by Chris Harris
I bought this from Pam at the market at Ford airstrip near Arundel West Sussex. Sge is a good friend of mine and confided she needed to sell it on as she does antique fairs amd she was worried she would break it!
It is an exceptional antique butler’s serving table and dates from around 1900–1910. It is crafted in rich, finely grained mahogany, displaying the elegant proportions and practical ingenuity that defined late Victorian to early Edwardian design, when furniture was built to combine grace with real domestic usefulness.
It must have come from a very smart home and almost certainly one with a butler, for it to have maintained its exquisite condition.
The table features a beautifully finished top with soft moulded edges and four swing out trays arranged on two tiers, each tray opening smoothly on its amazing delicate original timber supports to create an instantly expanded serving area, ideal for placing drinks, afternoon tea, decanters, books, or small collections that deserve to be displayed with ceremony. When closed, the piece sits as a neat, compact table suitable for a hallway, sitting room, study or landing, but when opened it transforms into a wonderfully sociable multi-shelf presentation surface that feels at home in interiors inspired by Arts & Crafts, Edwardian domesticity or refined country-house tradition.
The mahogany retains its deep early 20th-century patina with a warm sheen that has developed naturally over the last 110–120 years, showing the kind of gentle surface variations, age marks and colour movement that confirm its authenticity without affecting use or stability.
Each tray pivots cleanly, a sign of the quality is how well the ‘arms’ glide up and down their guides amazing bearing in mind the age, but also confirmation of the quality. The joints remain firm, the frame stands straight, and the table feels both historically significant and entirely functional, offering the versatility that made such pieces essential in their original homes. This is the sort of heritage furniture that works effortlessly in modern living spaces too, serving beautifully as a drinks table, a side table beside an armchair, a plant stand, a display tier in a shop or gallery setting, or as a distinctive standout piece that introduces period charm to any room. It is a rare survivor from the early 20th century, carrying the craftsmanship and character of the Edwardian era while still being genuinely useful in everyday life.
#Vintage Furniture #Antique Furniture #Arts and Crafts #Interior Decor #Unusual Furniture
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