Skip to main content

Grand Tour Center Tables

GRAND TOUR STYLE

For 18th-century young British noblemen, no education was complete without a year on the Grand Tour. Although it had no official route, the Grand Tour focused on places foundational to European art, literature and architecture, including sites in France, Germany, Switzerland and, most importantly, Italy. It was an opportunity not just to witness the roots of the classics they had studied but also to take some of it home. Grand Tour furniture was among the souvenirs.

Grand Tour furniture ranged from marble architectural models replicating ancient wonders to actual antiquities often taken illicitly, leaving a legacy of looting still being unraveled today. Other items reflected the artistic richness of the Renaissance cities and other destinations. In Italy, this included scagliola tables and pedestals mimicking marble as well as tabletops and wall panels embedded with pietra dura hard stone mosaics.

Furniture was also developed to display Grand Tour purchases in the owner’s home, presenting them as a cultivated and well-traveled person. Mahogany collector’s cabinets held objects like intaglio moldings of coins and seals while others had specialized drawers that framed pietra dura panels.

Many objects were specifically produced for Grand Tour collectors. Often accompanied by retinues on journeys lasting months or years, the elite travelers, the wealthiest of whom extended their trips to Egypt and the Holy Land, required artful personal mementos befitting the experience. For example, Grand Tour micromosaicssmall artworks, most not more than two inches wide — arose from the entrepreneurial impulses of artisans who had trained in the Vatican’s workshops.

Grand Tour journeys would help inform a range of decorative styles such as neoclassical, Rococo and Adam style. (Architect and designer Robert Adam toured Italy and France for five years.) The Grand Tour flourished at a time of economic prosperity and political stability, but the French Revolution in 1789 brought it to an end. Yet as the tradition faded in popularity in England, the rising wealth of the United States led to an increase in tourism across the Atlantic and a similar passion for collecting to show one’s worldliness.

Find a collection of Grand Tour decorative objects, wall decorations, lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.

12
2
to
1
8
5
14
12
12
1,272
1,234
227
207
200
188
152
152
123
121
98
90
75
25
25
23
21
4
10
2
2
1
1
Height
to
11
10
8
4
4
13
11
2
2
Style: Grand Tour
Italian Specimen Marble Top Wrought Iron Round Table
Located in Forney, TX
A visually striking wrought iron table topped with a magnificent 19th century Italian Grand Tour pietra dura style circular specimen top. Inlaid with 99 rare and exotic highly polish...
Category

Late 19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Wrought Iron

Vintage Italian Grand Tour Empire Style Specimen Marble Center Table
Located in Forney, TX
A stunning vintage Italian Empire Grand Tour style specimen marble 'pietra dura' table. Topped with a spectacular exhibition quality round specimen marble slab, featuring a large va...
Category

Mid-20th Century Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Siena Marble, Griotte Marble, Stone, Carrara Marble, Belgian Bla...

19th Century Specimen Marble and Giltwood Centre Table
Located in Shipston-On-Stour, GB
Home / Stock / 19th Century Specimen Marble and Giltwood Centre Table PrevNext  A wonderful large Grand Tour early C19th specimen marble centre table, segmented with 140 rare mar...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

19th Century 'Grand Tour' Marble Top Table with Base attributed to Trotter
By William Trotter
Located in London, GB
An Impressive 'Grand Tour' Specimen Marble Top Centre Table The base attributed to William Trotter of Edinburgh Constructed in a finely patinated mahogany, with a Florentine Pietra ...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Malachite, Marble, Breccia Marble, Porphyry

Italian Antique Scagliola Circular Centre Table Top
Located in London, GB
An Italian antique scagliola circular centre table top Italian, 19th century Height 1.5cm, diameter 90cm This delicately detailed circular tabl...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Scagliola

Rare 19th Century Grand Tour Marble Top Table on Giltwood Base
Located in London, GB
A superb Specimen marble centre table The Top attributed to Alfonso Cavamelli of Rome Inspired by the Roman mosaics discovered at the ...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Malachite, Marble, Porphyry

