Serving Table
This side table is part of a set of furnishings made for the Cranbrook House dining room in 1908. The tables, chairs, and sideboard were made by William Wright Co., a Detroit decorating firm founded in 1857. The fine carving was executed by another local firm, Jungwirth & Siebert, after designs by George Gough Booth. Jungwirth & Siebert had previously collaborated with the house’s architect, Albert Kahn, in the decorative embellishment of many of his downtown buildings.
All of the items of furniture in the dining set are made from the same stained oak wood, ornamented with carved patterns that at first appear entirely unrelated. On closer examination, the designs exhibit subtle correspondences in their use of a common set of floral and geometric motifs. The result is a harmonious ensemble of dining furniture which presents the appearance of having been serendipitously assembled over time from many sources.
Mariam Hale
2023-2025 Collections Fellow
Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research
January 2024
Depth: 18 1/8 in (46 cm)
Height: 40 in (101.6 cm)
ProvenanceWilliam Wright Company;
George Gough Booth and Ellen Scripps Booth (1908-1949);
Cranbrook Foundation (1949-1973)
Cranbrook Eduational Community (1973-present)
Credit LineCranbrook Center for Collections and Research
Cultural Properties Collection, Founders Collection
Bequest of George Gough Booth and Ellen Scripps Booth through the Cranbrook Foundation
Medium | MaterialsQuarter-sawn oak
GenreObject TypeServing tables
Alternate Title(s)
- Sideboard
