Antique Tables

Antique tables are available in a wide variety of styles materials and price ranges The most common are made from oak or mahogany but they are also available in other kinds of wood as well as stone or glass There are tremendous subtleties in styles between periods but as a rule of thumb tables from before 1700 are usually massive and sturdy with heavy carving tables from the 18th and early 19th century are more slender and elegant with relatively limited use of carving except to shape the curving legs Victorian tables are much more like pre1700 pieces and 20th century pieces are more architectural in shape Many antique dining tables have the same convenient features that we look for in contemporary furniture As far back as the mid 1600s the makers built tables with drop leaves ends that could be raised to add more room at the table or lowered for more intimate dining or to minimize the space the table takes up table leaves pieces that could be added or removed for the same purposes or tilt tops the entire top could go from vertical to horizontal to make more room Most of these tables have movable legs either gate legs which swing in or out like a gate or swing legs attached with hinges along the table railBefore the 1650s dining tables were commonly made of a single solid piece of wood over fixed legs Occasionally for larger tables the wood was made of multiple pieces but solidly joined These tables sometimes called stretcher or refectory tables usually have elaborately carved legs These are among the most expensive antique tables with prices usually starting in five figures If you like the look and want an antique but dont have the budget look for Victorianera reproductions Most antique dining tables were made of oak or mahogany with brass for any moving parts However you can also find walnut rosewood or pine While most 18th and early 19th century antique dining tables available today were built by artisans for the upper classes you can also find farm tables from the same periods These are more likely to be made from more common woods such as elm sycamore or pine and are much simpler in design and form with no moving parts or carving on the legs Dents or scratches that would be serious flaws in other pieces are much more acceptable in farm furniture though it should still show signs of care and polishing The older the antique dining tables the more expensive Georgian and Queen Anne pieces usually start around $10 000 with prices increasing based on quality materials and in some cases the makers name Farm tables of any period and Victorian pieces start around $3000. Small antique table and chairs is perfect for teaToday we tend to think of nonutilitarian tables as coming in two or three varieties dining tables side tables and coffee tables Not so for antique table makers who produced lamp tables tea tables writing tables side tables card tables library tables and more .Many of these smaller tables were painted inlaid or otherwise given more details than dining tables Tea tables for example which became popular in the 1700s when tea was a new and fashionable beverage in England were often painted with Chineseinspired designs to add to the then very exotic experience Card tables featured drawers which were sometimes made of a contrasting wood or an inlay A popular Russian style of the 18th and 19th centuries was a stone usually malachite top on a wooden table These smaller tables are a fairly more affordable way to bring antique furniture into your home as well as an option for those in small spaces that dont allow for a dining table An antique table with an antique lamp on it can add immediate period grace to a room Antique wooden tables regardless of period should have a warm rich veneer that comes from frequent polishing and use There shouldnt be any dents or scratches but signs of wear are a testament to a tables long life rather than flaws Be aware that many tables sold as antique tables are made from antique wood such as panels or floorboards but are not genuine antiques Look for unusual wear patterns or for marks of previous work such as nail holes. As with antique chairs most antique tables available today are from the 1650s or later Pieces from the 17th century until the Victorian period are typically the most expensive largely because fine furniture was a luxury for the upper classes during those times so they involved tremendous work and craftsmanship and are also rarer During the Victorian period when the middle classes or at least upper middle classes could also afford fine furniture manufacturers produced much more furniture and also cheaper pieces