19th Century Italian Micro-Mosaic Grand Tour Table Attributed to Roccheggiani
By Cesare Roccheggiani
Located in London, GB
A rare grand tour table Possibly by Cesare Roccheggiani The circular platform of marmore nero, inset with fine micromosaic panels consisting of thousands of coloured glass tesserae; a central roundel depicting The Vatican from St Peter's Square within a malachite border, surrounded by a border including four cartouches in polychrome reserves of Roman views including the Coliseum, the Roman Forum, with the remnants of the Temple of Vespasian; the Temple of Vesta, and the Pantheon, all interspersed and linked by voluminous bouquets of fruit and flowers representing the 4 seasons; the outer stylised border inlaid with deep blue tesserae evocative of exotic Lapis Lazuli. Supported on a finely carved Italian giltwood base, its design incorporating baskets of fruit and floral garlands echoing the 4 seasons theme of the table. Italian, Circa 1875 Other table tops inspired by this design, although not as finely executed, can be found in several Russian collections (which house the greatest micromosaics) including Vorontsov Palace, Muranovo House, as well as the imperial State Hermitage Museum. A tabletop with profuse floral micromosaic work was commissioned by the Belgian Royal family (sold Sotheby's, 2003). The floral garlands, the magnificent quality of the inlay and the use of distinct curved tesserae support the present attribution to Cesare Roccheggiani. According to Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel, the world expert on micro mosaics, curved tesserae pieces were used in foliage, grass and animal fur by only the very best mosaicists such as Roccheggiani. Evidence of curved pieces, for instance, is observed in the foreground of the Temple of Vesta cartouche, to name but one observation of the master's hand. The scion of a dynasty of mosaicists, Roccheggiani was perhaps the most successful mosaicist in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. He is doubtless related to Lorenzo Roccheggiani, a late eighteenth-century master mosaicist at the Vatican, whose work included the altarpiece, Crucifixion of St. Peter after Guido Reni. Nicolo Roccheggiani, possibly Lorenzo's son, was also a principle artist at the Vatican, involved in executing the famous tabletop Achilles Shield...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Malachite, Marble, Belgian Black Marble

Grand Tour Mid 19th Century Neoclassical Marble Gueridon
Located in Essex, MA
Mid 19th century carved marble gueridon in the neoclassical taste. All marble. Carved throughout. Top carved in full classical style. Monopod lion legs , tripartate base. Wonderful t...
Category

Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Siena Marble, Statuary Marble

Incredible Rare 19th Century Italian Grand Tour Scagliola Center Table
Located in Charleston, SC
Incredible rare 19th century Italian Grand Tour scagliola center table. The classical inspired table features the Greek key decorated lintel top supported by a tryptich of monop...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Scagliola

Alexandra Specimen Marble
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
The Alexandra. A circular specimen marble inlaid top with radiating specimen inlays bordered with an inlaid Greek key. This top can be made to any s...
Category

2010s English Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Antonius Specimen Marble Top
Located in Sturminster Marshall, Dorset
A circular specimen marble inlaid top with inlaid radiating centre and geometric designed outer border. Priced as size quoted below but can be made and quoted for separately to your ...
Category

2010s English Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Specimen Marble-Topped Table, Grand Tour
Located in Montreal, QC
This is a rare and superb survival. Not merely do we have this intricately inlaid parquetry top, resplendent with various coloured marbles, but we even have the original walnut cente...
Category

