Skip to main content
Questions & Answers
Our trusted network of 1stDibs sellers answer common questions

How do I identify an antique table?

2 Answers
How do I identify an antique table?
You can identify an antique table in a number of ways. The first clue that a table is antique is the joinery. If a piece of furniture is dovetailed by hand, it only has a couple of dovetails, which are uneven. Also, antique tables are not defined by perfect symmetry. Lastly, antique tables were typically made of oak, mahogany, and walnut.
1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021
In addition to the joinery you can check the bottoms of the drawers and the backs of the cabinets. If they were made prior to 1850 then the wood will most likely be dimensioned by hand. It will be uneven to the touch. The secondary wood that receives the veneer will have been scraped smooth but drawer bottoms, backs and bottoms are often left less finished.
Shop for Mersman Furniture on 1stDibs
Mid Century Mersman English Regency Style Mahogany Inlaid Console Entry Table
By Mersman
Located in Dayton, OH
Mersman English Regency Style Mahogany Console table, circa 1960s. Features a Demilune top over a frieze drawer with striped inlay, flanked by a reeded outside contoured edge. The ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Regency Console Tables

Materials

Mahogany

Post Modern Square Mersman End Table designed by Lou Hodges for Mersman c. 1970s
By Mersman, Lou Hodges
Located in New York, NY
Chic, architectural sidebar end, table designed by Lou Hodges for Mersman, circa 1970's. The table features a sculptural solid oak frame with a bevelled tinted glass top. This exampl...
Category

Vintage 1970s American Post-Modern End Tables

Materials

Glass, Oak

Lou Hodges Mersman Waldron Oak Glass Console Table, 1970s
By Mersman, Lou Hodges
Located in Miami, FL
Lou Hodges for Mersman Waldron Oak Glass Console Table, 1970s Offered for sale is an oak and beveled smoked glass console table by Lou Hodges for Mersman Waldron. The table is versa...
Category

Vintage 1970s Mid-Century Modern Console Tables

Materials

Glass, Oak

Mid-Century Mersman Furniture Mahogany Nesting Tables
By Mersman
Located in Germantown, MD
Set of 3 Mid-Century Mersman Furniture Mahogany Nesting Tables Measures 23" in width, 15" in depth and 24" in height for the largest table.
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Nesting Tables and Stacking...

Materials

Mahogany

Mersman Side Table designed by Lou Hodges for Mersman c. 1970's
By Lou Hodges, Mersman
Located in New York, NY
Exceptional post modern side, or end table, designed by Lou Hodges for Mersman, c. 1970's. The table features a sculptural octagonal solid oak frame, with a bevelled tinted glass t...
Category

Vintage 1970s Post-Modern Side Tables

Materials

Glass, Oak

Mid Century Modern End Table with Single Drawer by Mersman
By Mersman
Located in Freehold, NJ
This mid century modern end table by Mersman features hardwood construction, single dovetail drawer, tall tapered legs, open storage shelf, and durable vinyl top with faux wood grain...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern End Tables

Materials

Formica, Walnut

Shop All