Unusual Vintage 1950s Tambour Top Extending Table

This is such an unusual piece, the likes of which we’ve not seen before and are unlikely to again so we couldn’t help fall for it. At first glance it’s a regular, hard-working 1940s / 1950s kitchen table. A little battered and bruised with age and use but very well-made, solid and sturdy with neat proportions and chunky, splayed legs. The quirky design feature here is the fact it can be extended on either side with a rolling tambour mechanism. Pull the sides and the tambour rolls round, flattening out as the halves are pushed back in to create the extra table top. A weird and wonderful slice of British post-war design, very cleverly engineered but most likely quickly usurped by other extending table designs and mechanisms. Perhaps not smart enough for a dining room but ideal for a busy, family kitchen, this is a piece that can certainly take life’s rough and tumble.

SKU: W638

Description

This original, vintage dining table is ‘sold as seen’. Overall it is in good – very good, used condition. The table has been checked, cleaned and a natural beeswax polish applied but otherwise the finish is original. The table is extended by simple pulling apart one or both of the sides. The tambour strips roll out and the sides are then pushed back to flatten them into position, creating the extended table top. You can extend one side or both. The mechanism sometimes need a little helping hand on one side – the tambour rolls back and forth with ease but one of the hidden hinges is missing which makes it flatten when you push the side back. You might need to direct it a little so it doesn’t roll round and under. If you would like to see a video of this, please do let us know and we can share. It’s not a major issue but it’s hard to describe in words and also to remedy! In line with its considerable age, there are signs of aging and wear and tear – light dents, scratches and scuffs here and there.

Dimensions
W: 106.5cm – 140.5cm / H: 76.5cm / D: 76.5cm / H to Side Trim: 65cm