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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Adrian Pearsall 893-TGO Coffee Table w/ Stingray Glass Top
Located in Los Angeles, CA
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Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precis...
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Vintage 1960s American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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Sergio and Giorgio Saporiti 'Sapo' Coffee Table in Concrete and Glass
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Sergio and Giorgio Saporiti for Saporiti, coffee table 'Sapo', glass, concrete, chromed steel, aluminum, Italy, 1972
Modern, sculptural coffee table designed by Sergio and Giorgio S...
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Roger Capron ‘Sou-Chong’ Coffee Table in Ceramic and Wood
By Roger Capron
Located in Waalwijk, NL
Roger Capron, ‘Sou-Chong’ coffee table, ceramic, stained beech, France, 1971
Lovely French coffee table with wonderful composed ceramic tiles by French designer Roger Capron. Both t...
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Vintage 1970s French Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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Pierre Chapo Inspired Brutalist Round Dark Oak Coffee Table
By Pierre Chapo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
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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Vintage 1960s Dutch Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables
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