Mid-19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

19th Century Grand Tour' Giltwood and Micromosaic Centre Table with Roman Scenes
Located in London, GB
A Grand Tour Centre Table The Top Attributed to Cesare Roccheggiani The carved gilt wood base in the manner of George Smith having four monopedia supports, each depicting leopards heads atop, with paw feet below, and conjoined by an incurved stretcher base having carved stiff leaf decoration, and raised on castors; the circular platform of marmoro nero, with a stylised Greek Key border within double Malachite reserves; the central micromosaic roundel depicts The Vatican from St Peter's Square, surrounded by eight separate roundels of The Pantheon of the Gods; the smallest of Rome's seven hills, the Capitoline; The Mauseoleum of Hadrian on the Tiber; The Roman Forum, with the remnants of the Temple of Vespasian; The Colosseum; the Temple of Vesta; The Arch of Titus, and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. English / Italian, Circa 1875 The attribution to Cesare Roccheggiani is supported by Jeanette Hanisee Gabriel, former curator of the Gilbert Collection and Honorary Curator for the Gilbert Collection at the Victoria & Albert Museum. Provenance: From a Noble family, the 6th Earl of Macclesfield (1811-1896) then by descent. The base is similar in design to designs published by George Smith's A Collection of Designs for Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1808. The taste for monopedia supports was of fashion, in the Regency period and models of such were displayed in the 1851 Great Exhibition. The Macclesfield coat of arms depicts a shield with a central chevron and three leopard's faces. Views of Roman monuments was the most popular theme used by mosaicists in Rome in the beginning of the 19th century, supplying the flow of wealthy Grand tourists from Northern Europe. From small gold boxes...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Malachite

Faux Marble Round Center Table
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
This stylish center table with its faux specimen marble pattern and finish is very much in the style of pieces created from the Grand Tour of Europe in the late 19th century.
Category

Late 20th Century Italian Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Wood

Related Items
19th Century Walnut and Marquetry Centre Table
Located in Martlesham, GB
An exhibition quality 19th century walnut and marquetry centre / breakfast table, the circular top having a decorative foliate carved edge, profusely inlaid with exotic specimen timb...
Category

1860s British Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Walnut

Late 19th Century Centre Table
Located in Whaley Bridge, GB
K0325, elegant 19th rosewood occasional table, having original marble top and shaped frieze with brass edge and three cabriole legs with ormolu decoration united by shaped undertier....
Category

1890s French Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Late 19th Century Centre Table
Late 19th Century Centre Table
H 29.93 in Dm 19.3 in
French Baroque 19th-20th Century Louis XV/xvi Transitional Style Giltwood Carved
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A French Baroque 19th-20th century Louis XV/XVI Transitional Style Gildwood Carved Circular Center Table with a Veined Peach Colored Brocatelle Marble Top, the four legs each with ca...
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Giltwood

Empire Style Mahogany Center Table
Located in Westwood, NJ
A French Empire style mahogany center table with six turned column-form legs with reeded baluster carvings all raised on a six-point star shaped plinth base set on molded edge feet. ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Vietnamese Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Empire Style Mahogany Center Table
Empire Style Mahogany Center Table
H 30 in W 52 in D 52 in
Unique Mid-Century Modern Circular Swivel Top Coffee Table
Located in Brooklyn, NY
This beautiful vintage modern coffee table swivels from 40 inches wide all the way to 49 inches wide. A brown lacquered finish adds to the mid-century appeal. A versatile pedestal-style base makes this unusual cocktail table...
Category

1970s Vintage Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Laminate, Wood

Hammered Coper Top Wrought Iron Base Round Dining Dinette Cafe Table
By Giocometti
Located in Rockaway, NJ
Decorative midcentury decor round cafe table with hammered coper top.
Category

20th Century Unknown Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Copper, Wrought Iron

19th Century English Marble-Topped Pedestal Table
Located in Locust Valley, NY
19th century English marble-topped wood pedestal table, claw foot base with a purbeck marble top.
Category

19th Century English Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Handmade Colorful Yellow Tiles Table top Round Centre Table Caldas for Outdoors
Located in Lisbon, PT
Well-known for its ceramics tradition, Portuguese tiles production dates back to XVI century. Inheriting this rich crafts knowledge, the table tops of Caldas tables are made with han...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Metal

Wrought Iron Specimen Marble Topped Console Table
Located in Hudson, NY
This fine wrought iron wall mounted console table is made up from 18th century parts with early 20th century additions. The 18th-century middle section (see image 6) was probably part of a large wrought iron gate...
Category

Early 20th Century Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Iron

19th Century American Victorian Marble Top Parlor Table
Located in Forney, TX
A superb example of Victorian splendor and its attributes, elegant, sophisticated, refined American high style, this richly decorated parlor (center) table features the original subs...
Category

