c. 1880
Attributed to A. & H. Lejambre American, active 1865–1907 Philadelphia
Philadelphia
Lightweight and portable, this table could be moved from room to room as needed to hold and display household goods. Yet it could also stand alone as an object to be admired, attesting to the celebration of functional items as art objects that ourished during the Aesthetic Movement of the late 19th century. Its luxurious materials, including rosewood, ebony, and mother-of-pearl, enhance the dynamic hexagonal design with its asymmetrical inlay of iridescent insects crawling across the surface.
Rosewood, rosewood veneer, and walnut paint-grained rosewood (secondary woods: ash, bird's eye maple, and walnut), with brass, copper, shell, ebony, and mother-of-pearl inlay, and gilt-brass feet