C. 1820 Philadelphia Sideboard

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A magnificent Philadelphia mahogany sideboard attributed to famed Irish born cabinetmaker Joseph Barry(1757-1838). The secondary woods are poplar and eastern … Read more A magnificent Philadelphia mahogany sideboard attributed to famed Irish born cabinetmaker Joseph Barry(1757-1838). The secondary woods are poplar and eastern white pine. From the top to the bottom the skills of the cabinetmaker are evident. The sideboard breaks down into five sections--top, sides, middle center, base--and all fit together congruently. A similar example of this sideboard --with turned instead of animal feet -- was part of the Andy Warhol collection which is now in the Winterthur Museum in Delaware. It is pictured in Wendy Cooper's CLASSICAL TASTE IN AMERICA 1800-1840, 1994, page 133. Barry left Philadelphia and went to Savannah in the late 18th century to escape the epidemic of yellow fever rampant in Philadelphia. He returned to Philadelphia in 1798 and went on to become the most famous Philadelphia cabinetmaker of the 1800-1840 classical period. The sideboard is in excellent condition with a fine polished finish. Only minor nicks, dings, and scratches associated with its age are evident. The piece was found years ago in a consignment shop in Maryland. It was coated with a dark turn-of-the-century stain and had wooden replacement knobs. The lion's head handles now on it are similar to the Winterthur sideboard. I had the handles made in London and then fire gilted in New York to match what it would originally have had. The sideboard measures 94"wide x 49"high x 24"deep. See less