Southern Antiques/Chapter 9
IX
SIDEBOARDS
SIDEBOARDS have had to make no bid for popularity. The curve of the serpentine and bow (the Southern serpentine is flatter than those found in the North), the concave and the convex, the fine-grained walnut, soft finished mahogany, brought from the West Indies, native cherry in feathery grain, with inlaid ebony and tulip, fine bandings of kingwood, all reflecting in detail, as in other Southern-made pieces, the harmony and inspiration of the English masters by men at work at the bench.
Sideboards arose to meet a distinct need; and in that land of plenty below George Washington's "Patomack," they have done a noble part. Once in use, they served, not only to store the wines and silver and catch, as they often did in their fine surfaces, candlelight as reflected in crested silver with which they were adorned, but when eating was in process, to act as a serving table from which food in great variety was dispensed with prodigality.
The progress of the sideboard was an orderly one. Old chests served for duty, perhaps, along with the first rude tables that were set up out of old plank boards. Old cupboards, too, offered their ample shelves to help supply the need; but when they were discarded in favor of the corner cupboard, side tables, as referred to in early inventories, came in—side tables being mentioned as early as 1725, it is recalled. Some of these tables frequently had marble tops. A large Chippendale-style table, with some carving, is shown, but no advance toward the sideboard was made in the South or elsewhere during that period. Robert Adam it was who employed side tables with pedestals, one at each end, surmounted each with an urn, one used for hot and the other for cold water, the two later to become knife boxes.
In 1788 Thomas Shearer published his unique design, showing a compact piece; and the sideboard had arrived. Hepplewhite turned his attention to it, and gave it much variety. His ideas, as well as those of Sheraton, who likewise took up the theme, were popular in great measure in the South. Following Chippendale, and into the Empire period, mahogany had
Inlay found on a sideboard made in North Carolina
been the popular wood for all pieces, and the finer sideboards were made of mahogany and elaborately inlaid. Walnut was used for other boards; and so many simple inlaid walnut sideboards have been found that one can hardly imagine a Southern home without one, unless something better could be afforded.
The distinguishing characteristic of the Hepplewhite and Sheraton sideboards have been well pointed out as consisting of a difference in style of the corners employed, and the treatment of the legs of the piece. Hepplewhite produced the serpentine effect by making his corners concave. Sheraton used the convex. Hepplewhite tapered the legs of his sideboard. Sheraton reeded his, but also used the square, tapered leg. Thomas Jefferson has left a record of an "elegant sideboard with pedestals" in his private dining room at Washington, used along with the black and gold chairs, the girandole mirror and screens that helped to make up the furniture of the room, which is of interest in this connection, with Sheraton-style sideboards distinguished by the round ends and straight or concave centers.
His designs were for utility, and one of his boards carried a grate at one end for holding coals to keep the dishes warm. His turned or reeded legs were typical of the Sheraton style as interpreted by Southern workmen. Both periods, in fact, were reflected in their work, and straight and bow-front inlaid sideboards are found made as late as 1810. At this time the columns showing the Empire influence appeared at the front of sideboards, which grew steadily heavier during this period.
PLATES
PLATE I. Queen Anne Side or Sideboard Table—Walnut. (Virginia—c. 1730-1750). This type, about five feet long and from six to twelve inches taller than the average table, is the forerunner of the sideboard, and is often mentioned in inventories as a sideboard. The cabriole leg and pad foot, as shown, are typical of the period. Side and sideboard tables are found with the skirt cut in scrolls by wav of ornamentation, and marble tops as much as six feet in length adorned them. Some had drawers in the front. (Property of Ross E. Millhiser).
PLATE II. Chippendale Side or Sideboard Table—Walnut. (North Carolina—c. 1760-1770). This type, in design, is almost an exact copy of one of the Chippendale plates, showing the square leg with thumb-print grooving and cut-out corner brackets. Due to its large size, it could be used as a sideboard. Tables of this type are found embellished with carving. (Property of J. F. Geisinger).
PLATE III. Hepplewhite Serpentine Front Sideboard—Walnut. (North Carolina—c. 1790). This sideboard, showing a serpentine front, is in a style which is invariably accompanied by a wine drawer at one end. The drawer fronts show a veneer of curly walnut inlaid with tulipwood and cross-banded with mahogany. The piece reflects the work of a skilled Southern craftsman. (Property of Mrs. M. A. Robbins).
