What is a quartetto table?

A quartetto table refers specifically to a set of four nesting tables designed to fit neatly one inside the other. Cabinet makers of the Regency period and later revivals favoured this four-tier arrangement for its exceptional versatility in entertaining.

How were these tables used originally?

These tables served as portable surfaces for serving tea, holding books, or playing games like chess in principal reception rooms. Servants would deploy the individual tables around the room as needed and stack them together afterwards to preserve floor space.

Are all these tables from the Regency period?

The selection includes pieces from the nineteenth century alongside later revivals from the Edwardian era and the 1920s. While genuine Regency pieces date from the early decades of the nineteenth century, revival makers continued producing identical forms well into the twentieth century.

What woods should I expect to find?

Mahogany and rosewood are the primary timbers used in the construction of these nesting sets. Craftsmen also utilised satinwood and applied decorative finishes such as black lacquer and gold leaf or simulated rosewood.