Antique Tables

Georgian design brought symmetry, proportion and a new level of precision to cabinetmaking, refining the more robust and organic styles of earlier periods. Tables from this period often feature clean lines, restrained ornament and well-selected timbers such as mahogany, oak and walnut, all carefully chosen for their colour, grain and workability.

As life in the home became more socially oriented, with an emphasis on hospitality and leisure, new table forms emerged to suit the evolving rituals of daily living.

The Georgian period saw significant innovation in table mechanics, with tilt tops, drop leaves and early extending formats becoming more widespread and better resolved. These innovations made tables more adaptable to changing domestic needs, and laid the groundwork for the more complex engineering that followed in the Victorian era.

Regency tables were often neoclassical in tone, defined less by decoration than by architecture. This was furniture shaped by proportion and silhouette, emphasising line over ornament. Classical ideals and sophisticated understatement reinterpreted for modern living. More exotic woods became fashionable among elite makers, but discretion remained a virtue.

The best Regency tables were built to stand in well-planned rooms, structurally clever, finely scaled and rooted in classical ideals. Despite the short timeframe, Regency tables remain some of the most architecturally distinctive and collectible.

The Victorian era saw furniture flourish in both variety and ambition. Advances in manufacturing and a growing middle class created demand for new table forms suited to a wider range of homes and habits.

Design became more eclectic and decorative, often blending influences from earlier styles with newly fashionable materials and finishes. Mahogany continued to feature prominently, though the period also embraced a wider palette, from richly figured walnut to intricate rosewood veneers and paler timbers chosen for contrast or effect.

Functionality expanded too. Drop-leaves, storage compartments, gate-leg actions and hinged supports became more sophisticated and widespread, reflecting the era’s appetite for innovation and convenience. While some late Victorian pieces veered toward excess or early mass production, the best tables from this period balanced solid craftsmanship with confident, expressive design.

Edwardian furniture marked a return to lightness and clarity after the heavier forms of the Victorian era. Tables from this brief but distinctive period often reflect a synthesis of earlier styles, with the delicacy of Sheraton, the symmetry of Georgian design and flourishes of Art Nouveau, all reinterpreted for a more informal way of living.

Tables from this era often feature inlaid detailing, satinwood crossbanding and a focus on subtlety over grandeur. Mass production became more widespread and industrialised, but well-made Edwardian tables retained a very high level of craftsmanship and finish.

Proportions became slimmer, legs more tapered and decoration more reserved. Smaller occasional tables, display tables and writing desks became increasingly popular, aligning with evolving interior layouts and changing roles within the home.

Antique tables from the early 20th century reflect a transitional period between traditional craftsmanship and modernist influence. Art Deco introduced geometric lines, innovative veneers and bolder materials, while interwar and post-war pieces often simplified earlier designs.

Oak remained particularly popular, especially in utility tables, while smaller occasional pieces grew in popularity. These later antique tables can offer a distinct characterful feel, bridging period elegance with evolving 20th-century tastes.