Twenty years ago, the Peabody Essex Museum exhibited the work of John and Thomas Seymour, father-and-son English émigré cabinetmakers who “played a significant role in shaping New England’s artistic heritage during one of the most pivotal chapters in American history.” Robert found the Seymour sewing table he reproduced in the show’s catalog, The Furniture Masterworks of John & Thomas Seymour by Robert D. Mussey Jr. (2003, Peabody Essex). The piece is made with solid wood and veneer, silk, gold-embossed leather, and Horton Brasses hardware.

CUBAN MAHOGANY, AVODIRE, WALNUT BURL, SATINWOOD, HOLLY, EBONY, 15-7 ⁄ 8D X 19-7 ⁄ 8W X 29-7 ⁄ 8H

—Robert G. Stevenson, Jr., Chula Vista, Calif.

From Fine Woodworking #305