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
Modernist "Rokato" Rattan & Glass Coffee Table by Gebr. Jonkers, 1970
By Gijs Bakker
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Captivating 1970s Dutch modernist coffee table from the acclaimed Rokato collection, attributed to designer Gijs Bakker and manufactured by Gebr. Jonkers in Noordwolde, Netherlands. ...
Category
Vintage 1970s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Rattan, Smoked Glass, Wood
Newly Refinished - Vintage Warren Church “Perception” Coffee Table for Lane
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Condition: Expertly Refinished
With over 15 years of experience, our workshop has followed a careful process of restoration, showcasing our passion and creativity for vintage desig...
Category
Vintage 1950s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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Oak, Walnut
Laverne Waterfall Coffee Table
Located in New York, NY
A circa 1970's Laverne coffee table with landscape scene.
Measurements:
Height: 16.75"
Length: 60"
Width: 21.25"
Category
Vintage 1960s Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Metal
Roger Capron “Garrigue” Round Coffee Table, Ceramic Tile Top, France 1970
By Roger Capron
Located in Miami, FL
Roger Capron “Garrigue” Round Coffee Table, Ceramic Tile Top with Leaf Motif, France, circa 1970
“Garrigue” model round coffee table by Roger Capron, France, circa 1970. The top is ...
Category
Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Ceramic, Oak
Modern Scala Luxury Polished Parchment Cocktail Table - The Sphere
By Scala Luxury
Located in LOS ANGELES, CA
Modern Scala Luxury Polished Parchment Cocktail Table - The Sphere.
Category
Early 2000s Italian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Animal Skin, Ebony
Panarea capsule collection, Basiluzzo coffee table in UHPC cement mortar
Located in Rome, Lazio
Basiluzzo is a UHPC concrete coffee table designed by Paolo Cappello for Forma&Cemento and belongs to the Panarea Capsule Collection. It takes shape from sharp volumes and inclined s...
Category
2010s Italian Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Concrete
