Federal Paint-decorated Figured Maple and Pine Work Table

Federal Paint-decorated Figured Maple and Pine Work Table, decorated by Sarah Eaton-Balch, Dedham, Massachusetts, at Mrs. Rowson's School, Boston Neck, Roxbury, Massachusetts, c. 1798-1810, the landscape view with figures, a mill and trees within an oval reserve above similarly decorated case fitted with a compartmented drawer and a slide, lacking its bag, on fluted legs ending in turned feet, original surface, (rectangular section of backboard was repaired.), ht. 28 1/2, wd. 18 1/4, dp. 17 3/4 in. Provenance: The drawer includes the followoing written information: "Given to me in 1914, this table was painted by Sarah (Eaton) Balch of Dedham, whod was at one time a student of Miss Rowson's Ladies Seminary in the vicinity of Boston about 1810. Mrs. Balch was a sister of Luther Eaton whose son Luther Holland Eaton was my grandfather, signed Francesca Eaton Walker." This piece went from the family to Nina Fletcher Little, who sold it to the consignor at Sotheby's, The Bertram K. Little and Nina Fletcher Little Collection Part II, October 21-22, 1994, New York, lot 990. Publications: This work table is pictured on p. 217, plate 291 of Little by Little: Six Decades of Collecting by Nina Fletcher Little, E.P. Dutton, Inc., New York, (1984) and also on p. 183, plates 293 and 293a of American Painted Furniture 1660-1880 by Dean A. Fales, Jr., E.P. Dutton, Inc., New York, (1972). some paint wear, lacking bag, rear panel patched.