Illus. 277.—Phyfe Card-table, 1810-1820.
A specialty of Phyfe’s was a card-table, one of which is shown in Illustration [277]. In the illustration the table apparently lacks a fourth leg, as it stands against the wall. But when the top is open, by an interesting mechanism the three legs spread and a brace comes out to support the other half of the top, so that it forms a perfectly proportioned table. Mr. Hagen of New York has an old bill, dated 1816, for two of these tables at sixty dollars apiece. The table in the illustration is owned by Dwight Blaney, Esq.
Illus. 278.—Phyfe Sofa Table, 1810.
A Phyfe sofa table is shown in Illustration [278], from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is very narrow, and was designed, as the name implies, to stand beside a sofa, to hold books, papers, or other articles.
Illus. 279.—Pier-table, 1820-1830.
Illus. 280.—Work-table,
1810-1820.
The legs end in small lion’s feet and are carved, like the posts, with the typical Phyfe leaf. This leaf, so much used by Phyfe, is seen, like the lyre, upon Adam pieces, and apparently the Scotchman, Duncan Phyfe, took the Scotchman, Robert Adam, for his model. The fashion of heavy furniture elaborately carved was more popular in the South than in the North, and the most ornate pieces are found in the South, of later date than the rich carving done in Philadelphia, upon pie-crust tables and high-boys. Heavy posts carved with the acanthus and pineapple and other Empire features found favor.