19th Century Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Brass

19th Century French Empire Small Marble-Topped Table
Located in Hudson, NY
This period Empire table was made in France, circa 1815, is crafted from imported mahogany and done in the Antique taste. This small-scale example is made of bookmatched mahogany ven...
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Early 19th Century French Marble Top Center Table or Gueridon
Located in Essex, MA
Period early 19th century marble top mahogany center table. Baluster shaft with original marble top and paw lion legs.
Category

Early 19th Century French Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Previously Available Items
19th Century Italian Empire Hand-Painted Marble Top Table
Located in Dublin 8, IE
19th Century Italian Empire circular marble top table centred by a hand-painted scene of St. Peter’s Basilica, and surrounded by further depictions of Roman ruins such as The Forum, ...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Scagliola, Mahogany, Walnut, Giltwood

19th Century Italian Specimen Marble Top Circular Centre Table
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
A stunning mid 19th century, Italian specimen marble top and micro mosaic centre table, the radiating sections of marble and semi-precious ...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

19th Century French Empire Grand Tour Specimen Games Table
Located in Forney, TX
A magnificent nineteenth-century French Empire parcel gilt mahogany table with stunning specimen marble games centre table circular top. Featuring an exceptionally executed Italian Grand Tour style specimen top embellished with over one hundred different rare and exotic marble inlays and precious gem stones, comprising the most beautiful examples of Lapis blue, Malachite green, Carrera white, Sienna, Nero Portoro black, Pietra gray, Rojo Levante and Verde Indio green to name just a few. Round form, banded inlay, double framed with a variety of oval filet shape inlays, the center portion with brilliant colorful samples inlaid in square shapes, arranged as a chess board. Atop a tripartite base with circular solid mahogany platform top, over rich highly figured flame mahogany veneered apron, rising on a substantial hexagonal pedestal standard with gilded neck crown molding, accented with decorative solid mahogany "C" scrolls terminating in sculptural hand carved gilt wood dolphin...
Category

19th Century Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Multi-gemstone, Marble, Malachite

Italian Micro Mosaic Table
Located in Essex, MA
The top with central 'Doves Of Pliny' surrounded by famous buildings of Rome including the Colosseum , Pantheon , St Peters etc. Set in an American Eastlake style base with Herter Br...
Category

1870s Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Slate

Grand Tour Bronze and Marble Table
Located in Greenwich, CT
Fine 19th century bronze and marble center table, the green marble top over patinated bronze base in the Pompeiian manner, having winged cherubs sprouting from monopodia legs joined ...
Category

1840s Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Bronze

Grand Tour Bronze and Marble Table
Grand Tour Bronze and Marble Table
H 32.5 in W 43 in D 24 in
Circular Specimen Marble and Giltwood Grand Tour Table
Located in London, GB
Rising from a carved giltwood base, the tripartite leopard headed uprights with claw feet have a central column and a pierced undertier; the circular top, with a thumbnail moulded ed...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble

Italian Giltwood and Specimen Marble Topped Center Table, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
Constructed in carved giltwood, and having a complexly inlaid pietra dura specimen marble platform: rising from a tripartite base with swept legs, carved with foliates, terminating i...
Category

19th Century Italian Antique Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Malachite, Carrara Marble, Marble

Large Round Inlaid Marble-Top Center Table
Located in Dallas, TX
Wonderful large custom inlaid round marble-top resting on custom wrought iron base circa 1990 The top is inlaid with numerous types and colors of marble and semi-precious stones in an intricate geometric layout to achieve a grand and imposing effect. The marble top is given a random, slightly undulating surface to suggest antiquity. The base is custom hand wrought iron with an antique oil finish.
Category

Late 20th Century American Grand Tour Center Tables

Materials

Marble, Wrought Iron

Grand Tour center tables for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a broad range of unique Grand Tour center tables for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage center tables created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with stone, marble and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Grand Tour center tables made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and England pieces for sale on 1stDibs. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for center tables differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $3,800 and tops out at $365,566 while the average work can sell for $17,400.

Recently Viewed

View All