Massive American Renaissance Revival Walnut Hunt Sideboard With Carved Stag Head and Marble Top, Mid-19th Century

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A dramatic American Renaissance Revival sideboard from around 1870, with richly figured burl wood panels and a hand-carved stag head … Read more A dramatic American Renaissance Revival sideboard from around 1870, with richly figured burl wood panels and a hand-carved stag head with iron or steel antlers at the top. Below, three drawers sit over three cabinet doors under a white marble top, and the upper section adds display shelves, turned finials, and a tall carved crown. It’s a showstopper for a dining room, library, or lodge.

We don’t know exactly who made it, but the way it’s built tells us a lot. This wasn’t a factory piece. It was made by hand in a skilled cabinet shop, the same kind of craftsmanship you’d find from the era’s best-known makers, like Alexander Roux, Thomas Brooks, and Herter Brothers in New York, or Mitchell & Rammelsberg in Cincinnati. Estimated year of make is 1860 - 1880.

The clues are hiding in plain sight. Pull out a drawer and you’ll see the corners are joined with dovetails cut by hand, at a time when factories were switching to faster machine-made joints. The cabinetmaker’s pencil marks are still on the drawers, used to match each one to its spot. The underside of the marble carries the stonecutter’s punched letters and measurements. On top of the case, hidden under the marble, there’s even a name scratched in old-fashioned script, likely the craftsman who made this piece.

Pieces like this were made to be the centerpiece of a home, and after 150 years this one is still ready to be.

Separates into 3 pieces (base, marble, top). See less