Basin stand

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Status

Not on view

Date1740-1770

Geography Made - England

Medium/TechniqueMahogany (primary), oak (drawer sides and bottoms), unidentified softwood (interior of box), brass

DimensionsOverall (H x W x D): 28 3/8 in. x 19 3/4 in. x 19 1/8 in. (72.07 cm x 50.17 cm x 48.58 cm)

Credit LineGift of Mrs. William Lipscomb Davis, Jr., Vice Regent for Tennessee and Mr. Davis, 2006

Object numberM-4560

DescriptionBasin stand with a half-round-and-filet-molded ring top supported by three baluster-and-ring-turned shafts above a triangular case or box with cut corners and two drawers supported on three baluster-and-ring turned shafts with square bases fitted into a triangular base on three cabriole legs with arrised and padded snake feet. The base or undershelf has a dished circular depression with a bead carved around the upper edge. Each of the drawers has a triangular brass pull at center.

The upper shafts are screwed into the underside of the ring and tenoned into the box below. The lower shafts are tenoned into the box and the base respectively. The legs are attached to the base with sliding dovetails. The top and bottom of the box are nailed to the sides and back, which appear to be glued together, and are supported on the inside by vertical blocks of softwood in each corner. The dustboard or shelf between the two drawers is inserted into a dado in the softwood interior side and back walls of the box.

The pentagonal drawers have fronts that are dovetailed to the sides, which are in turn butt-joined to the remaining sides and back. The back is joined to the back sides with spline joints. The drawer bottoms have side-to-side grain orientation and are flush-nailed along the front, sides, and back.

The ring top appears to be a replacement, based on the fact that the upper section of the shafts is screwed rather than tenoned into it. The back leg has a repaired split and appears to have been replaced or repaired at the join with the base.

MarkingsInscribed on the underside of the base: “X”.

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