A Very Fine Federal Flame Birchwood-Veneered and Ivory-Inlaid Mahogany Dressing Table,, attributed to Judkins and Senter, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, circa 1805

Appears to retain its original hardware. Retains a dry early surface.

A letter from the consignor states the following: This dressing table was gifted to me by my mother in the year 2000.  It was purchased at some time by a member of the Parsons Family of Maine and before that, of Northampton , Massachusetts , from whom I am descended.  My great grandmother Mary Parsons Hogan (1867-1945) was a great collector.  She was the grand-daughter of Charles Parsons (1829-1904) who owned large tracks of land in southern Maine; including the towns of Alfred, Sanford, and the Kennebunk.  Mary P. Hogan's husband was Jefferson Hogan and he was a ship captain with the Red Star Line, who were the importing/exporting side of the Kunard Liners (famously, the Titanic was the White Star Line and my great-grandfather was a good friend of Capt. Edward John Smith).

Charles' brother George Parsons donated the free library in Kennebunk and the Henry Parsons Way on the water, across from the famed St. Ann's Episcopal Church.  Parsons Beach in Kennebunk has been in the Parsons family exclusively since Charles bought the land in 1873. Charles was a direct descendent of Cornet Joseph Parsons (descended of Sir John Parsons of Hereford , England , nee 1481).  A great resource documenting the Parsons family is a William Parsons book The Parsons Family at Crescent Surf, (Sanford, ME: Edison Press, 1992).  He writes on page six that Cornet Joseph Parsons "...was one of the original settlers who colonized Springfield, Massachusetts.  He was a man of some prominence and was elected town surveyor and selectman ... A house built by him in 1658 is still standing in Northampton and is the oldest house in that city."

Sarah Llewellyn Parsons Alden
December 4, 2010

Secondary wood is white pine. Shrinkage cracks in drawer bottoms filled in. Very minor losses to veneer.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A very closely related dressing table attributed to Judkins and Senter is illustrated and discussed in Brock Jobe, Portsmouth Furniture: Masterworks from the New Hampshire Seacoast, (Boston: Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, 1993), p. 143-144, no. 21. color pl. 5.  Another very closely related example is in the collection of the Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden museum and is illustrated in Barbara McLean Ward's article "Lesser Known Treasures of The Moffatt-Ladd House and Garden Portsmouth, New Hampshire," Antiques and Fine Art, August/September 2006, p. 178.