Card table c. 1770

This card table was crafted in 18th century America by John Goddard, using mahogany. The choice of this imported wood signals wealth and access to global trade networks. Notice the curved cabriole legs terminating in ball-and-claw feet, a signature of the Queen Anne style. These details were achieved through careful carving, shaping, and smoothing – all labor-intensive processes requiring a high degree of skill. Cabinetmakers like Goddard would have apprenticed for years to master these techniques. The table's design speaks to a culture of leisure and refinement, and the material value indicates the owner's status. But consider, too, the labor required to produce this object: from enslaved people harvesting mahogany in the Caribbean, to the skilled craftsmen shaping it in workshops. Ultimately, understanding this card table means appreciating the intricate connections between materials, making, social life, and economic systems. It encourages us to rethink traditional hierarchies between art and craft.