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1880s German Industrial Antique Exam Table
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A Close Look at Industrial Furniture
Industrial floor lamps, bar stools, desks and other industrial-style furnishings have experienced a resurgence in popularity with the rise of interest in minimalist design.
It's a look that celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn. The newly chic industrial style of decor repurposes the simple, sturdy furniture of an earlier world of commerce — brushed-metal storage cabinets and display shelves, task lamps and pendant lights with enameled shades, work tables with worn wooden tops and cast-iron bases — and couples them with aesthetic touches emblematic of energy and optimism, from bright upholstery fabrics to flowers.
The rise in prominence of the industrial style has come hand-in-hand with the residential repurposing of former manufacturing and warehouse districts throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. In many loft apartments created in shuttered factories, the architectural envelope has been left intact.
Industrial-style interiors feature elements like raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors whose history is written in every pit and gouge. Iron and glass transom windows give definition and interest to small kitchen areas anchored by kitchen islands made of marble, steel and brass, while taxidermy or vintage neon signs serve as wall art in living rooms dotted with leather club chairs. Patina is the keynote to a decor in sync with such surroundings.
On 1stDibs you will find industrial furniture designs that wear their age beautifully — and were built to last.
Finding the Right Industrial-work-tables for You
From drafting tables to preparation tables to kitchen islands and more, the collection of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables on 1stDibs features a wide range of robust furnishings that fit seamlessly into modern interiors.
Work tables, just like most tables, have evolved considerably over the years.
More than 1,000 years before iconic American furniture brand Herman Miller would help shape the way we work — and later, how we live at home — monks who lived and worked in medieval-era monasteries stood at what you might call crude writing desks, translating religious texts and copying them by hand.
While those who practiced the art of handwritten letters definitely needed a suitable writing desk, the world wouldn’t see proper roll-top desks and the like until the 19th century. Owing to the work of architects such as Antoni Gaudí, these monastery “desks” were essentially work tables. (Chairs, much less actual desk chairs, weren’t a part of the workspace until the Renaissance.) It was a far cry from the cozy home office that affords many of us the opportunity to work remotely today.
Near the end of the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution brought with it the founding of mills and factories, and hand production methods gave way to machinery and mass production. Factory workers needed sturdy industrial tables to perform tasks that required precision and to support the manufacturing industry. Spare work tables — durable and easy to clean — were constructed of metal and wood and became essential on assembly lines and in packing facilities. Today, industrial-style furniture celebrates the past even as it suggests vigor, productivity and brawn.
Aside from how well antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables will fit in your industrial-style interior — think raw brick walls, exposed steel beams and oak floors — these furnishings have practical uses. They’re a must-have item for a number of creative endeavors: They’re an ideal food-prep surface in your kitchen or an efficient work surface for any kind of hands-on workshop or painting and drawing studio. With some creativity, you can turn a vintage wood industrial table or work table into a desk, dining room table or coffee table.
At 1stDibs, we love the industrial-style furniture trend, and here you can find a wide range of antique and vintage industrial tables and work tables as well as other furnishings that will look wonderful in your heavenly loft space.
- How do I identify an antique table?2 Answers1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021You can identify an antique table in a number of ways. The first clue that a table is antique is the joinery. If a piece of furniture is dovetailed by hand, it only has a couple of dovetails, which are uneven. Also, antique tables are not defined by perfect symmetry. Lastly, antique tables were typically made of oak, mahogany, and walnut.Bonnin Ashley Antiques IncFebruary 23, 2021In addition to the joinery you can check the bottoms of the drawers and the backs of the cabinets. If they were made prior to 1850 then the wood will most likely be dimensioned by hand. It will be uneven to the touch. The secondary wood that receives the veneer will have been scraped smooth but drawer bottoms, backs and bottoms are often left less finished.
- What is an antique rent table?2 Answers1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022An antique rent table is a piece of furniture that landlords and tenants used to exchange rent. The rent money would be placed in one drawer, the table would rotate for the landlord to receive. It was considered polite and gentlemanly to pay rent this way. Shop a collection of antique rent tables from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022A rent table is a small circular or polygonal table with drawers. Rent tables frequently had drawers labeled for the days of the week, and English landlords in the 18th century often used them to collect rent. On 1stDibs, shop antique rent tables from some of the world’s top sellers.
- 1stDibs ExpertOctober 24, 2024To tell if a kitchen table is antique, look under the table and on the legs for a maker's mark. It may be carved, branded or stamped onto the surface or appear on a paper or metal label. Using the marking, you can consult trusted online resources to learn about the maker and view catalogues of their pieces, searching for tables similar to yours. If your kitchen table was produced at least 100 years ago, it is an antique. Keep in mind that not all antique furnishings have maker's markings. In the event that you're unable to locate a mark, a certified appraiser or knowledgeable antique dealer can evaluate your piece for you. On 1stDibs, explore a diverse assortment of tables.
- 1stDibs ExpertMay 5, 2023To determine whether a side table is an antique, closely examine its details. Older pieces will typically have telltale features like wood pegs, hand-cut dovetails with some slight imperfections and mortise-and-tenon construction. Tables that are a consistent color throughout or have machine-cut moldings or carvings are unlikely to be antiques. A certified appraiser or knowledgeable antiques dealer can be a helpful resource when dating tables. Shop a collection of antique, vintage and modern side tables on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To identify your antique dining table, first check to see if there is a maker’s mark on the underside. If there are no identifying marks or stamps, a furniture appraiser can check the style and the hardwood used to identify your piece. Shop a collection of antique furniture from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 13, 2023While you can look for markings and other details to try and determine the maker, the best way to identify an antique drop leaf table is to work with a certified appraiser. Trusted online venues and search engines can be helpful when conducting research on a specific collectible, piece of jewelry, art work or other item about which you may have questions, but qualified professionals, such as an antiques dealer or an appraiser at an auction house, have the knowledge and experience needed to make more accurate identifications. Shop a selection of antique, vintage and modern tables on 1stDibs.