Irish Games Table
An irish games table brings clever mechanism and rich timber together, offering a versatile surface for card play and tea.
Irish Games Table
An irish games table is a multifunctional piece designed for entertainment and hospitality, spanning periods from the eighteenth century through to the Victorian era. You encounter forms configured as card tables, tea tables, and triple top variants that fold or turn over to reveal playing surfaces.
Mahogany and walnut dominate the pieces seen here, often enriched with satinwood inlay, brass accents, and fitted baize. These tables bridge the gap between formal furniture and social utility, reflecting the social habits of Georgian and Victorian homes.
Judging Quality and Finish
Quality rests in the crispness of the timber carving, the depth of the patina, and the precision of the folding mechanism. Finer examples show thoughtful proportion in the cabriole or straight legs and careful alignment of the folded surfaces.
The choice of secondary timbers and the complexity of the internal action separate standard production from exceptional cabinet work. Burr walnut and detailed inlaid bird designs indicate a higher tier of workshop output.
Irish Games Table Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for irish games table among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings feature periods from the eighteenth century and Georgian eras through to Victorian times, constructed in mahogany, walnut, and burr walnut.
The Irish Games Table Glossary
- Concertina action
- An expanding frame mechanism that allows all four legs to move outward when the table top unfolds, providing balanced support. This engineering feature is typical of better eighteenth-century examples.
- Baize
- A woolen felt material used to line the playing surface of card tables. It provides a soft, friction texture for dealing cards.
- Demi lune
- A half-moon shape used to describe tables with a curved front and straight back edge. These fold out into a full circle or oval when opened.
- Triple top
- A table construction featuring three leaves that fold or swing out to serve multiple functions such as a tea table, card table, and plain surface. This design maximised utility in smaller rooms.
- Patina
- The deep surface sheen and colour developed by wood over long periods of handling and age. Good patina shows through regular polishing and careful use.
Irish Games Table: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an irish games table?
An irish games table is a piece of antique furniture with a folding or rotating top designed for pastimes like cards and chess.
These tables frequently double as tea tables or side tables when closed, combining decorative presence with practical function.
How do you date an irish games table?
Dating relies on stylistic clues such as cabriole legs for earlier pieces and straight tapered legs for later Georgian or Victorian variants.
Timber choice also helps, as walnut and early mahogany give way to burr walnut and alternative finishes in the nineteenth century.
How were these tables used?
Families used them in the evening for card games, chess, and social gatherings where entertainment took place in the parlour.
During the day, the folded top allowed the furniture to function as a regular tea table or side console against the wall.
What woods were used?
Makers relied heavily on mahogany and walnut, occasionally incorporating burr walnut for decorative grain pattern.
Details often included satinwood inlay and contrasting veneers to frame the edges and surfaces.