Antique Gründerzeit Bedside Table with Marble Top, 1880s

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Description

A two-part bedside table from the last quarter of the 19th century, its form and construction reflecting Historicism with references … Read more A two-part bedside table from the last quarter of the 19th century, its form and construction reflecting Historicism with references to the French furniture tradition. The division into an upper drawer unit, an open middle section on turned columns, and a closed lower cabinet creates a vertically balanced composition of calm formal unity. Historical Context: The bedside table (French: table de chevet) was an integral part of the furnishings in the bourgeois bedroom of the late 19th century. It served for the orderly storage of personal belongings, reading material, and light, as well as—in the closed lower cabinet—the discreet storage of toiletries. The marble top was not solely for aesthetic reasons but also for practical ones: marble is resistant to moisture, wax, and cleaning agents. In the last third of the 19th century, such pieces were produced in large numbers for bourgeois households, both in France and in German-speaking countries.

Features: Original dark gray-black marble top with white veining and visible fossilized grain. Three-tiered design: a chest of drawers with a marble top, an open central section supported by four turned baluster columns, and a base cabinet with panelled panels and turned knob feet. The design is Historicist, from the last quarter of the 19th century, with a clear connection to the French design language of the Third Republic. The turned baluster columns allude to the Henri II Revival, which was widespread in France and the neighboring German-speaking regions during the second half of the 19th century. Panelled frame and panel detailing adorns the doors and drawer fronts; ornamentation is restrained. Brass knobs add a subtle metallic accent.

Function: Formerly a bedside table in a bourgeois bedroom; drawer for personal items, open central compartment for lighting or reading material, base cabinet for toiletries. Today: bedside table, side table, or storage unit in the bedroom or living room.

Dimensions (Height × Width × Depth): 83 × 41 × 36 cm. Material and condition: Solid wood body, appears to be walnut or cherry; surface with a warm patina. Original marble top, dark gray-black with white veining and fossilized structure, stable and undamaged. Fittings (round knobs) replaced. Condition: well-preserved with minor signs of age-related wear. See less