Q & A

G.P. of Black’s Harbour, N.B writes:

Have a look: this is a recent purchase at a roadside auction this summer. It's in great shape. However, I can tell it has been refinished which is one draw back. This style of table with actual legs was crafted on the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea. I have found similar styles; however, these were painted legs with lacquered tops. This is a wonderful tilt-top table which pivots when flat to help when serving tea.

I have been offered $2,500.00 for it by a Antique Dealer in Saint John. However I think it pretty unique and it could be worth more.

We asked Kevin Colgan to respond:

I am much interested by this table but am unable to be as definite as I would like because I have not actually seen it other than in photos. Often it is not necessary; it is frequently immediately apparent what is wrong or right with furniture; how old it is and what it is worth. This table seems to have been painted at sometime which would account for the refinishing job and that is a serious problem regarding dating and consequently value. The table has no patina because it has all come off; is this reddish colour original or added? Is it possible to find out? What about provenance? Whose auction was this? Were there other items of apparent distinction?

This table is loosely based on a mid 18th century tea or supper table made by Frederick Hintz, an example of which is in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Hintz was also a musical instrument maker and came to London from Germany. The example that they have is of superlative quality and workmanship; it is inlaid with cut brass and mother o' pearl. Our example is more modest,but not without interest. Hintz was also connected to a cabinet maker called John Shannon who also made these tea tables but without the zany legs. He used cut brass and an ordinary three footed base.

These tables were a luxury item, conspicuous consumption circa 1750. The whole idea is quite gratuitous. Tea could be taken from any table but this was presumably considered more chic. Tea drinking was a relatively new and expensive habit. The fashion for such furniture was a fugitive one and although people continued with occasional tables, the efforts of Hintz did not establish a more general style.

This type of three legged base was then referred to as a "triquetra" or 'Manx"
base. I suspect that although it was linked to the Isle of Man, the legs have their origins in Continental cabinet making. I think I have seen such legs in Germany.

The first question is why is this not by Hintz ? It is not without quality and is quite beautiful, too, in its way. The second question is how old is it?

My method for for attempting to answer these questions was to take the photos provided by the owner and compare them to the single but excellent photo furnished by the V&A
It is quickly apparent that Hintz never saw this table. The example in the V&A is of Cuban mahogany, dark dense and rich; ours is red, has no depth of colour and is of a much later timber. The top of the table in the museum is carved from one piece of mahogany; ours is not. The inlay on ours is wrong for the early period and more wrong for Hintz, who had an idiosyncratic way with these things. Our example is quite well executed until we get to the crazy legs and shoes. Hintz’s attempt at shoes is so much more accomplished than our cabinet maker's. The heels are well defined; the shoes more shapely. When on our table the craftsman had to do this leg, his lack of familiarity with such carving becomes evident; Hintz's are a tour de force.

If it is not period, when was it made? According to the curator of furniture for the Isle of Man, they have a dumb waiter as part of their collection with similar legs. He believes that it is mid 19th century. (The legs of the island symbol are with spurs and armour, incidentally, although there are variants.) In the popular culture of the time there was a market for such things, a vaguely joke-y souvenir perhaps.

There is no evidence that they were made on the island nor can the Irish be implicated. (There is a tendency for the English to describe anything unusual in the way of furniture as Irish, particularly if it is exuberant.) I am confident that this table was made no earlier than the 19 th century and I suspect a much later date, circa 1900.I cannot entirely rule out the notion that it is simply a modern reproduction. The refinishing makes it very difficult to date. If it were here , I would look for a softness on the raised parts, caused by long term polishin. I would pick it up; weight, is a good thing. The star headed screws holding the lopers to the underside of the table are worrying. It really should be seen.

If I am right about the 1900 date I would value it at $3500 for sale and $7000 for replacement cost. It really was most interesting to see this table. Thank you for showing it to me.

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