Victorian, Edwardian, Art and Crafts and Art Deco Dining Tables
TABLES dining, on four legs
A mahogany expanding dining table of a type often thought of as mid- or even late-Victorian but whose legs belie the later dates. Although the constructional form was used later, it originated in the 1830s and 1840s.
These legs are of a bulbous-and-baluster turning with collars, more popular initially in the 1840s than in the 1880s and later, where one might be tempted to place this piece. The examples of 1880-1910 incorporate the top bulb but the lower turning is straighter or tapering, less of baluster form. The piece does highlight the difficulty of dating Victorian furniture, however, since the use of this form of baluster at a later date is always possible.
Another large expanding Victorian mahogany dining table, this time with semicircular ends which can open to receive up to four flaps. The tapering reeded legs are of a design popular in the 1830s, featured by Smee in 1850 and still used in variant form in the 1880s.
An example of the previous type of table, adapted in style to be more ‘Sheraton’ in appearance, with square tapering legs and inlaid stringing lines. Available originally in a size 7ft. long by 4ft. wide. 1890-1915
Four examples of the leg styles available in the late Victorian and Edwardian era. From almost-art-nouveau through ‘oak’ to ‘Queen Anne’.
A mahogany extending dining table which, with its three leaves inserted is 2ft. 6ins. wide by 10ft. long. The top, shown here without leaves is slightly serpentine in shape and has an edge decorated with a blind fret.
The tapering rectangular legs have patera at the top and carved husk decoration. An example of 18th century Georgian designs used on a modern table. 1900-1925
A cabriole leg dining table which can be extended on the ‘draw table’ principle (i.e. by extra leaves under the top), thus combining stylistically ‘Queen Anne’ shaping with a 16th century construction. From Maurice
Adams. c. 1926
A mahogany dining table designed by J. Henry Sellers (18611954), an Arts and Crafts Society architect-designer who tended to produce expensive furniture with Edgar Wood. The top is banded with ebony and, clearly, the ends are detachable in the manner of the 18th century ‘D’ end dining table. Designed en suite with the sideboard shown as 470. c. 1925
Illustrations from The Woodworker magazine of 1928 showing four versions of the popular small draw-extension table used in small houses, with subsequent directions for the do-it-yourself enthusiast on how to construct the piece. Interesting that the lower left version was entitled ‘modern’ in design at that date, even though its square baluster legs and cross stretchers are derived from traditional tables. 1920-1940
The vogue for the medieval led to a tremendous rise in demand for oak furniture of suitably aged appearance from the 1880s onwards. ‘Old oak’ refectory and dining tables might be made up from old pieces (just as
`coffers’ might be made from three-panel carved bed-heads) or simply reproduced new and ‘aged’ by various processes. It was not always the intention to deceive, nor is it so now.
We show a small selection here to show how close some versions came to the original and to advise the reader to be warned; old reproductions of good quality are worth about half the value of the originals.
Tags: 16th century, 1830s, 1880s, 18th century, Art Deco, arts and crafts, cabriole, cabriole leg, dining tables, Edwardian, Queen Anne, Rectangular, Victoria, victorian furniture, victorian mahogany