Round coffee table, Swedish Gustavian style – cream painted, early 20th c.

A charming round side table in Gustavian style, probably Swedish and dating from the early 20th century. The round pine top rests on a curved apron and four slender, slightly splayed sabre legs, joined at the bottom by an elegant cross stretcher with curved arms. The legs carry recessed bead-string drops with an old gold/bronze-coloured finish. The whole is painted cream-white with a lovely time-worn shabby look, with the warm pine showing through here and there. In Sweden such a table is called a salongsbord; in English also a side table, lamp table, bistro table or small breakfast table. Painted tables of this kind were made in large numbers in Sweden around 1900–1930 as a simple, light variant of 18th-century Gustavian furniture. This example stands out for its elegant sabre legs and bead-string ornaments, which make it just a little more refined than most. With a diameter of 79 cm and a height of 74 cm, it is also large enough to sit at: with two chairs, a perfect coffee or breakfast table. Looks beautiful in a Scandinavian, country-style, brocante or shabby chic interior, and brings softness to a French or classically furnished room. Lovely in a bay window, next to the sofa with a lamp on it, or as a table for two in the kitchen or on a covered veranda. An honestly used piece of furniture with a paint layer that has seen plenty of life. The table stands firmly on four legs. Signs of use in keeping with its age. Along the edge of the top, larger areas of paint have flaked off, exposing the bare pine. The top has paint damage and scratches, small spots where the paint has worn through to the wood, a few faint rings and small white paint spots. The curved apron has some fine shrinkage cracks and an opened seam along the glued sections. A small gap is visible on one side between top and apron. The gilding of the bead-string drops is worn; the paint on the legs has small chips and knocks, especially at the bottom of the feet. No missing parts visible.