Separate tables for playing cards became popular during the Queen Anne period and the form developed from gateleg and drop leaf tables. The folding top allowed the table to be pushed against the wall when not in use. When opened, the top leaf was supported by one or both back legs which were hinged and swung out or in the finest examples, such as this, the back legs were mounted on a hinged frame. When this is pulled out, it provides a very stable and more finished appearance since there is a complete skirt on all four sides. The earliest tables had wood playing surfaces, sometimes with rounded corners for candlesticks and/ or small dished areas for loo chips. By about 1730, baize or inset leather surfaces were common.

H: 29” D: 16” W: 33” (closed)