Mid-Century Modern Refectory Pine Dining Table in Blonde by Trestle R. Nance, 1960s

Details

Description

A gorgeous, extremely rare and super-stylish 1960s trestle refectory table by a top British Mid Century craftsman in wonderful vintage … Read more A gorgeous, extremely rare and super-stylish 1960s trestle refectory table by a top British Mid Century craftsman in wonderful vintage condition. If you’re looking for a stunning Modernist artisan dining table that would fit almost any design lover’s interior, then look no further than this beauty. Designed and made by Robin Nance of St Ives, Cornwall, this stunning and achingly cool dining table will add gorgeous golden colouring and a minimalist-and-modern yet traditionally-crafted aesthetic to any interior.

Thanks to his parents’ love of Arts & Crafts, Nance was a woodworking prodigy from childhood, and he had his own studio from 1933-1972. Very much a lifelong Arts & Crafts specialist, Nance crafted in a way to emphasise the beauty of natural materials and the value of simplicity, utility and beauty. Bookending, as he did, the very peak of the Mid Century design movement, you can also see in this breath-taking table – which we believe was produced in the late 1960s – that Nance was a forward-thinking Arts & Craftsman, who wasn’t afraid to incorporate other Mid Century design influences in his later work: The tapering tabletop takes inspiration from the burgeoning sleek-lined Scandinavian design movement of the 1960s, while the angular feet and stretcher-bar ends are a nod to the robust look of the Brutalist design movement, which was also gaining popularity in the late 1960s. So, here is a traditionally (Arts &) Crafted table with lovely Modernist touches, which really make it stand out – what a rare and joyous piece!

The use of pine is also unusual in the Arts & Crafts movement and has been utilised superbly here by Nance to create a more modernist looking piece with stunning golden hues, which still abounds with lovely touches of traditional craftsmanship detailing. The beautiful, solid, reassuringly heavy and seamlessly joined triple-plank tabletop sits on a striking and sturdy pair of beautifully chamfer-edged trestle legs. The legs feature lovely angular raised feet, rounded to the top, which match the upper arms, onto which the tabletop is secured using traditional mortise and tenon wedged joins.

The legs are supported by a traditional and chunky refectory stretcher bar, again secured in place using traditional mortise and tenon wedged joins, with the bar’s angular (rather than rounded) ends complementing the angular feet, transforming this stunning traditionally crafted Arts & Crafts table into a Modernist marvel with tradition at its heart.

All in all this is a strikingly attractive, extremely rare and outstanding crafted artisan refectory dining table, which will add beautiful colouring and a fabulous Mid Century aesthetic to any setting.

CONDITION
This is in very good vintage condition. Solid, sturdy, reassuringly heavy and expertly crafted to last, it has been lovingly looked after. Were it not for the “Robin Nance St Ives” maker’s stamp to both legs, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a lot more modern than its at least five decades age! The only minor signs to show any use at all are some small pricks to the tabletop surface, which look to be something like compass pricks, perhaps the signature of a child in the 1970s! Apart from these, there are hardly any marks to show its age at all. Easily assembled, it can be just as easily disassembled for transporting. Overall this is a really super and very rare table in wonderful condition and if well looked after, it should just as breath-taking for generations to come – please see the photos. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less