Game Table

Woods: Primary - Walnut; burled elm veneer; elm veneer for the herringbone inlay.
Secondary ? Deal (Norway Spruce) and elm veneer (crossbanding)
Brass Hardware: The brass hinges are from Londonderry Brasses.

A very early 18th century William and Mary style game table designed after the tables in R. W. Symond's Veneered Walnut Furniture and Adam Bowett's English Furniture. At the time the original table was made, the demi-lune shape was a true innovation, not an adaptation of an existing type. Since I had no plans, no photographs of the back of the table, and no means to examine an original table of this type, I developed measurements and devised a number of innovative construction details. They included the stretcher/swinging gate-leg assembly, the means of attaching the gates-leg assembly to the carcase and to the case top, the molded edges, and the drawer/candle-slide design. I also incorporated two secret drawers into the interior of the table.

My game table has six walnut turned legs with scrolled feet, and walnut molded edges on both the fixed and folding tabletops that create a finger purchase to facilitate opening. The brickwork carcase has a shaped frieze and cockbeaded lower edge, and contains three drawers, each banded with a herringbone inlay and outlined with double-bead molding. The stretcher is trapezoidal in shape and with a pair of swinging gates that supports the hinged top. The gates are hinged on fragile wooden pins that are attached to turned caps. Figured elm veneer was used on the case, tops, and stretcher.

Photographs: Dirk Bakker
Table also appears in:
1. "The Design and Construction of a Brickwork Carcase," American Period Furniture, 7:32-35, Dec. 2007
2. 2009 GALLERY, Woodwork Magazine, 110:43, April 2008.