With Sheraton's late designs, about the year 1800, the fine outlines that distinguished the cabinet-work of the eighteenth century passed out of style, and in their place came the rather uncouth and heavy designs known as Empire. As almost all the genuine old furniture now to be found for sale in this country follows this fashion, it will be well to consider it somewhat. After the French Revolution there was a reaction against everything that had formerly been in favour in art as well as in social realms, and there was an effort to bring in a completely new fashion in furniture. The design of Empire furniture is largely a revival of the classic, particularly of the Egyptian classic, brought about by the Napoleonic expedition. The use of the sphinx head, with the bear's and lion's foot, the column mounted in brass or gilt, the classic tripod for the frames tables are all distinguishing features of this style. American Empire followed, to some extent, a fashion of its own, and adopted from the French what best suited the maker. The use of bronze was not extensive here, but brass was used to some extent for the feet of the tables, chairs, etc., and for pillar mountings; the handles were very generally the lion's head with the ring or rosettes. The lyre, one of Sheraton's favourite designs, was much liked for table supports and for decorating the backs of chairs. It may be said with truth that no finer mahogany was ever used than that employed in the Empire sideboards and tables. The carving often is very good, but coarse, and the veneering the very best of its kind.

Figure 778. Card-Table, Phyfe style, about 1810.

A card-table made by Duncan Phyfe, the New York cabinet-maker, is shown in Figure 778 and is the property of Mr. R. T. Haines Halsey, of New York. The top is octagonal and turns on the frame to support the top when open. The base is composed of two lyres crossing each other at right angles, and the strings on the lyres are brass. These strings are occasionally made of whalebone. The lyre frames are carved in an acanthus-leaf design, and on the sides and edges is carved a curve in a rope pattern. There are four legs, the edges curved and carved in a rope pattern. The feet are brass lions' claws.

The Empire card-table shown in Figure 779 is in the style of Duncan Phyfe. The standard has the double lyres and the legs have a concave curve terminating in brass claw feet, which was his usual design. The top turns on the frame and is supported by bringing the hinges across the frame. It is the property of Mr. Meggat, of Wethersfield.

Figure 780 shows a late form of card-table made at Salem, Massachusetts, by Nathaniel Appleton about the year 1820 and now in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. Brown. The spiral carving on the legs and the acanthus cup-shaped capitals are familiar designs on the bedsteads and other furniture of the period.

Figure 779. Card-Table, 1810-20.

Figure 780. Card-Table, about 1820.

Figure 781 shows a Pembroke table which is the property of Mr. H. W. Erving. The top is cut in serpentine curves. At the top of each leg is a carved rosette and the drawer front is fluted. On the lower edge of the skirt is carved the reel-and-bead pattern. The legs are tapering and the surfaces are slightly concave.

Figure 782 shows an oval table in French walnut which is a Pembroke table in Hepplewhite style. The top is inlaid about an inch from the edge with a narrow line of ebony outlined with white holly. On the legs arc inlaid pendent flower bordered with ebony and holly, and above the legs are three inlaid strips of holly.

Pembroke Table, last quarter eighteenth century.

Figure 782. Pembroke Table, 1780-90.

Figure 783. Pembroke Table, 1780-90.

Figure 784. Table, Phyfe style, 1800-10.

Figure 783 shows a Pembroke table in Sheraton style. The top is of satin-wood bordered with rosewood. The decoration on the legs consists of strips a quarter of an inch in width at the top, tapering to an eighth of an inch at the bottom, of rosewood inlaid in satin-wood. The two preceding tables are the property of the writer.

Figure 785. Table, Phyfe style, 1800 -10.

Figure 784 shows another table made by Duncan Phyfe, in the Halsey Collection. There are two drop leaves with triple curves. The frame has one drawer and at each corner are drops. The base has a centre column carved in an acanthus-leaf design, and the four legs are in the characteristic form with acanthus leaf and reeding carved on the surfaces. The legs terminate in brass lions' feet.

Still another form of Duncan Phyfe table, the property of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is shown in Figure 785. There are two drop leaves with triple curves, and in the frame is one drawer; and drops are at the four corners, as in the preceding figure. The base is composed of four small columns carved in an acanthus-leaf design and the legs are cabriole. The edges are carved in a fern-leaf design, and at the end of each leg are a rosette and a small leaf.

Figure 786 shows a tripod tilt-table with a square top, the property of Mr. H. W. Erving. The edge of the top is raised and the turning indicates a rather late date. The legs terminate in rat's claw and ball feet.

Figure 786. Tripod-Table, about 1780-90.