An Indo-Portuguese colonial side table

Indo-Portuguese

This rectangular side table, is a quintessential hallmark of the Indo-Portuguese style of decorative arts. Tropical hardwoods were the primary medium for furniture and often accompanied by materials such as brass, bronze, ivory, silver and mother of pearl used for decorative inlays or functional components.

Composed of exotic wood, this four-legged table combines utility and durability with ingenious craftsmanship. The otherwise bare tabletop is lined by an elegant ripple molding on all sides, which contrasts the heavily decorated drawers and ornamented legs connected by a stretcher below. Hanging brass knobs fashioned into miniature heads are placed on either side of the drawer front. Each drawer, two faux and two functional, is composed of ripple moldings in relief with a keyhole in the center and an imagery of a pair of birds with outstretched wings. Decorative artistry added to elements otherwise treated as general hardware reiterates attention to detail. The highly decorative section of this piece is the four identical legs connected by a stretcher composed of bulbous, rounded discs resting on one another in various thicknesses and sizes.