Antique and Rustic Early 1700s Wooden Spanish Countryside Pay Table with Drawer

Beautifully time-worn, antique, Southern European, chestnut wood end or side table. This relatively small size antique table is a joy to look at and the history of this kind of table makes it very interesting as well. Pay tables or paying tables were initially used by tax collectors and later in time (in the latter part of the middle ages), when most cities started to have their own currency, came the need for 'money exchangers'. A lot of the first money exchangers in 'early Netherlands' came from the Italian region of Lombardy and their name for these paying tables was 'banco'. Yes, it is this where also the English word 'bank' originates from. Pretty soon these money exchangers, who mainly serviced businessmen and travelers, also started 'safekeeping' and lending money. These tables therefor are at the very root of banking and just like some banks in this day and age, some of these earliest 'bankers' did not keep enough cash in their tables to be able to pay out when clients needed their money. This sometimes would lead to a lynching whereby the table of that particular money lender would be broken into pieces. The Italian word for such a broken table...

Beautifully time worn, mid to early 18th century side table with drawer. If you are looking for a truly ancient looking and crudely stylish side table to decorate your living room or entry hall then this rare antique specimen could be flying your way soon. This relatively large size antique table is a joy to look at and this kind of Spanish countryhouse table can be used in all kinds of interiors. Both the straight lined design and the dark patina make this the ideal timeless design that will work almost everywhere. And with a few candle holders or some colorful antique or modern pieces of Southern European ceramics on top, this ancient table...

Elegant and practical size table for all kinds of purposes. This superb, early 1900s French table is made in the style of Louis XVI and it can be used for various purposes. However,...

Extraordinary, handcrafted antique wooden dumbwaiter table, England. This amazing quality and excellent condition table is another great example of the level of the workmanship that...

Mid-19th century table with an inlaid top. This hand-carved and handcrafted table can be used for all kinds of purposes. The tripod base is beautifully carved in the shape of Black Forest tree branches and the inlaid marquetry top has star motives...

Small and stylish, multipurpose side table from the late 1800s. The first owner of this antique European table with drawer would have been a l...

Spanish wooden sidetable with a drawer.

Italian antique wooden fratino table with decorated legs, 1700s Refectory fratino table with rectangular top. It has four legs and two richly decorated and shaped diagonal central be...

18th century Spanish wooden side table with drawer.

Vintage 1980s Spanish 2-drawer side table. The top needs repair.

Early 19th Century Swedish Antique Rustic Gustavian Provincial table from Boden Norrbotten, Northern Sweden. Nice little neat table scraped by hand to ...

Likely early 20th C., a sweet, rustic and honest side table with lockable drawer (key not retained). The table top is made of a single slab of wood with rounded corners on turned bob...