developed with a mirror flanked by carved double volutes which cut through carved leaves and cornucopias; this also can be seen in a sideboard at Winterthur and another related sideboard in our collection (sw00406). Another of this form can be seen at the  Art Institute of Chicago, without the carved, mirrored backsplash (see scan below).

This sideboard is attributed to John Needles on the basis of a similar signed sideboard. Needles was a notable maker of this period, as was Joseph Barry. We also find that many of these makers moved between Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Height: 62 in.   Width: 77 1/2  in.  Depth: 23 3/4 in.