Pier table c. 1835

This pier table, of unknown origin, is an object that speaks volumes about the complexities of identity and history. Imagine this table in the home of someone wealthy. The dark wood and marble top is a visible marker of status and taste. These objects were meant to be placed between windows to reflect light and expand the visual space of a room. Yet that mirrored surface also subtly encouraged a kind of self-regard. Mirrors invited the inhabitants and guests of the home to reflect on their own image and social standing. The table would have been used to display the latest fashion accessories and status symbols, further reinforcing the performative aspects of identity within the domestic space. While seemingly static, this pier table encapsulates a dynamic interplay between wealth, identity, and the silent narratives of domestic life.