DOWNINGTOWN, PENN. — A Philadelphia Chippendale mahogany pie crust tea table was the top lot of Pook & Pook’s three-day sale October 3-5 when it sold for $97,600 to a private collector. The table came from the collection of Daniel Hiessler and Mary Jane Sheppard, notable Baltimore area collectors. Daniel Sheppard passed away in 2010 and his obituary spoke of his affinity for Chippendale pieces. Baltimore dealer and appraiser J. Michael Flanigan said Sheppard followed in the great tradition of Baltimore collectors who sought Chippendale furniture from Philadelphia as well as furniture from Boston and New York.

Pieces from the Sheppard collection have been donated to the US State Department as well as Mount Vernon.

The Baltimore Museum of Art held a tour and seminar at the Sheppard’s home in April 2010.

The circa 1750 table had provenance to Joe Kindig & Son and before that George Horace Lorimer. Following the sale, Pook said the piece attracted interest from one internet bidder, one room bidder, four phone bidders and one in-house absentee bid.

Of the elements that made it notable, Pook wrote, “This inverted baluster form apparently was one of the original formats for the introduction of the tripod tea table in Philadelphia, probably in the late 1730s or early 1740s. The first of these tables likely saw the introduction of the claw and ball foot. This example shows that form as it began to evolve and is about five to 15 years later than the earliest examples, such as the Bayou Bend table.”

Watch for a full review in a coming issue.