Antique Connecticut Federal Cherrywood Inlaid Snake Leg Candlestand, Circa 1800–1820

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Antique Connecticut Federal Cherrywood Inlaid Snake Leg Candlestand, Circa 1800–1820

A refined and beautifully detailed example of Connecticut Federal period … Read more Antique Connecticut Federal Cherrywood Inlaid Snake Leg Candlestand, Circa 1800–1820

A refined and beautifully detailed example of Connecticut Federal period craftsmanship, this elegant solid cherry candlestand combines the graceful snake leg form with accomplished inlaid decoration to produce a piece of considerable sophistication and regional distinction. Connecticut Federal furniture occupies a special and highly regarded place in the canon of American antiques, and this stand displays the state's characteristic blend of New England refinement and country warmth at its most appealing.
The decoration is the stand's most compelling feature — the nearly square top is embellished with a crisp quatrefoil banding inlay enclosing a beautifully executed oval inlaid fan, a decorative vocabulary drawn directly from the Federal period's love of classical ornament and geometric precision. The fan inlay in particular — demanding considerable skill and patience from the maker — elevates this stand well above the merely functional into the realm of genuine decorative art. Together the quatrefoil banding and fan inlay frame the cherry top with a quiet elegance entirely in keeping with the best Connecticut Federal work.
The ring and bulbous turned central pedestal is well proportioned and confidently executed, rising from three sinuously curved snake legs that terminate in delicate pad feet — the snake leg being among the most graceful and sought-after base forms in American Federal candlestand design. The entire piece is constructed in solid cherry throughout, its warm honey tones providing a perfect ground for the inlaid decoration.
The stand has been heavily refinished but presents with honest wear and use marks consistent with its more than two centuries of age and domestic service.
Dimensions: 16.5" × 16.25" top × 24.5"H
Material: Solid cherry throughout
Details: Quatrefoil banding inlay, oval inlaid fan, ring and bulbous turned pedestal, snake legs, pad feet
Origin: Connecticut, Circa 1800–1820
Condition: Heavily refinished; wear and use marks consistent with age See less