On TV cabinets and coffee tables.

**Woodwould** · 28th June 2008, 04:17 PM

Few things get under my skin, but one that does, is the frequent loose or fraudulent use of nomenclature when describing antiques and 'reproductions'. For example, Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806) never designed or made a gun cabinet, so how on earth could there be a reproduction Sheraton gun cabinet? You can't reproduce something that never existed; it's just not possible… or so you would think! At the 1994 Melbourne Working with Wood Show, first prize was awarded to a 'Sheraton gun cabinet' in the Antique Furniture category!

It was in deed a gun cabinet, made of mahogany and with some elements loosely reminiscent of Sheraton furniture, but it should have been more accurately described as a 'Mahogany Gun Cabinet, influenced by (or 'in the style of') Tomas Sheraton'. By anyone's standard, first prize should rightfully have gone to any one of the excellent pieces of furniture that were true reproductions of actual antiques.

I'm sure most people have seen television cabinets or in advertisements, described as 'Queen Anne' or 'Regency' etc. Well there weren't televisions in 1814 let alone 1714 so what's going on?

People the world over often desire something 'classy' to disguise otherwise unattractive belongings such as their television, hi-fi, or bottles of alcohol and since there are few pieces of period furniture that lend themselves to enveloping modern electronics or booze, manufacturers produce so-called 'antique reproductions' to meet the market. However, nobody believes for one moment that the huge disproportionate, red-stained crate against the wall holds anything but a television. But that's alright; it comes down to personal choice and perceptions.

Another commonly encountered 'problem' in the well appointed living rooms of society is what to do about coffee tables. There are no antiques (that I have encountered) that are low enough or of amenable proportions to serve as coffee tables. Some people view coffee tables as they do their flat screen LCD or plasma television; they're simply a necessity of modern living and there's no point in pretending otherwise and trying to disguise the fact, so they purchase a glass-topped coffee table with chromed steel legs. Problem solved!

However, some people just can't accept the glass and chrome look or the translucent white-varnished pine alternatives and for them, life can be a misery until they track down the perfect coffee table that matches the rest of their décor.

Personally, we have a rather nice low elm chest, or trunk that suffices as a 'coffee table', but I have been asked by several customers to make 'antique' coffee tables. The only way I can console myself to making such a thing is to begin with at least one element that is antique and then try and best adapt it to the dilemma.

A very popular adaptation carried out by many dealers (or their restorers to be more precise) is to make a Regency-esque ebonised or Chinese red lacquer stand with faux bamboo legs and set a genuine Regency (or Victorian) papier-mâché tray on top of it. In my humble opinion they actually look quite smart and I've probably made around eight or ten in my time. However, a good Regency papier-mâché tray regularly fetches between $800 and $3,000, so not everyone can afford one for a coffee table.

The next stage is to explore other tray forms. Butler's trays (either the fold-up-edges style or any of the fixed handle styles) also lend themselves to being plonked on a made-up stand of some ilk, but again, the current prices render them unobtainable for many.

This brings me to the final option; making the whole package from scratch. I still like to at least incorporate a tray of a known antique design and then conjure up a stand which is in some way commensurate with the tray.

The contrivance below was made at a customer's behest. You may have gleaned I'm not too keen on being involved with furniture or furniture designs of dubious origins, but when a regular customer pays the piper (well enough), the piper can often be persuaded to play!

The wood is English walnut and the tray itself is true to form; a style that has its origins in Regency England. The stand, however, has a French flavour, but as we weren't pretending the stand was original or even old, merely complying with other furniture in the room, it met with great approval.

So what is it at the end of the day? It's an 'English walnut tray, on a French-influenced stand' – or coffee table.

**eddie the eagle** · 28th June 2008, 05:57 PM

Looks like a Dutch-influenced, French-influenced undercarriage WW. (William & Mary)

I'd go with the first - I've yet to see a lipped coffee table like that.

CHeers,

eddie

**Optimark** · 28th June 2008, 10:02 PM

My German mother in-law, who is in her nineties was a farm girl on the outskirts of the Black Forest. Her family live on the edge of a village in their farmhouse, which houses about 6 families, at any given time.

