How do you open a folding card table?

Most pieces feature a turnover top or a concertina mechanism that swings open on hinges to reveal the baize playing surface. Care must be taken to support the pivoting leg properly as the top unfolds to prevent strain on the wooden joints.

What were these tables used for historically?

These tables served primarily for card games, chess, and social gaming during the Georgian and Victorian eras. When closed, they functioned as side tables, console tables, or tea tables against the drawing room wall.

How do I distinguish a Georgian table from a Victorian one?

Georgian pieces often display restrained lines, Chippendale carving, and satinwood inlay from the eighteenth century. Victorian examples tend to feature heavier figured mahogany, robust pedestals, and specialised compartments for game pieces.

Can these tables be used in modern rooms?

Their compact closed dimensions make them suitable as console or occasional tables in hallways and living rooms. Opening the top restores their original function as a game or display surface when entertaining guests.