PLATE IV. Hepplewhite Serpentine Sideboard—Mahogany. (North Carolina—c. 1790). Connoisseurs consider this to be the finest type sideboard. It is of superlative workmanship, of choice wood, and the inlaid satinwood panels in the legs add distinction. It is one of the finest pieces the author has examined. (Property of W. S. Ahern).
PLATE V. Top—Hepplewhite Serpentine Sideboard—Mahogany. (South Carolina—c. 1790). This piece follows the shape illustrated in Plate IV, and shows the oval line inlay. The edge of the top has the round moulded veneer often found on Southern sideboards. (Property of Mrs. R. G. Cabell).
PLATE V. Bottom—Hepplewhite Sideboard—Mahogany. (South Carolina—c. 1790-1800). A sideboard having a bow center and concave ends; in reality a serpentine shape but not in a continuous curve. This type, with the additional raised top, is often found, but rarely with the concave ends. (Property of Mrs. Paul Chatham).
PLATE VI. Hepplewhite Half-round Sideboard—Mahogany. (North Carolina—c. 1790). This type of sideboard, showing the bellflower in simple inlay in the leg, is one of excellent workmanship, and no other of this type has been seen by the author in the South, but two others are said to exist. This type of inlay is often found on the legs of Southern sideboards. (Property of Mrs. M. A. Devereaux).
PLATE VII. Sheraton Sideboard—Mahogany. (Virginia—c. 1795-1800). This Sheraton sideboard shows a concave center, the concave said to have made the entire surface of the board more easy of access, with the upright wine drawers taking a separate place, partitioned off for bottles. The square, tapered leg changes only in rare instances up to the close of 1700. The small drawers are for cutlery. Fine triple inlay is seen on the door and drawer fronts. The knife boxes are from Baltimore. The majority of knife boxes found are of English origin, and there is doubt as to whether knife boxes in any quantity were made in the Southern colonies at all. (Property of J. Pope Nash).
PLATE VIII. Sheraton Bow-center Sideboard—Mahogany and Cherry. (South Carolina—c. 1800). Native cherry is used to advantage in this Sheraton bow-center sideboard showing a veneer of light, feathery grain with inlaid ebony and tulipwood. The front legs and bands are mahogany, the top, sides and back legs are red cherry. These sideboards, discovered in South Carolina, may be attributed to some unknown workmanship in one of the Carolinas; for many sideboards with this bow in the center are found throughout these two states. (Property of J. R. Burroughs).
PLATE IX. Sheraton-Shaped Front Sideboard—Walnut. (Georgia—c. 1795-1800). This sideboard resembles the design of the Brothers Adam and was used by Sheraton; and it is reasonable to suppose that it was made in the later period. Finely grained native walnut is used as veneer, and four such pieces of this type have been found. Though odd in shape, are all of excellent workmanship. (Property of C. G. Wyatt).
PLATE X. Sheraton Straight Front Sideboard—Cherry. (South Carolina—c. 1800). This sideboard of the straight front type was found near Greenville. Straight front sideboards made by the better workmen often show elaborate inlay rather than curves. Here a different placement of the wine drawers is shown. The narrow wine drawer did not come into use until the Sheraton period, and it is thought that they are of American origin. (Property of J. D. Holt).
PLATE XI. Top—Sheraton Sideboard—Mahogany. (Virginia—c. 1800-1820). A bow-center sideboard of the late Sheraton style, and a finely veneered piece of its type. Sideboards of this shape are found throughout the South. (Property of Mrs. Victor Stewart).
PLATE XI. Bottom—Empire Sideboard—Mahogany. (South Carolina—c. 1820). The ornate Empire style is shown with the crotch mahogany veneers and brass trimmings typical of this period. Although this sideboard cannot definitely be placed as Southern made, it represents a type that was made here. In the Pringle house, Charleston. (Property of Miss Susan B. Frost).
PLATE I
PLATE II
PLATE III
PLATE IV
PLATE V
PLATE VI
PLATE VII
PLATE VIII
PLATE IX
PLATE X
PLATE XI