Huge house, livestock live on the ground floor most of the year, the families live in the upper two floors.

They have a coffee table, which has been in the house since the early 1700's, as far as I remember. It is a low affair about, or just under, a metre square. The whole thing is held together by removable wedged mortise and tenons. The top is held to the legs by squareish cut pegs into a reasonably square but tapered hole.

The first time I saw this table I enquired about it's origins, assuming it was made for some purpose, as is all the furniture in the house. The reply was that it was Old Detlef's coffee table, Old Detlef passed away in 1801 or thereabouts. His missus was a favourite of the visiting relatives, due to her affection for coffee. Coffee was quite expensive and quite a few people couldn't afford it. I'll be visiting her this Christmas, perhaps I'll have a closer look at the coffee table.

That table is sort of old, would it fit your requirements?

Mick.

**BrettC** · 28th June 2008, 11:25 PM

The bracing on the legs to me is more reminiscent of much earlier pieces i.e. William and Mary period? Very nice work

**Woodwould** · 28th June 2008, 11:52 PM

The wavy 'X' stretcher is a typical early French design. The protestant Huguenots fleeing France following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, saw many of them taking asylum in Holland. Thus the Huguenot craftsmen introduced French influences to the Dutch Royal court and Holland as a whole.

When William of Orange Married James II's daughter, Mary, in 1689, he in turn introduced an element of the Huguenot taste to England and the 'William & Mary' genus was born.

So it's not inconceivable that this style of stretcher and legs look a bit William and Mary-ish.

**Woodwould** · 28th June 2008, 11:55 PM

Originally Posted by Optimark

My German mother in-law, who is in her nineties was a farm girl on the outskirts of the Black Forest. Her family live on the edge of a village in their farmhouse, which houses about 6 families, at any given time.

Huge house, livestock live on the ground floor most of the year, the families live in the upper two floors.

They have a coffee table, which has been in the house since the early 1700's, as far as I remember. It is a low affair about, or just under, a metre square. The whole thing is held together by removable wedged mortise and tenons. The top is held to the legs by squareish cut pegs into a reasonably square but tapered hole.

The first time I saw this table I enquired about it's origins, assuming it was made for some purpose, as is all the furniture in the house. The reply was that it was Old Detlef's coffee table, Old Detlef passed away in 1801 or thereabouts. His missus was a favourite of the visiting relatives, due to her affection for coffee. Coffee was quite expensive and quite a few people couldn't afford it. I'll be visiting her this Christmas, perhaps I'll have a closer look at the coffee table.

That table is sort of old, would it fit your requirements?

Mick.

That table sounds most unusual. If you have the opportunity, a photo would be much appreciated.

**BrettC** · 29th June 2008, 01:08 PM

Thanks for the background Woodwould - and your posts.

Cheers.

**Woodlee** · 29th June 2008, 10:15 PM

Great post and an enjoyable read .
Thanks Woodwould.
Kev.

**Ozkaban** · 30th June 2008, 09:41 AM

As always, a good read.

The coffee table you've made looks great, but maybe finishing it in that lurvley translucent white-varnish would really add that something extra

Great work, as usual! It'd be fun to poke around your shop in Melb one day - promise not to leave my keys on the workbench! I guess that counts as being an AVIC though... so maybe not!

Cheers,
Dave

**Woodwould** · 30th June 2008, 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by Ozkaban

As always, a good read.

The coffee table you've made looks great, but maybe finishing it in that lurvley translucent white-varnish would really add that something extra

Great work, as usual! It'd be fun to poke around your shop in Melb one day - promise not to leave my keys on the workbench! I guess that counts as being an AVIC though... so maybe not!

Cheers,
Dave

Thank you! If I still had my shop, you would be more than welcome as I trust you are a sympathetic fellow woodworker and would respect my environs.

**Woodwould** · 30th June 2008, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by eddie the eagle

Looks like a Dutch-influenced, French-influenced undercarriage WW. (William & Mary)

I'd go with the first - I've yet to see a lipped coffee table like that.

CHeers,

eddie

Sorry, it took me a while to unearth this picture. They're not coffee tables, but the tray tops illustrate the genre at least.

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