Posted 6 years ago
TreasureTex
(222 items)
This is obviously just another boring Oak Side Table to you but to a father of 6 children who climbs trees for a living, it's a blessing.
I found this today sitting next to our apartments trash dumpster. I am trying to Google search the table for any information that helps identify it. I am searching Victorian, Barley Twist legs, Side Table, Parlor Table, Rope Twist, Reeded leg...... I am just not finding a table built the same as this one. This table has a combination leg with barley twisted and then reeded leg. Do you know what I am missing in my search words, in order to find one that has this unique design? Thank you in advance for your help.
Tex,
My amateur antique wood furniture eye gets the impression this table is unique, and may have been rebuilt with various parts at some point. So you will not find a whole table like this one, but you may find parts like the legs and the top.
The ornate wood joints that attach the top to the legs and the little shelf underneath to the legs seems a little crude for the rest of the table and it's elegant style. I really like it, love wood items like this. My favorite flea market finds.
Hope one of the experts here will help.
This table style is very typical of the 1890s- 1910 time period.
Nothing I see suggests that it is unique, but like most antique furniture it is hard to find an exact match.
ebay should turn up many similar pieces. Here are a few examples:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Turn-of-the-Century-Large-solid-Oak-Lamp-TABLE-twist-leg-carved-apron/113699797458?hash=item1a790939d2:g:AdQAAOSwAmVcm9na
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carved-Quartersawn-Oak-Clawfoot-Lamp-Table-HUGE-Glass-Ball-Eagle-Spiral-Legs-OLD/372664162401?hash=item56c483d861:g:MOIAAOSwSjpczOi7
Search "oak table" or "oak stand" in the antique furniture category.
scott
I need to clarify-- nothing I see suggest that it was MADE as a unique piece nor that it was rebuilt from parts of other furniture.
scott
I can tell you for a fact that many tables just like this were made in the state of Maine during the late 1800's and into the 1900's. During and after the civil war you couldn't get much for textiles up in New England. That prompted mill towns to pop up along the major rivers where water power could run textile mills. Every boarding house, hotel and mill seamstress dorm had these tables. I sold a good many of them when I salvaged old buildings and ran crews refurbishing mills that are listed in the national archives of historical places. Some of these, larger ones had a 36 inch rule inlaid along the long side of the table for measuring materials. The seamstresses were allowed to take materials back to their dorm to make extra money nights.
Thank you both very much. Well, the table was made this way and not rebuilt. It does have that look like it was assembled using multiple styles or something. That is why I posted it because it was confusing me. If you just looked at one leg, it is made using with a barley twist at the mid section and then another type of groove at the base of the leg. I could not find a table with that was all mixed like this one. Thanks again my friends.
fhrjr2 Thank you so much for the great history lesson. What an interesting life you must have lived to have witnessed these things and lived in such a beautiful place.
I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge.
TreasureTex I will add another interesting fact that I learned back then from a now long gone old timer. Back when I was getting these and turning them over I noticed a number of things wrong and wondered about if perhaps a table had been repaired or refit. They had no such thing done. I was told that at times one part might run out or be left over from a previous run. Parts that came close would be substituted to cut down on waste and keep profits up. Mismatches were actually common back then in that part of the country. Quality control was....close enough so out it goes. I am in the twilight myself now and every now and then an item jogs my memory and congers up something passed on to me as lore of the land. That old lore dies if we don't pass it along so there it is.
Thanks fhrjr2,
That is exactly what we needed to learn, that these tables were common as antique work tables with a specific pupose, but on the other hand could be unique as they were not the product of an assembly line, but put together with what was available.
Truthordare Long ago up north during the winter we sat around the wood stove and carved decoys and listened to the folk tales and lore. It was a different life than today and most wouldn't believe it if you explained. I just happened to end up in a family of cabinet and furniture makers.
Sounds good to me, would have love to grow up in that kind of family at that time, fhrjr2.
This type of table was the product of furniture manufacturer/ assembly line production.
The tables versatility (stand, hall table, work table) contributed to the popularity.
scott