Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions
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
Related Questions
- Who invented nesting tables?1 Answer
- When was the telephone table invented?1 Answer
- When was the tantalus invented?1 Answer
- When were cellarettes invented?1 Answer
- What did Hockney invent?1 Answer
Shop for Coffee and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
Mid Century Petala Table, Attributed to Jorge Zalszupin
Located in New York, NY
Original Petala Coffee Table, a masterpiece designed by Brazilian designer Jorge Zalszupin. Crafted from Pau Ferro, this table embodies sophistication.
This coffee table has been we...
Category
Mid-20th Century Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Hardwood
K'ang Hsi Coffee Table by Rose Tarlow "Melrose House"
By Emilio Roselli
Located in New York, NY
K'ang Hsi Coffee Table by Rose Tarlow 'Melrose House,' Chinese style with intricate black lacquer and hand-painted gold leaf flowers.
Featuring a unique design with turned-up sides...
Category
Vintage 1970s American Neoclassical Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Fruitwood
Italian Art Deco arc-shaped wooden coffee table with two tops, 1930s
Located in MIlano, IT
Italian Art Deco arc-shaped wooden coffee table with two tops, 1930s
Wooden coffee table with two rectangular tops. The structure is curved and rounded in the shape of an arch, the t...
Category
Vintage 1930s Italian Art Deco Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Wood
Mid-Century Modern Round Chinoiserie Coffee Table by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
Located in Miami, FL
Mid-Century Modern round chinoiserie coffee table
by Philip and Kelvin LaVerne
USA circa 1960
"Chan" model, circular coffee table, executed in etched pewter and bronze with hand-pai...
Category
Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass, Bronze, Pewter
Isamu Noguchi Coffee Table, USA 1950's
Located in New York, NY
Early Classic Noguchi IN 50 table in black stained Cherry and vintage apple green glass, aluminum connecting pin present.
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Aluminum
Mid Century Danish Ole Wanscher Rosewood Colonial Side Table by PJ furniture
Located in London, GB
The Colonial Coffee Table that Ole Wanscher designed in 1964. The side table's simple, timeless design supports the Colonial Series' visual expression and provides a harmonious focal...
Category
Mid-20th Century Danish Scandinavian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Rosewood