ANTIQUE TABLES (SPECIALIZED) - Like Tea and Card Tables

As the colonists became settled and prosperous, their houses gradually grew in size and their furnishings increased in number. The practice of carrying small tables from one room to another came to an end as people began to use rooms and furniture for specific purposes. Stylish little tables designed for both work and leisure activities were not necessities; consequently, owning one reflected a homeowner's ability to afford the latest antique designs. 

During the 1700s, one of the most fashionable of such tables was the tea table. Early in the century, imported Chinese tea was a rare and expensive luxury, but by the 1740s its price had dropped, and tea drinking - considered highly exotic - had become quite popular. The Queen Anne tea table - many times a painted table inspired by Chinese tables with cabriole legs - quickly became the preferred piece oj furniture for setting out a tea service. 

Specialized tables were also designed expressly for card playing and other games. While Such tables were produced as early as 1720 in the colonies, they did not become common parlor furnishings until the Federal period. Either square or circular, card tables typically had a folding top, hinged at the back, and a rear leg that could swing out to support the top when it was open. 

Country card tables were often quite fashionable: carved mahogany was a favorite material in the 18th century, and delicate inlays were a popular decoration in the 1800s. Many card tables made of cherry were originally stained a darker color to resemble the more expensive, more desirable mahogany.