Replies

1. 
   Irish95 | Oct 03, 2006 09:06pm | #1

   My wife bought me the Thos. Moser book with scaled drawings of several pieces they make.  The table in your picture is very, very similar to one in the book.

   Good Luck!

   Craig

1. 
   SCMedLion | Oct 03, 2006 09:47pm | #3

   Is that the Measured Shop Drawings for American Furniture?

   -Matthew

2. 
   joinerswork | Oct 03, 2006 09:19pm | #2

   SC,

   Carlyle Lynch has such a set of plans in his book, "Furniture Antiques Found in Virginia", Bonanza Books.  I'm pretty sure they are available as a set of prints from his grand-daughter, who advertises his drawings in the back of FWW.

   Be forewarned that seating around such a table can be problematic; as Wallace Nutting noted in his description of one of these in "Furniture Treasury" there is a "veritable forest of legs" below the top.  The leg placement on the demilune ends will require that the legs be straddled by the sitters on all but the largest of tables, say 48" dia or more, also at the end of the central dropleaf section, unless the top is 30"+ wide, and the chairs exceptionally narrow.  They are beautiful, but not very practical.

   The slightly later "Phyfe" style pedestal tables, with extension slides, and tapered, reeded or inlaid sweeps extending from turned shafts, are more user friendly, if not quite as stylish.  I've been asked to cut the legs off more than one reproduction Hepplewhite style table and replace them with pedestals, by dissatisfied customers.

   Regards,

   Ray Pine

1. 
   SCMedLion | Oct 03, 2006 09:53pm | #4

   I know that if I went with the Phyfe design I could even follow the process used in an episode of New Yankee Workshop. 

   I just think the Hepplewhite looks so much more elegant.  And I don't mind going big, like your post recommends for seating.  We have a big dining room.

1. 
   eddiefromAustralia | Oct 03, 2006 10:33pm | #5

   I might be wrong, SCMedLion, but this looks as though it's designed as a pair of demilune drop leaf tables (they may have a gate leg) and a drop leaf table as the centre section.Just join them together when the guests arrive.Hepplewhite's original book available as a reprint has details of the tops of a pembroke table, etc.... but nothing as mundane as a dining table or a demilune.Cheers,eddieEdit: correction as I looked at the photo closer (with more than a passing glance) - the demilune tables (Hepplewhite card tables) definitely have a gate leg. The drop leaf table in the centre section also has gate legs.

   Edited 10/3/2006 5:34 pm by eddiefromAustralia

1. 
   SCMedLion | Oct 03, 2006 11:38pm | #6

   I thought it was made up of separate tables also.  That actually appealed to me as it allows for more configurations.

1. 
   joinerswork | Oct 04, 2006 12:28am | #7

   SC,

   Yes, separate tables on original specimens, as the extension slide wasn't invented til around the 2d quarter if the 19th century.  Some accordian type extension mechanisms preceded that, but not by much.

   I've seen various permutations  of the original type, with "D" ends instead of true demilunes, with and without drop leaves on the ends, sometimes with their edges shaped to match the drop leaf rule joint of the center section, so it will match up with the center section, with its leaves down.  I've seen at least one with a pair of dropleaf center sections.  Also seen separate broad leaves that are suspended between the drop leaf and the end section, typically held in place by three or four shallow tenons along the joint, and brass "U" shaped clips to keep the sections from separating.

   Ray Pine

3. 
   mbholden | Oct 04, 2006 12:57am | #8

   SCMedLion,

   Heirloom Furniture by Franklin H. Gottshall, page 15 has the dining room table.

   It is three tables, two D-shaped end tables and a center table with rule-jointed drop leafs. It appears that the center table has no provision for holding the leafs up on their own, the plan calls for them to be connected to the end tables for support (?)

   My copy of the book was published in 1957 by the Bruce Publishing Company of New York. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 57-12925

   try your library for a copy,

   Mike

1. 
   SCMedLion | Oct 04, 2006 02:31am | #9

   Wow.  Thanks for the help.  I'll have to look into that.  This forum is tremendous.  I thought I was going to have to design the whole thing from one picture, and you all are giving me so many resources.  Thanks everyone.

   -Matthew