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 Tables and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
Early and Rare Ado Chale 'Relief d'Agate' Coffee Table in Bronze Mosaic
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"Zakatu" table JAPAN 1965
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Pierre Chapo Inspired Brutalist Round Dark Oak Coffee Table
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Heavy, round coffee table built in the manner of Pierre Chapo. The dark-stained solid oak top measures 3 inches thick, giving the piece a substantial, grounded presence. Four faceted...
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Lovely French coffee table with wonderful composed ceramic tiles by French designer Roger Capron. Both t...
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By Roger Capron
Located in Waalwijk, NL
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This elegant French rectangular coffee table from the 1960s is a design by Roger Capron, known for his iconic ceramic work....
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Roger Capron Style Brutalist Oak and Ceramic Tile Table, Dutch, 1970s
By Roger Capron
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Dark-stained oak frame supports a grid of red-glazed ceramic tiles in varying terracotta tones. The tiles sit flush within the wood surround, framed by a thick oak border that runs t...
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