Card Table 1822 - 1825

This card table was made by Duncan Phyfe, the celebrated New York cabinetmaker, from mahogany and other select materials. Notice the timber’s dense, dark grain, achieved through careful polishing – a surface that declares its quality, its value. But this is more than just a beautiful object. It speaks volumes about the society that produced and consumed it. Phyfe’s workshop was a site of specialized labor, where skilled artisans, many of them likely enslaved, meticulously crafted each component. The mahogany itself, sourced from distant lands, reflects a global trade network fueled by exploitation. The table's elegant form and refined details, while ostensibly symbols of taste and refinement, are inextricably linked to these social realities. Looking closely, you can almost see the hands that shaped it, the sweat and skill that went into its creation. This is not just furniture; it is a material record of a complex and often troubling history. By acknowledging this, we gain a deeper appreciation for the artistry and the contradictions inherent in objects like this one.