Lion Pedestal Table with Marble Specimen Top, Probably New York, C.1865-1885
Three seated winged lions support this round center table. Arranged back-to-back seated on a plinth, they support a thick apron with molded band of Greek key ornament supporting a specimen marble top.
Specimen Marble Tops
A specimen marble top is a panel set with many samples of different colored marbles and hardstones. Most were made in Rome and some in Florence. They were classic Grand Tour souveniers, popular from about 1800-1870.
A traveler would have bought the top in Italy and shipped it home, and a local cabinetmaker would have built a base for it. The top and the base typically came from different countries and sometimes different years. This is normal for these tables.