Consigned from a Massachusetts vendor, the table, according to family tradition, had been purchased from a Mrs Fisher of Baltimore who had purportedly bought it from Mary Ball Washington, George Washington’s mother. However, Skinner’s specialist Martha Hamilton said that what really attracted bidders to this piece was its aesthetic appeal, the original condition and old patina and the combination of Philadelphia furniture characteristics, such as the foliate and c-scroll carved tripod base, with its unusually small size.
Philadelphia cherry-wood bird cage tea table
USA: The highlight of a $1.36m sale of Americana held by Massachusetts auctioneers Skinner in their Bolton rooms on August 12 was this 2ft 4in (71cm) high, 21in (53cm) diameter, Philadelphia cherry-wood bird cage tea table dated c.1760-80, which left its $10,000-15,000 estimate behind as two dealers in the room contested it to no less than $370,000 (£253,425) plus premium.
