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Card Table

Maker Unknown

Datec. 1790 - 1800

Mediummahogany, maple and holly inlay

DimensionsClosed: 29 5/8 × 36 1/4 × 17 inches (75.2 × 92.1 × 43.2 cm)

Credit LineAttributed to the bequest of Mary Telfair.

Object number00.156.2

On View

On view

CopyrightThe images and text contained on this page are owned by Telfair Museums or used by the Museum with permission from the owners. Unauthorized reproduction, transmission or display of these materials is prohibited with the exception of items deemed “fair use” as defined by U.S. and international copyright laws.Label TextOne of a pair of mahogany card tables with a serpentine front and ovolo corners with conforming leaf, in addition to tapering square legs, inlay and decorative stringing in holly. Americans played Whist, Loo, Quadrille, and many other card games as early as the 17th century. As the moral disdain of card playing waned in the 18th century, the popularity of the leisurely pastime increased as did the manufacture of card tables. Many of these gaming tables, mostly constructed in the Northeast, were shipped throughout the country, including Savannah. Shipping manifests from 1789-1815 show Savannahians had a proclivity for the furniture form, which could be used for multiple purposes, including tea and pier tables. Sixteen card tables in the Telfair Museums’ collection corroborates this documentary evidence as many of the tables were originally owned by Savannah natives, including two owned by the Telfairs and a matching pair owned by the Owens family. Text written for the exhibition Gaming Tables for Whist, Chess, and Other Amusements April 18 - August 23, 2009.

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