Antique Tables

Tables as the name suggest is a commodity or an article or a piece either wood/metal, which is generally used in human habitats for the purpose of rendering usefulness and relaxation to the person. The Tables can be for decoration or a showpiece or even a utility object. Tables used to be a luxury accessory in the historic times, as the cost of procurement of such articles was high; hence could only be afforded by particular class or the royalty. Tables of those times could not generally sustain the lashing of time thus very few articles or Tables could be retrieved from those times. Antique Tables thus, is/are the ones from the last century or so. Antique Tables were designed and made by a selected craftsman of that time. Each era or age showed its own unique features and styles in designs of not only architecture but also of the furniture like Tables, and craftsmanship. The articles like Tables, retrieved were mainly made of wood and wrought iron. Metal was introduced in the recorded history at sometime around 2000BC.These antiques were designed and customized as per the convenience and usefulness of the prospective buyer. Care was taken by the craftsman to keep in mind the taste of the buyer and the utility, as briefed by the prospective owner of the furniture. Hence Tables were made either movable or fixed/stationary catering to the particular needs.

The traces of the Tables can be related to the Stone Age or the pre historic time when humans were nomads and used to roam from places to places in search of food. The inception of civilization considered to be starting near the water bodies like river, give an in depth peak into the earliest civilization such as harrapan civilization. Not only were their cities with modern amenities such as roads and community center, but these places boasted of a distinct style of craftsmanship in not only architecture but also in the lifestyle and objects used for their usefulness such as furniture. As in the case of many other trends like architecture, the Greeks and Egyptians introduced the best-known designs in Tables. These were then sold to Romans who took these designs and fused their own designs in Tables to give great examples of craftsmanship. The royalty was treated with lavishly designed Tables not only in their palaces but also in the community centers and the courts. Many of the antique articles have faded away in oblivion mainly due to poor keep up and maintenance of these legendry legacies by the heirs of the owners of these pieces of arts. Climatic condition like humidity, plays important role in the lifeline of the objects particularly made of wood and metal. The astonishing fact of the antique Tables is the durability; most of the articles retrieved can stand the termite attack, which clearly show the expertise in selecting the raw material and finishing done by the craftsmen. As the humans started settling down in civilization they created stables homes and decorated them with items of necessity, which turned into the so-called “furniture”. The archaeological excavations have discovered intact pieces of immaculate designs of furniture like tables and chairs. Stones, marble, granite and even glass were used to give a different and unique style to the prevalent styles in tables. The royalty were furnished lavishly and ornated Tables with the expensive stones imbibed and embedded in the Tables itself. This became a field to showcase the creativity and imagination of the craftsmanship even in the modern history.

We find references in the 18th century when the metal was used in Tables but the cost of furniture, which was handmade or came in the direct supervision of a skilled craftsman, were priced high. Here the craftsman with his team is involved in each step of making a piece of Tables like designing, cutting, assembling and even polishing; such services were afforded only by the selected few to cater to the artistic taste of them or mostly to show off the specially designed work of art as a prized possession.

The antique furniture consists of beds, chairs, tables and most importantly the throne. The Arabs and the Mughals took their craftsmen with them wherever they went while conquering the countries. The Mughal designs in the architecture and furniture are still revered as awe-inspiring. The examples of such designs and still intact pieces of Tables can be seen at the museums and historical palaces in the south asian countries like India. These antiques are kept in the custody of the board or the government itself. The archeological excavations have uncovered and retrieved partial works of long forgotten civilization. These works like the Tables and the other articles give us the idea on the lifestyles and the philosophy and social structure of that time. The expensive articles such as Tables were traded to different parts of the world and that is the reason why there were some distant work of arts found in entirely alien territories. These were also used in barter trade and it was a common practice in diplomacy and courtesy between the kingdoms to appease each other with gifts of unique work of craftsmanship.

The antique furniture, if procured or bought through auction or otherwise should be carefully taken care of. Professional help should be sought in rightly dating the antique and also to have guidance on the subject of up keeping and maintenance of the prized catch. Since these artifacts cost a fortune and carelessness in maintaining them can mean the loss of the whole amount and a major heartburn as, for an antique collector, there can be no loss greater than the loss of a historical legacy. The retouching or reinstatement of the Tables should also be carried in consultation and accordance to the guidance of experts and professional so that the sanctity of the antique Tables is kept intact and the structure is also lent strength to last more years. Artificial environment control is needed at times to keep them in the condition as they are now.