Large 19th Century French Cast Iron and Marble Butcher Shop or “Pastry Table”

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Description

Topped by a ¾ inch thick white marble with subtle gray veining, this type of table with a highly scrolled … Read more Topped by a ¾ inch thick white marble with subtle gray veining, this type of table with a highly scrolled cast iron base is sometimes referred to as a “pastry table”. This table would have been used in a French patisserie or boucherie during the 1800s as a display table for store offerings, whether it was recently baked pastries or fresh cuts of meat.

Beneath the rectangular marble is an elaborate cast iron apron consisting of pierced fleur de lys with flowering plant finials in each corner. The iron has a brown hue that is darker than the somewhat oxidized scrolled legs below that have traces of orange oxidation. Several brass roundels add to the aesthetic appeal of the table, while also functioning as connectors for the long volutes that flank large open roundels in the center of the long sides. Smaller brass roundels also serve as connectors to the whorled feet and the stretcher, which has several ball finial terminals.

Pastry tables are highly sought after, as they generally have more panache than a standard wooden table. At 59 ¼ inches long, our 19th-century pastry table can be used as a small breakfast table or at the end of a kitchen island as a work station. The iron and marble construction also allows it to be placed outdoors, such as a patio table or poolside beverage cart. See less