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Who invented the coffee table?

1 Answer
Who invented the coffee table?
No one knows for sure who invented the coffee table. The earliest examples of the occasional table can be traced back to Victorian-era Britain. At that time, makers like William Watt and Collinson and Lock were producing coffee tables in large quantities.

Notably, F. Stuart Foote, the designer behind the American Imperial Furniture Company, claimed to have invented the coffee table in the early 20th century. He stated that he did so by cutting down the legs of a dining table. However, it's unlikely that Foote is the actual inventor of the coffee table, as books describing coffee tables existed in the UK a decade before his birth in 1872.

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1stDibs ExpertApril 12, 2024
Shop for Coffee and Cocktail Tables on 1stDibs
French Maison Bagues Coffee Table
Located in Houston, TX
French Maison Bagues Coffee Table. Stunning French 40's rectangular Maison Bagues Louis XVI style bronze coffee table or cocktail table-pierced gallery surrounding a beautiful eglomi...
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Vintage 1940s French Louis XVI Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Bronze

Scandinavian Midcentury Coffee Table, Anonymous, Pine, circa 1970s
Located in Hønefoss, 30
This Scandinavian midcentury coffee table from around 1970s, features a light brown stained color and is crafted from solid pine. Its four low square legs add a unique touch of elega...
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Mid-20th Century Norwegian Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Pine

Tavolino da salotto, piano nero e verde ardesia, base ferro battuto disponibile
Located in Rimini, IT
Tavolino da salotto con piano in ardesia nera ed intarsio in scagliola verde malachite brillante, base in ferro battuto. Questo tavolino costituirà un'aggiunta di valore al vostro a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Art Deco Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Slate, Wrought Iron

PK61 Coffee Table by Poul Kjaerholm for E. Kold Christensen
Located in Dronten, NL
Poul Kjærholm for E. Kold Christensen PK61 occasional table, white honed marble and matte chrome steel, made in Denmark, designed in 1955. Marked with E. Kold Christensen logo in th...
Category

Vintage 1950s Danish Scandinavian Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Marble, Steel

1960s Italian Marble Coffee Table
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Incredible vintage marble coffee table from Italy, 1960s. Gorgeous cream colored marble table with accents of green and brown coloring. Rectangular top rests on two angular legs. Bea...
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Marble

Organic Shaped Cork Coffee Table
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Organic shaped “Cloud” cork and cerused mahogany coffee table newly made in the style of Paul Frankl.
Category

Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Coffee and Cocktail Tables

Materials

Cork

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