Carved Mahogany "French" Sideboard

VAN ALEN/ FRISBEE FAMILY FINE CARVED MAHOGANY CLASSICAL “FRENCH” SIDEBOARD
Attributed to Duncan Phyfe (1770-1854)
New York, 1820-1825
The highly figured backsplash terminating at each end with pilasters with cornices above an oblong wood top above a conforming case with three blind drawers above three paneled cabinet doors flanked by veneered columns with carved Ionic capitals. The central cabinet opening to a pair of bottle drawers with original stamped brass drawer pulls. The case raised on carved lion’s paw feet with acanthus embellishment in front and turned feet in back. Retaining original cabinet key.
From the Frisbee House in Stuyvesant, NY.
H: 41¾” to top of backsplash: 51½” W: 66” D: 24½”

Condition: Excellent: Lacking delicate molding near the top of the pilasters of the backsplash. As found-Retaining antique surface.

The feet of this sideboard appear so frequently on furniture by Duncan Phyfe that they are a virtual signature of the firm. Additionally, the quality of the highly figured veneers and the perfection of the extremely fine dovetails of the drawers is compelling evidence of New York’s most famous cabinetmaker. Identical feet can be found on a secretary bookcase (pl. 33), a Secretaire-a-Abattant (pl. 37), and a marble-top pier table (pl. 38), illustrated in Peter Kenny and Michael Brown’s definitive study, Duncan Phyfe: Master Cabinetmaker in New York (New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2011), 209, 215, 217.
According to Michael Brown, “The French sideboard, which succeeded the iconic pedestal-end model, was massive, four-square, and highly architectural, with veneered classical columns, a frieze composed of three drawers, and four lower cupboard doors, based on the French Consulat and Empire desserte, the New York version of the form is of nearly identical conformation, hence its period name.”