Sideboards, as we know them, are comparatively recent inventions belonging to the latter half of the eighteenth century. The court and livery cupboards were extensively used in the dining-rooms, or "parlours," as they were generally called, their drawers and compartments making a convenient storing-place for linen and china, and their flat tops were commonly utilised for exhibiting the china, silver, and pewter. When the oak cupboards were no longer in favour, the corner cupboards or buffets replaced them and served the same purposes. During this time, however, when cupboards were in general use, there is occasionally mention of side tables and sideboard tables. At New York, in 1689, mention is made of "a sideboard table 15s"; in the same year "I side table with a drawer" cost 18s.; and in 1677 "four sideboard cloths" are mentioned; and there is record at Boston, in 1707, of "a sideboard table 6s."

Figure 196. Oak Sideboard Table, 1690-1700.

No oak sideboard tables of American manufacture have been found, but there is no reason to doubt that such as there were followed the fashion of the oak pieces with which they were contemporary.

Figure 196 shows an English-made sideboard table in the writer's possession which has all the characteristics of the oak period, the drawers being similar to those on the oak chests of drawers (Figure 49). There are three drawers, all on side runners, and the fronts of the drawers are panelled in geometrical shapes. On the stiles are applied split spindles, and between each two panels of a drawer are a pair of split spindles in the same design but smaller. The edge of the top is finished with a thumb-nail moulding, and under the edge is a moulding composed of a fillet, a cyma recta, a fillet, and a small cyma recta. Above the legs is a fillet and cyma reversa moulding. The ends are panelled with bevelled edges; the two front legs are turned and the rear ones are an extension of the stiles.

About 1740 marble tables began to be mentioned as part of the dining-room furniture: Boston, 1741, "in ye parlour I marble slab and table"; in 1748, "in the parlour I marble table with mahogany frame"; in 1759, "in the dining room 1 marble table"; in 1767, "1 marble sideboard and frame"; and the Boston Evening Post for July, 1751, advertises "a variety of fashionable furniture including stone tables." Chippendale's designs, published in 1754, show no sideboards with drawers or cupboards, but sideboard tables having marble tops and elaborately carved mahogany frames. The fashion of making the sideboard tops of marble was certainly a practical one, far better adapted for serving purposes than the polished wood tops so sensitive to heat and moisture. As the English fashions were so closely followed here, the entries quoted above we believe to have reference to such marble-topped serving-tables as Chippendale made use of.

Figure 197. Walnut Sideboard Table with marble top, 1720-40.

Figure 197 shows a marble-top sideboard table, the property of Mrs. Babbitt, of Wickford, Rhode Island. The legs are straight instead of bandy, with Dutch feet, which is a form found in Rhode Island. The upper ends of the legs are not square where they become the stiles but remain rounded, and the marble top is cut to cover them. A number of marble tables of this type are known, and occasionally tables are found with imitation marble tops.

Figure 198 shows a sideboard table made of walnut. The frame is plain, but the flaring skirt is cut in scrolls and carved in leaf designs. At the centre is a well-carved shell and at each end is a rosette. The knees are carved in an acanthus-leaf pattern, and about half-way down the legs is carved a series of acanthus leaves supported by a rope moulding. Just above the feet is again carved an acanthus leaf, and the feet are of the animal's claw and ball type.

Carved Sideboard Table, 1725-50.

An elaborately carved sideboard table with a marble top, the property of Mr. George S. Palmer, of New London, is shown in Figure 199. The frame is cut in a torus moulding and carved in a series of frets separated by foliated cartouches. Below is a small guilloche design and a reel and bead moulding. The skirt flares and is carved in a godrooned design with carved foliations at the centre. On the knees are carved acanthus leaves extending well down the legs, and the legs terminate in bird's claw and ball feet.

For the purpose of comparison, the Chippendale sideboard table (Figure 200) is shown. It is the property of Mr. Richard A. Canfield. The design is taken from Plate LXI of Chippendale's "Director," third edition, which bears the date of 1760. The only marked difference between the pieces is that this one has four legs in front, while the one shown by Chippendale has the corners splayed and the outer legs are set facing the sides. Above each leg is a lion's head, and between, on the frame, are carved Vitruvian scrolls. At the centre of the frame is a panel upon which swags of flowers are carved in relief. The legs are typically Chippendale. At the upper end is a scroll with acanthus leaves carved on what would be the knee, and acanthus leaves are likewise carved at the base extending upward. The legs terminate in plain square blocks. Between each of the pairs of front legs is a swag of beautifully carved leaves and flowers.

Figure 199. Carved Sideboard Table with marble top, 1750-60.

Figure 200. Chippendale Sideboard Table, about 1760.