A restrained Chippendale style card table English, circa 1820, with pierced fretwork decoration. Height 29.92 in. x 34.65 in. x 16.54 in.
- Pierced Decoration - Ornamental woodwork with part of the background cut through and removed to produce an open-work pattern.
- Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
- Fretwork - Pierced intricate decorative patterns, cut with a fine saw and generally found around the galleries of desk tops, open-hanging shelves and small tables.
In open fret, the timber is completely pierced, giving an appearance of great lightness and delicacy.
With blind fret, as seen in Chinoiserie styles of Chippendale, the fretwork is applied like a moulding to a solid panel.
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