table ingenious company boards
I am intrigued by a table owned by one of my friends, particularly how the leaves work. It is reportedly an English antique table. The leafs, which are probably better described as a company boards, sit under the table top at each end of the table. Under the leafs are 2 board “prongs” more or less like typical colonial company board prongs. The prongs are affixed to the leaves and there are slots in the skirt for the prongs. The entire table top itself is not solidly affixed to the skirt but is held in position by two dowels, one on each side of the table, sticking up in the middle of the skirt into tenons into the top, so the top can be lifted up and down. In operation you lift up the top at one end and slide out the company board, and then drop down the top and it is perfectly level with the company board whether the other company board (at the other end) is extended or not. I hope I have described it adequately. It is an ingenious system. I haven’t been able to find plans. Does anybody know of plans for such a thing or do I need to do a “Norm” and ask my friend to let me “measure it up”? Bill
Replies
Commonly known as a draw leaf table, Chairwright. Your terminology is all up the spout by the way. This pattern was a favourite of the Utility style in the UK during and after the Second World War led by such luminaries as Sir Gordon Russell.
Most examples from that period were in veneered ply for the leaves and solid wood barley twist legs, or other leg styles with the lot all gashed up with dark stain and a bit of polish, although the pattern has been around for about 600 or 700 years at a minimum as witnessed by English Tudor and Elizabethan pieces. English oak is a favourite for the show material in the comparatively modern Utility examples.
A description of the construction can be found in that old furniture makers font of knowledge, The Technique (US Dictionary) of Furniture Making by Ernest Joyce. Slainte.
RJFurniture
Edited 5/30/2005 6:14 pm ET by Sgian Dubh
sqian ... Et Al.. RL Dang..
Is there anything you DO NOT know.. You are amazing!... LOL
Well, Will, half the time, even when completely sober, I can't tell my erse from my elbow, ha, ha. Slainte.RJFurniture
"half the time, even when completely sober, I can't tell my erse from my elbow, ha, ha"
RJ,
I guess that explains why you have "skid marks" inside your shirt sleeves instead of your shorts...-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Is that what the brown streaks inside the sleeves of my shirts is jazzdog? Well, well. Slainte.RJFurniture
HAY no hate here.. Ya jus come up with stuff I could believe!
I took it as a joke, Will, but yeah, sometimes I do say things that could almost be believable, ha, ha.
In case anyone is in any doubt about the pattern by the way, below is a link to a website, an auctioneer's, that should show the style, and the Tudor/ Elizabethan influence is obvious enough.
If this link doesn't work just type in "draw leaf table" in Google or somebody and select the Image option and click Search. Slainte.
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.leonardsdirect.com/images/items/822-0m.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.leonardsdirect.com/antiques/view/details/itemid/822/&h=300&w=300&sz=25&tbnid=waGS9D-puvEJ:&tbnh=111&tbnw=111&hl=en&start=13&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddraw%2Bleaf%2Btable%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DGRJFurniture
Woodsmith has a plan for one.
Tom
Douglasville, GA
What is the issue number?1 - measure the board twice, 2 - cut it once, 3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go 4 - get a new board and go back to step 1
http://plansnow.com/dntable.html
Woodsmith #64.
Regards,
Ken
"Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis
I bought a "pub table" like this at an antique store in Kensington MD. They are great, very compact, but will sit 8 with the leafs pulled. Sold it with my house when I moved south.
Regards,
Ken
"Do as you would be done by." C.S. Lewis
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