Questions & Answers
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Who invented the coffee table?
1 Answer
No one knows for sure who invented the coffee table. The earliest examples of the occasional table can be traced back to Victorian-era Britain. At that time, makers like William Watt and Collinson and Lock were producing coffee tables in large quantities.
Notably, F. Stuart Foote, the designer behind the American Imperial Furniture Company, claimed to have invented the coffee table in the early 20th century. He stated that he did so by cutting down the legs of a dining table. However, it's unlikely that Foote is the actual inventor of the coffee table, as books describing coffee tables existed in the UK a decade before his birth in 1872.
Shop a wide variety of coffee tables on 1stDibs.
Notably, F. Stuart Foote, the designer behind the American Imperial Furniture Company, claimed to have invented the coffee table in the early 20th century. He stated that he did so by cutting down the legs of a dining table. However, it's unlikely that Foote is the actual inventor of the coffee table, as books describing coffee tables existed in the UK a decade before his birth in 1872.
Shop a wide variety of coffee tables on 1stDibs.
1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024
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Shop for Coffee and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
21st Century Contemporary Coffee Center Round Table Abstract Wood Marquetry
Located in Porto, PT
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21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Center Tables
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Modern Minimal Indoor Outdoor Round Coffee Center Table in Olive Marron Marble
Located in Porto, PT
Modern Minimal Indoor Outdoor Round Coffee Center Table in Olive Marron Marble
Lunarys Center Table is an outstanding modern design piece. A key coffee table for a contemporary li...
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21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Organic Modern Center Tables
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Boogie Nights Handmade Ceramic, Bronze Steel & Verdigris Copper Side Table
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The teal green ceramic tiled and verdigris copper Boogie Nights side table is designed by Egg Designs and manufactured in South Africa. This side ta...
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Art Deco Armilar Console Table, Ebony Gold Leaf, Handmade Portugal by Greenapple
By Greenapple, GF Modern
Located in Lisboa, PT
Armilar Console, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by GF Modern.
The Armilar console table has a modern design that pays homage to the Portuguese armillary sphere,...
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Art Deco Stone Coffee Table Calacatta Marble Handmade in Portugal by Greenapple
By Greenapple
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Stone Coffee Table, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by GF Modern.
Stone coffee table lives up to its name featuring an exuberant stone texture with beautiful, in...
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Marble, Carrara Marble
Art Deco Rubi Coffee Table Nero Marquina Marble Handmade Portugal Greenapple
By Greenapple, GF Modern
Located in Lisboa, PT
Rubi coffee table, Modern Collection, Handcrafted in Portugal - Europe by GF Modern.
Like a startling ruby ring, our magnificent Rubi side table follows the Art Deco style by repr...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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Onyx, Travertine, Marble, Gold Leaf
