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Who invented the coffee table?

1 Answer
Who invented the coffee table?
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.
1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024
‘DS-47’ Leather Coffee Table by De Sede, Switzerland, 1970s
Located in Beerse, VAN
This DS-47 coffee table, designed by the in‑house De Sede Design Team, embraces a robust and minimalist aesthetic. Its warm, organic leather is the De Sede’s signature NECK leather,...
Category

Late 20th Century Swiss Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Leather, Glass

Expertly Restored - Sven Ellekaer Model-104 Coffee Table for Christian Linneberg
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Transforming a piece of Mid-Century Modern furniture is like bringing history back to life, and we take this journey with passion and precision. With over 17 years of artisanal expe...
Category

Vintage 1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Glass, Teak

Contemporary Coffee Table with Amorphous Shape, Crafted from Wood with Plaster
Located in NEW YORK, NY
This extraordinary coffee table is a true work of art, distinguished by its captivating amorphous shape that defies conventional geometry, creating a fluid and organic silhouette. Th...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Plaster, Wood

VLAB Brutalist coffee Table with Bronze finish limited Edition , 2008
Located in La xara, VC
VLab Design Project emphasizes the importance of research, recycling, and design culture. Since their start in 2008, VLab Design Project's aim has been to give new life to iconic des...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Brutalist Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Aluminum

Japanese 18th Century Style Lacquered Coffee Table With Scenes of Horses
Located in Stamford, CT
Japanese style equestrian themed lacquered square coffee table with a lift top that opens to a large storage area. The top and sides decorated with decoupage equestrian scenes of ind...
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Wood

Antique 18th-Century Rustic Spanish Warm Honey Color Chestnut Coffee Table
Located in Casteren, NL
This Spanish coffee table, crafted from solid chestnut wood, is a beautiful example of functional yet elegant craftsmanship from the first half of the 19th century. The table reflect...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century Spanish Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Steel

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