Pier Table

Joseph Meeks & Sons American

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 736

By the early 1830s, neoclassical furniture designs featured simpler and bolder forms that were often finished in rich mahogany and rosewood veneers. New technologies significantly impacted furniture construction. The introduction of the circular veneer saw, for example, allowed cabinetmakers to slice veneers—often of imported exotic woods—much thinner than before, which made them easier to apply to curved surfaces. This pier table with its exuberant scrolled supports is an example of the fashionable furniture produced in New York City and disseminated throughout the nation, thanks in part to the circulation of printed designs and advertisements and rapidly expanding transportation systems.

Pier Table, Joseph Meeks & Sons (American, New York, 1829–35), Mahogany veneer, mahogany; pine, ash (secondary woods); marble, glass, American

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.