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nosoccermom

Help identify cherry drop-leaf table

nosoccermom
11 years ago

I have a drop leaf table that is solid wood, I was told, cherry. It was bought in the 80s from an antique dealer in Belgium, supposedly from the 1880s. My family hates it because it's not very comfortable to sit at the side with the three legs. Any idea how old this table is and what it might be worth?

The last picture shows the mechanism that holds the leaf up. I don't have the leaf that gets inserted







Comments (17)

  • Fori
    11 years ago

    No idea but great legs!

    Wonder if you could just (gently!) remove the extra legs since you won't be expanding it without leaves.

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The opening between the two legs is still fairly narrow.

  • jemdandy
    11 years ago

    The center legs are needed to support the slides. I would not remove these even though you do not intend to use any center leaves. Someday, the table will be expanded a bit, maybe just to show the slides or to clean the edges of the table top and the center support will be sorely needed. Furthermore, removing the legs will down grade it value.

    The casters are old style.

  • texasredhead
    11 years ago

    It looks more like sycamore to me. Probably a farm piece. I have never seen cherry with that many large knots. I have a circa 1835 solid cherry Pembroke drop leaf table. The top and the two drops are all 26" wide by 52" long and each is one solid piece of cherry completely devoid of knots. The six legs are also cherry. The patina is a dark red. There is a drawer in one end probably for dinerware.

  • lindac
    11 years ago

    In the mid 19th century, cherry was considered "poor man's mahogany" and nearly always stained to look like mahogany.

    That said the color of your table doesn't look like cherry to me...and with those wonderful imaginative and crisp turnings, not farm made..
    There were lots of other woods that could be used for furniture....I have heard of pear and apple being used....and apple wood is consistent with the narrow boards, light color and many knots.

    Looks very 1880 to 1910 to me.....great table....don't clobber it because your family doesn't like it. You can get leaves made to fit in the space....they would be about 10 to 12 inches wide....they could be pine but need to be worked at the edges to match the existing table.
    Worth? Depends on where you are....Somewhere between $100 and $400.
    But also see it's usefulness as a side serving table, with both leaves down....and flip one up as you need extra space.

    I have a walnut table that has a similar problem...only comfortable to sit 2 people at each end. It sits in the corner of my dining room....used as a serving table and at big meals I flip the leaf up and it holds all the extra dishes and platters.
    Great table!!

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The table was bought in Belgium if that helps with identification and value. Is apple or pear wood "fruit wood?"

  • lindac
    11 years ago

    Fruit wood is a 1955 ish marketing term for "Whatever"...not for sure cherry....maybe apple....maybe not...
    I don';t know enough about European low lands furniture to make any kind of meaningful comment about their style.
    But it's a great table!!

  • texasredhead
    11 years ago

    Sycamores are common in much of Europe, including France, Belgium, Poland and England. My cherry is not stained to look like mahogany. It is simply dark from age.

  • sam_md
    11 years ago

    That's a beautiful table, well-made and a genuine antique. Notice how the legs are mortised and pegged.
    There is one problem. Suppose you were a master craftsman making a table like that, wouldn't you pick the absolute best quality boards for the top? The top shown is all secondary, shelving grade lumber. Is it possible that it was veneered and the veneer has been removed?
    Also, there is nothing about that table that is unique to Belgium, many examples just like it can be found which are American made.
    Link has pic of cherry grain which this table clearly is not.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Cherry pic

  • texasredhead
    11 years ago

    The removal of a top vaneer would explain the incongruity between the legs and the top. The upper midwest and northeast was once populated with very large wild cherry trees. These were much larger than fruited cherry trees. That is why a lot of cherry furniture originated in Ohio,Pennsylvania and New York. My suspicion about the OP table is that someone stripped the table resulting in the loss of the vaneer.

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The top is incredibly smooth, not rough whatsoever. Check out the link below. Doesn't this look a lot like my table?

    Here is a link that might be useful: French table

  • patty_cakes
    11 years ago

    It sure does. Maybe the one you have isn't the original top? As tables go, the top gets the most wear and tear so the possibility of a new installation wouldn't surprise me.

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I've since spent some time under my table, and it's definitely possible that the base and frame are older than the top. It looks like there are worm holes in the frame. Also, the person I bought it from made a leaf to insert, using cherry wood, which matches very well. So, maybe it is cherry.

  • lindac
    11 years ago

    I believe it is cherry and I believe the top is original....and I believe it dates from about 1910 or so....
    My date is based on the sort of slice mechanism for the table to expand and accept leaves.
    Linda C

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Those staggered wood pieces have been replaced, but a lot of the tables below seem to have the same mechanism. Actually, I was told that it was a Louis Phillipe style table. We'll fix the leaf to be inserted and see if it makes the table more user friendly.

    Here is a link that might be useful: French tables

  • Zippity-do-dah
    11 years ago

    Gorgeous table! Full of character. Fantastic legs.

    I agree w/ Landac. Use it as a side table, open it up when needed.

    Have leaves made. If you put a tablecloth on it for entertaining, the leaves won't have to match.

    Here in Southern California, value could be MUCH higher in the right store.

    I love it!

  • nosoccermom
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I actually have one leaf, made of cherry wood, which matches quite well. Using the table right now, even though it's a little bit big for daily use.