The strong curly maple grain of this table is its defining feature. Curly maple has never been a common or easily sourced wood and, consequently, it was often reserved for the most important pieces in a cabinetmaker's inventory. The manner in which one leaf folds over to rest on the top, as in some games tables, is also unusual and is perhaps intended to allow the leaf to be left up and resting against a wall, thereby increasing the visibility of the grain. The tapered legs of this table reflect the influence of English designer George Hepplewhite (1727?–1786).