One of the most recognized seventeenth-century furniture forms still in use today, the gateleg table owes its existence to changes in at-home dining. Long before the concept of a dining room furnished with a single large table was established in the mid- to late-eighteenth century, even the grandest European households lacked rooms designed solely for dining. Instead, many had multipurpose great halls that were used for receiving guests, conducting business, and, at mealtime, dining at long refectory tables, where lords, ladies, and household servants would often dine together. As dining gradually became a more intimate affair, starting around the turn of the seventeenth century, dining rooms slowly began to appear in wealthy homes, but rather than being furnished with a large solo table that could seat all diners, multiple small dining tables were preferred instead.
To accommodate this new fashion in dining, furniture makers devised the gateleg table, which is essentially a folding table. Comprised of a main table section that has an attached leaf, or flap, on each side, the gateleg table is supported by both stationary legs and hinged gate legs, which are connected by stretchers. When a leaf is raised, the gateleg can be swung out to support the upright leaf. It was not unusual for wealthy seventeenth-century households to have three or four gateleg tables available for dining. When not in use, the tables could be unfolded and moved easily to the side of the dining room, where they sometimes served as side tables.
Gateleg tables were some of the most-used tables of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, particularly in England and Holland. Because of their long-term popularity, they encompassed a succession of design styles, ranging from Jacobean and Restoration styles to William and Mary and Dutch Baroque. While plain legs and stretchers often indicate an early to mid-seventeenth century provenance, spiral-turned supports became the preference beginning in the 1660s and remaining so until the 1690s, when barley-twist followed by baluster-shaped stretchers became more common. Material-wise, most seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tables were made of oak, although walnut or yew was also sometimes used.
When single large dining tables started to become the norm in the latter part of the eighteenth century, gateleg tables began to decline in popularity, a development which was accelerated by the introduction of the drop leaf table. (A variation of the gateleg form, the drop leaf design distinguishes itself from its predecessor by a lack of stretchers connecting the table’s legs.) As is often the case with the evolution of furniture, the gateleg table remained relevant in provincial areas long after it fell out of favor elsewhere, eventually becoming better known as a country-style piece. Because of its practicality, it continued to be widely used through the nineteenth century, even spawning a Victorian-era version known as a Sutherland table, which could be described as a cross between a gateleg and drop leaf forms. Thanks to their functional design and their plentiful supply, antique gateleg tables continue to be familiar sights not only in dining rooms but now other household spaces as well.
need to KNOW
• The term “gateleg table” did not come into use until the nineteenth century. The name was coined because of the table’s hinged, leaf-supporting legs that are connected by stretchers, thereby giving them the appearance of a gate.
• Cherie Tibbetts, co-owner of Vivianne Metzger Antiques in Cashiers, North Carolina, attributes the gateleg table’s enduring popularity to its usefulness. “The smaller or mini gateleg tables are being used as drink tables. You can open the leaves when entertaining for appetizers but drop them to take less space when needed. I would also say the medium sizes, which are a great height for a side table in a living area or bedside, are also very popular. You can open just one leaf and have a semi-circle design.”
• Tibbetts advises buyers to consider a few factors before purchasing. “Because these antique tables are often from the 1800s and have been hand-tooled and pegged, always check for sturdiness. The color of the wood and its patina are a personal preference. The style of the legs also varies. Those with barley-twist legs have a very English feel.”
• Pricewise, Tibbetts says that the smallest versions can often be found for around $495, with large examples commanding around $2,000. In terms of supply, “Gateleg tables are fairly easy to source. The better quality and seventeenth-century examples are very sought after,” Tibbetts says.
