Tea Table

Tea tables first appeared in household inventories in America in the early 1700s. Relatively small, low, and lightweight, they could be placed in the center of a room and easily set aside when not in use. This tea table, with its graceful cabriole legs and elongated slipper feet, is typical of those produced in Newport in the mid-18th century. The spare, restrained beauty of this form is a fundamental characteristic of Rhode Island furniture. The molding around the perimeter of the top emulates the trays from which these moveable furniture forms evolved. The protective lip prevented the tea equipage—such as the teapot, cups, saucers, creamers, sugar bowls, and waste bowls— from sliding off of the surface when the table was in use.