Why do card tables have castors?

Gaming tables needed frequent repositioning in drawing rooms to accommodate players around the candlelit board. Castors allowed heavy timber tables to move without dragging across expensive carpets. This mobility was essential for fold-over designs that transformed from small side pieces into full gaming surfaces during evening gatherings.

How do I date a card table?

Dating relies on timber choices, leg profiles, and decorative details like brass inlay or veneers. Regency examples often use rosewood with brass stringing, while Georgian pieces favour solid mahogany. The presence of specific hardware styles and secondary woods helps narrow the decade of manufacture between the late eighteenth and late nineteenth centuries.

Are these castors original to the table?

Checking originality involves looking for consistent wear between the metal components and the surrounding wood of the foot. Replacement castors often leave old screw holes or slight alterations in the socket recess. Period pieces frequently retained their original brass hardware because the weight distribution kept the assemblies securely fastened over generations.

What woods were used for these tables?

Cabinetmakers utilised dense tropical hardwoods such as mahogany and rosewood to construct the structural frames and folding tops. These durable timbers supported the mechanical stress of rotating and unfolding leaves. Decorative surfaces often incorporated burr walnut, satinwood, ebony, and boxwood veneers to create contrasting borders and inlaid patterns.

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Antique Card Table Castors

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Antique card table castors support the legs of folding tables designed for evening gaming, moving smoothly across carpets when the top turns and opens.