Knapp Joints/ Pin & Cove Joints & Dove Tail Joints On A Pair Of Late 1800s Parlor Tables

Dove tailing is a very, very old joinery method that most people associate with only antique furniture, but dove tails are still used in furniture today. However, right after the American Civil War, Charles Knapp invented a different type of joint. He patented it in 1867, this method was used by some furniture manufacturers from 1870 to about 1900 because it was faster.
So if you see this type of joint in an old piece of furniture, then you can guesstimate its age, easier than if you find a dove tail.