Antique Center Tables

Center tables evolved in medieval times when the tenant farmer had to pay his rent to the landowner. It would have been placed in the center of the hall, would have been round, be on a single pedestal with splay legs on casters and would have seven drawers placed in the frieze for each day of the week. This became known as a “rent” table.

Today they are called drum tables and usually have leather surfaces and are used mostly in the library.

Other types of antique center tables are breakfast tables used for dining, tripod pedestal tables, French gueridons. Center tables can be round, oval or octagonal. They were put in the center of a room to look beautiful and attract attention.