Vintage Side Table Set
A vintage side table set brings practical multi-tiered surfaces into a room, most often appearing as nesting tables from the Edwardian period or the Art Deco era.
Vintage Side Table Set
A vintage side table set most commonly takes the form of a nest of tables, sliding neatly together when floor space matters and separating to hold drinks or books.
The pieces on this page span the Edwardian era, the 1920s and 1930s, alongside earlier 19th-century interpretations and Georgian-style revivals.
Beyond nests, the selection includes quartetto sets of four or five graduating tables, console tables paired with mirrors, and occasional sets incorporating wood, glass, and fabric.
Materials and construction methods
Cabinetmakers built these sets primarily in timbers such as mahogany, walnut, burr walnut, and golden oak, often selecting figured veneers for the main surface tops.
Inlaid stringing, glass inserts, and hand-painted Chinoiserie decoration appear across Edwardian and Art Deco examples, adding visual contrast to the polished timber frames.
Vintage Side Table Set Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for vintage side table set 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.
Distinctions in quality
The distinction between standard production and top-tier workshop output lies in the selection of timber veneers and the precision of the graduating frame joints.
Sets designated as quartetto or carrying maker attributions demonstrate finer inlay work, heavier gauge solid woods, and smoother clearance as each smaller table slides beneath the next.
Harry and Lou Epstein·Heal's
The Vintage Side Table Set Glossary
- Quartetto
- A set of four graduating tables designed to stack inside one another. This term appears frequently in Edwardian and early 20th-century cataloguing for nesting tables.
- Burr walnut
- A veneer sliced from the gnarled growth of a walnut tree, prized for its swirling grain patterns. Makers utilised it on the top surfaces of formal tables.
- Inlay
- A technique where contrasting strips of wood or other materials are set into the surface timber. Edwardian pieces often incorporate delicate mahogany and lighter wood stringing.
- Chinoiserie
- European decorative style reflecting Chinese artistic motifs. Pieces decorated in this manner display painted or lacquered oriental scenes on wood.
Vintage Side Table Set: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a quartetto nest?
A quartetto nest consists of four tables that scale down in size to fit snugly beneath the largest main table. This clever design maximises surface area while occupying the footprint of a single small table.
Cabinetmakers produced these sets in mahogany and walnut during the Edwardian period and the 1930s for ease of entertaining.
How do I identify an Edwardian nest?
Edwardian nests often feature slender turned legs, mahogany frames, and delicate string inlay around the table tops. They date from the early 1900s and prioritize light proportions.
Makers of this era frequently produced quartetto sets designed to slide together with minimal clearance.
Where should I place nesting tables?
Nesting tables suit sitting rooms and drawing rooms where surface space is needed intermittently. The smaller tables pull out next to armchairs for cups or books.
When not in use, the set stacks together against a wall or beside a sofa to keep the floor clear.