Antique Console Tables
In modern times a console table is a table that gives a room a little extra storage space. You will find them located in the foyer to hold keys and calling cards and in dining rooms to be used as a serving table during meals and extra decorative dishware the rest of the time. Some console tables have shelves for magazines, others are designed to hold TV's or as a curio display.
Antique console tables of course did not originally hold televisions, but rather were beautiful displays themselves often in ornate designs and materials. They provided an accent table for a room most often placed in a hallway under a large wall mirror. They were often half tables with detailed legs and decorative finishes.
A console table, sometimes referred to as a side table, often had only two front legs and leaned against the wall or was affixed to the wall. It was viewed only from the front and the sides and these were the only parts of the table that were finished and decorative. They often had marble tops and in 17th century Italy they were introduced as a table purely for display purposes. Many console tables from that time period were carved and were more artwork than furniture.
Between the years 1675 and 1678 and series of extremely ornate console tables were designed for the Palazzo Colonna in Rome. The legs were carved and often gilded replicas of eagles, dolphins, human figurines and sometimes cupids and gaudy foliage.
This trend was continued by the French during Louis XIV's reign. In France console tables were often made in sets of two with matching mirrors. The legs curved inward and were popular expressions of the Rococo style. It caught on next in England and throughout Europe. In the last 25 years of the 18th century these consoles were made of mahogany and satinwood adorned with painted decorations in soft shades.
The console table has been adapted through the centuries to the various forms it now takes in modern furniture design. For those who enjoy collecting antiques, an antique console table can provide a stunning addition to any homes décor. They quickly add interest to any room and can be placed in a variety of locations, though most typically you will find them in a foyer or front hallway.
Almost every furniture manufacture carries a line of console tables. Some also continue to manufacture replicas of antique console tables. No matter what a person's decorating taste or style, today's shopper will find console tables for many home uses in a wide variety of styles and materials.
