Posted 11 years ago
TropicalSal
(2 items)
Inherited this from my paternal grandmother. It looks like she started to "decoupage" the top with newspaper articles from The Des Moines Register dated October 8, 1942 and painted it. The table looks like it is older than 1942 and it doesn't seem sturdy enough to be a sewing table. I have not been able to find anything similar online.
Very unique, does the center board act as a springboard to hold the legs in both the open or closed position?
Yes, you pull out the legs on each side and the center board holds them open for the table to stand. It doesn't really hold the legs in for the closed position, they just fold to the sides. Thanx for your question.
It may have held them closed originally, the board has lost it's "spring" over time.
Never seen a table like it before.
My family "inherited" a similar table when we moved into a house. Very clever design. I'm 99% certain it a picnic table, probably made around 1900 to 1910. It would be easy to put it in a carriage, wagon or car. Once set up, out in the woods or where ever the food could be served on it.
Hope this helps.
What are the dimensions?
Very cool piece!
It looks like some of the old folding sewing tables, some have the same springboard holder.
These were fairly common years ago in New England. I recall seeing them with a tape measure painted on them along the long sides and women would cut out material on them. I also remember using such a table to put jig saw puzzles together on during the winter. You might also end up sitting at it and doing homework if you got bad grades.
Thank you for your comments. The table measures 17 1/2 " x 36" x 36". Now I can it as perhaps a sewing table - but not to hold a sewing machine ! Also I can imagine it being taken outside to be used as a picnic table.
It wouldn't be to hold a sewing machine, most had a 36" ruler printed on the surface. I would imagine they would be for measuring & cutting material on.
Link to one.
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/18598984_an-antique-american-maple-sewing-table