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
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Shop for Coffee Tables and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
KITA LIVING Flow Coffee Table Large - Bronze Glass
Located in Bomonti, TR
The triangular Flow Coffee Table Large with rounded edges, contours its form by curved three legs. With the interlocking linear laths, the sculptural skeleton joins into the legs to ...
Category
2010s Asian Japonisme Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Wood, Oak, Plywood
Coffee table in elm burl and brass by Roche Bobois, 1970
Located in GRENOBLE, FR
Coffee table in elm burl and brass, attributed to Jean Claude Mahey and produced by Roche Bobois in the 1970s. The piece is in good condition.
Dimensions: 100 cm x 100 cm x H 32 cm
Category
Mid-20th Century French Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
Giuseppe Scapinelli, Coffee Table, Wood, Glass, Brazil, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A wood and glass coffee table designed and produced by Giuseppe Scapinelli, Brazil, c. 1950s.
Overall Dimensions (inches): 14.5"H x 47.25"W x 20.375"D
All items ship from High Poin...
Category
Vintage 1950s Brazilian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Glass, Wood
Lilly Coffee Table, Organic Cast Brass Legs & Cascading Glossy Lacquered Tops
Located in NEW YORK, NY
An expressive centerpiece that redefines organic form through color and reflection. The Lily Cluster Coffee Table features four petal-like tops that interlock at varied heights, crea...
Category
2010s Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
Materials
Brass
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
Materials
Oak, Walnut
