19th Anniversary

2019 Antiques & Fine Art 133 Work table attributed to Isaac Vose & Son (active 1819–1825), with Thomas Seymour (1772–1848) as foreman (active in the Vose shop, 1819–25), Boston, about 1819–1824. Rosewood (secondary woods: ash, mahogany, pine, and Spanish cedar), with die-rolled gilt-brass moldings filled with lead, ormolu mounts, steel castors, and fabric work bag. H. 29½, W. 23, D. 17¼ in. Bostonian Isaac Vose produced a stunning array of furniture in the neoclassical taste, varying from a delicate interpretation of the style of Londoner George Hepplewhite (1727–1786) to a perfect blend of French Empire and English Regency designs. This work table is exemplary of Isaac Vose & Son’s signature style in the years around 1820, showcasing rich rosewood veneers, French ormolu mounts, and English die-rolled moldings, together with a flawless sense of scale and composition to create an object that stands at the summit of their production. One of four work tables of its general type that have appeared, including one with a trestle base and drop leaves that was included in the 2018 exhibition Rather Elegant Than Showy: The Classical Furniture of Isaac Vose , at the Massachusetts Historical Society, this example offers an unusually elaborate program of ornament with eighteen ormolu mounts and a profusion of beaded brass molding.