Ronald L. Hurst
Irish Influences on Cabinetmaking in Virginia's Rappahannock River Basin

American Furniture 1997

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Map of the lower Rappahannock River basin.

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Card table, Ireland, ca. 1760. Mahogany with deal. H. 29", W. 33", D. 17 1/2". (Courtesy, Malahide Castle, Ron and Doreen McDonnell Collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Detail of a foot on the card table illustrated in fig. 2. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Side chair, lower Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1760–1775. Cherry. H. 37 3/8", W. 21 1/2", D. 17 3/4". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Detail of a foot on the side chair illustrated in fig. 4.

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Side chair, lower Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1760–1775. Cherry. H. 37 1/2", W. 21 1/2", D. 18". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Detail of a foot on the side chair illustrated in fig. 6.

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Corner chair, lower Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1760–1775. Cherry with yellow pine. H. 35 5/8". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Game table, Ireland, ca. 1750. Mahogany with deal and oak. H. 27", W. 31", D. 21 3/8". (Courtesy, Glin Castle Collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The table is shown without its reversable top.

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Detail of a foot on the game table illustrated in fig. 9. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    Writing or dressing table, lower Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1760–1775. Cherry with yellow pine. H. 28 3/8", W. 35 1/4", D. 19 1/2". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    Detail of a knee block from the table illustrated in fig. 11.

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Tea table with drawer, Ireland, 1750–1765. Mahogany with deal and oak. H. 28 5/8", W. 32", D. 20 3/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14

    Detail of a carved knee from the table illustrated in fig. 13.

  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Detail of a carved knee from the table illustrated in fig. 11.

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Base of a high chest of drawers, Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1745–1760. Black walnut with yellow pine. H. 31", W. 41 1/2", D. 23". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Dressing table, Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1745–1760. Black walnut with yellow pine. H. 28 1/2", W. 29 7/8", D. 20 7/8". (Collection of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, gift of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Douglas, III.)

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Tea table, Rappahannock River basin, Virginia, 1745–1760. Woods and dimensions not recorded. (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, J. K. Beard collection, ca. 1935.)

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Tea table, Ireland, 1740–1770. Mahogany with deal. Dimensions not recorded. (Private collection; courtesy, Glin Castle Irish Furniture Archive.)

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Tea table, Rappahannock River basin, 1755–1770. Black walnut. H. 28 1/2", W. 38 1/4", D. 22 3/4". (Private collection; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Tea table, Rappahannock River basin, 1755–1770. Black walnut. H. 29", W. 38 3/4", D. 23 5/8". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.)

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Tea table, Ireland, 1735–1750. European walnut with deal and other woods. Dimensions not recorded. (Private collection; courtesy, Glin Castle Irish Furniture Archive.) This table was found at Newbridge, County Dublin.

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Detail of an end rail from the tea table illustrated in fig. 20.

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Tea table, Ireland, 1750–1760. Mahogany. H. 30", W. 30", D. 21". (Courtesy, Malahide Castle, Ron and Doreen McDonnell Collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Detail of a corner on the top of the tea table illustrated in fig. 24. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Detail of a corner on the top of the tea table illustrated in fig. 20.

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Dining table, Rappahannock River basin, 1755–1770. Black walnut with yellow pine. H. 29 1/4", W. 44 3/4", D. (closed) 17", D. 46 1/8" (open). (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 28
    Figure 28

    Detail of an end rail from the dining table illustrated in fig. 27.

  • Figure 29
    Figure 29

    Dining table, Rappahannock River basin, 1755–1770. Black walnut with yellow pine. H. 28 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The top is replaced.

  • Figure 30
    Figure 30

    Tea table, Rappahannock River basin, 1750–1760. Mahogany. H. 26 1/2", W. 24", D. 16 1/2" (all dimensions are from the frame). (Private collection; photo, Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts.) The top is replaced.

  • Figure 31
    Figure 31

    Side chair, Rappahannock River basin, 1745–1760. Black walnut. H. 39". (Private collection; photo, Antiques 61, no. 1 [January 1952]: 66, fig. 48.)

  • Figure 32
    Figure 32

    Chest on stand, Rappahannock River basin, 1750–1765. Black walnut with yellow pine, tulip poplar, and oak. H. 46 1/2", W. 50 5/8", D. 20 1/8". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 33
    Figure 33

    Chest on stand, Ireland, 1740–1760. Mahogany. H. 41", W. 47", D. 25". (Private collection; courtesy, Sotheby’s.)

  • Figure 34
    Figure 34

    Chest on stand, Ireland, 1740–1760. Mahogany. H. 39", W. 51", D. 35". (Private collection; courtesy, Sotheby’s.)

  • Figure 35
    Figure 35

    Writing table and bookcase, Ireland, 1740–1760. Mahogany with oak. H. 83 1/4", W. 34 3/4", D. 30". (Courtesy, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, gift of Hiram J. Halle; photo, Hans Lorenz.)

  • Figure 36
    Figure 36

    Armchair, Rappahannock River basin, ca. 1765. Mahogany with white pine (by microanalysis). Dimensions not recorded. The splat is an old replacement. (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 37
    Figure 37

    Card table, Ireland, 1750–1765. Mahogany. Dimensions not recorded. (Private collection; courtesy, Glin Castle Irish Furniture Archive.)

  • Figure 38
    Figure 38

    Detail of the front rail carving on the card table illustrated in fig. 37.

  • Figure 39
    Figure 39

    Detail of the front apron carving on the armchair illustrated in fig. 36.