What is a loo table used for now?

Many use them as centre tables in a large hallway or drawing room. The wide top is practical for holding a stack of books or a heavy lamp. Some find them useful as occasional dining tables. An oval antique loo table seats four to six people comfortably if the base allows enough legroom.

My antique table has a loose top when it is locked down flat, is there a simple way to fix the wobbling without ruining it?

Wobbles usually come from a worn brass snap catch or loose screws in the bearer block. The metal components grind against each other over decades of use and slowly lose their tight grip. Replacing the original screws with slightly thicker ones often solves the block issue. A metalworker can build up a worn brass catch with silver solder and file it back to a clean tight fit.

Do loo tables come apart for moving?

Most separate into two main pieces. The top and its bearer block lift away from the central pedestal once you remove the main wooden wedge. This makes them easier to move through narrow doorways.

We found one with a mechanism that doesn't seem to tilt up, did they make antique loo tables that were just fixed in place?

Fixed examples exist but they are less common. The main point of the form was flexibility in a multi-use room, so a tilting top was standard practice. Sometimes a previous owner decides to fix a wobbly top permanently. Look underneath for later iron brackets or thick steel screws driven straight through the bearer block into the column.

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Antique Loo Tables from the 19th Century

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Antique loo tables are circular or oval centre tables, usually set on a substantial pedestal base, originally built for playing the card game lanterloo in drawing rooms before finding wider use as a focal point for displaying lamps and books.