Octagonal Low Table
An octagonal low table brings a distinct eight-sided geometry and low surface height to a room, offering both practical utility and varied historic character.
Octagonal Low Table
An octagonal low table is typically encountered as a coffee table, occasional table, or centre table, drawing on designs from the Victorian period through to the 1930s. Buyers searching for an octagonal low table will discover diverse iterations ranging from British Victorian burr walnut pieces to Art Deco walnut designs and colonial Indian low tables.
The form often originates from tables adapted down in height or designed specifically for lower seating arrangements, encompassing styles such as Edwardian chinoiserie, Anglo-Indian work, and Sorrento Ware. Walnut, burr walnut, mahogany, and hardwood form the primary structural timbers found across these examples.
How they were made
Construction relies heavily on timbers like walnut, mahogany, and oak, frequently enhanced by burr walnut veneer to create richly patterned top surfaces. Craftspeople employed precision in sawing and laying veneers, alongside traditional joinery methods suited to supporting eight-sided tops.
Decorative embellishments often include intricate boxwood inlay, contrasting ebonisation, and surface applications such as white marble inserts or semi-precious stones. Metal components like brass also appear in fittings and mounts, while Sorrento Ware pieces utilise specialised wood mosaic techniques.
One low table cleverly conceals its global travels, sporting an eight-sided top that has seen both British drawing rooms and Indian workshops.
What varies in quality
Quality rests significantly on the choice of timber and the execution of veneers, with burr walnut and flame mahogany displaying superior natural figuring that elevates the visual depth of the top. The crispness and precision of boxwood inlay or micro-mosaic work further separate standard production from finer craftsmanship.
The architectural integrity of the base, whether a pedestal, tripod arrangement, or four-legged frame, dictates the overall stability and proportion of the piece. Tables retaining original surface patination and integrated decorative elements generally represent higher tiers of manufacture.
Gillows of Lancaster
The Octagonal Low Table Glossary
- Burr walnut
- A prized timber harvested from the wart-like growths on walnut trees, yielding intricate, swirling grain patterns highly valued for table tops.
- Sorrento Ware
- Italian wooden ware featuring detailed micro-mosaic inlay work depicting geometric or pictorial scenes, characteristic of nineteenth-century tourist pieces.
- Chinoiserie
- European decorative style reflecting Chinese artistic motifs, popular during the Edwardian era on lacquered or painted furniture surfaces.
- Pedestal
- A single central support column rising from a footed base, frequently utilised on round and octagonal tables from the Art Deco period.
- Ebonisation
- The process of treating timber, often hardwoods, to imitate true ebony through dark staining and finishing.
Octagonal Low Table: Frequently Asked Questions
What periods do these tables come from?
The pieces span from the nineteenth century through the Victorian and Edwardian eras into the Art Deco period of the 1920s and 1930s. Makers and manufacturers adapted traditional forms across these decades, leading to diverse stylistic influences.
Buyers will find that Victorian examples often feature rich burr walnut, while later twentieth-century items lean towards streamlined Art Deco walnut or ebonised finishes.
Are all octagonal tables low?
Many tables found in this category were originally produced as full-height centre tables, wine tables, or occasional tables before being adjusted in height to function as coffee tables. Others were made as low tables from the outset, particularly nineteenth-century Indian imports.
Examining the proportions and the joinery around the legs usually reveals whether a piece was conceived at its current height or altered later in its life.
What materials are used for the tops?
Timber surfaces dominate, with walnut, burr walnut, mahogany, and oak providing the main structural and visual appeal through varied grain patterns. Some examples incorporate contrasting boxwood inlay or feature inset white marble and semi-precious stones.
Decorative treatments range from traditional French polishing on wood to specialised Sorrento Ware mosaic work and Edwardian chinoiserie painting.
How do I distinguish regional styles?
Regional variations show up clearly in the decorative techniques and secondary timbers employed by the makers. Sorrento Ware displays distinctive Italian wood mosaic, whereas Anglo-Indian and colonial Indian pieces often utilise dense hardwoods with intricate carved or inlaid details.
British Victorian and Edwardian items typically rely on classical cabinet-making traditions, utilising mahogany or walnut veneers with disciplined geometric or floral stringing.