Tables were probably one of the first pieces of furniture to come into existence. We know that chairs were brought into popularity, perhaps the first stool with a back, during the Jacobean period. However, it is probable that tables have been around for about as long as man has needed a place to put something. While he may have continued to sleep on the ground or on bedding that was placed directly on the ground, we can surmise that tables were first created from a flat surface balanced atop rocks, sticks of wood, or other stools and such.
The first tables were probably dining tables or used for food preparation in a kitchen environment. During the 1600′s tilt top tables were being used to save space, and some with a dual purpose.
The table to the left is an example of a tilt top table. In many cases during the 17th and 18th centuries tilt top tables were used for small dining tables, less formal than the full size dining table. In other instances and through the centuries since the 1700′s, smaller and more familiar sizes of tilt top tables have been used as tea tables, candle tables, and even as decorative tables in front of a fireplace of as card tables or gaming tables.
During the American Colonial Period, tilt top tables served a dual purpose in many cases. As seen to the left, the table obviously serves two purposes, one as a table, the other as a seat.
When in the present position a small group could gather to eat.
When the meal was complete and the dishes cleared, the table top could be lifted to create a chair, usually wide enough for two well behaved children.
Please note that this particular piece of furniture also served as a storage piece, a third use for this single piece of furniture. The seat lifts to provide a small storage area, perhaps for blankets.
Needless to say these pieces became very popular during the early Colonial Period as families often moved in covered wagons and lived in rather cramped temporary housing as they moved west.
Tilt top tables maintain a certain popularity today, although not as widely used as a multi-purpose piece as in past centuries. Young children often have tilt top tables in the bedrooms, in smaller sizes, ideal for smaller chairs. It offers a good play area when in use as a table, a seat when the table top is tilted, and a storage bin for toys.
The primary use of tilt top tables in the household today, other than a child’s room is in the more formal areas such as a living room. The tables are often left with the tops tilted, especially if the wood grain and finish are well defined. Smaller tables are often used as candle or tea tables.
Years ago tilt top tables were very utilitarian. Today they are more often used as decorative focal points.
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