How do I seat twenty people?

Tables of this scale utilise four pedestals and multiple removable leaves to stretch across vast lengths. You must check the clearance of the pedestals to ensure chairs fit comfortably along the entire perimeter. Adding or removing leaves adjusts the capacity down from a banquet scale to a manageable boardroom format. The placement of the pillars under the top determines how many diners sit along the sides without hitting a leg.

Are these tables original or revival?

The listings include authentic examples from the Georgian and Regency periods alongside later revival pieces built in the twentieth century. Construction details, timber density, and secondary woods help clarify the exact age of each piece. Revival pieces often match the grand scale and architectural presence of the original designs while offering sturdy structures for modern use. Examining the joinery and extension mechanism reveals whether a table dates to the early nineteenth century or a later workshop.

How do extension leaves work?

Extending mechanisms rely on wooden runners that slide apart from the central pedestals to create a gap for extra boards. Brass pins or clips lock the loose leaves securely into the main frame. When not in use, the leaves detach entirely so the pedestals can be pushed back together. This modular design allows the footprint of the furniture to shrink or expand according to the room.

What is Cuban mahogany?

Cuban mahogany is a dense, slow-growth timber imported during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, valued for stability and deep colour. It takes a high polish and shows dramatic figuring across large table tops. Strict trade restrictions later limited its use, making tables built from this specific timber particularly sought after by collectors. The weight and dark, lustrous grain distinguish it from later or alternative mahogany species.