There is a small square gate legged card table located in the Chipstone Gallery at the Milwaukee Art Museum. We know that it was made in 1770, and it's attributed to Benjamin Frothingham, a cabinet maker in Boston. We know that during its day, it was likely used to play games, with three to four players. We know that they would have sat close to each other, possibly touching and just maybe flirting if those playing were courting. We know that the table would have been closed when not in use, hence the gate leg (a leg that swings open to support the top when the table was in use).
However, what we don't know is the full story behind the embroidery on top of the table. Sarah Anne Carter, Curator and Director of Research for the Chipstone Foundation, says the thing that makes this table so extraordinary is the needlepoint on top:
Material culture contributor Gianofer Fields curates the Radio Chipstone series. The project is funded by the Chipstone Foundation, a decorative arts foundation whose mission is preserving and interpreting their collection, as well as stimulating research and education in the decorative arts.
