Dining table - Walnut - Round turn with a clove hitch

Round Table with a sail (vela), Walnut - original England, late 19th century - with a pegged (chiavarda) mechanism to position it in the “sail” mode and wheels under the foot, which allow easy storage.
Top veneered in walnut burl as the under-top band.
Central turned pedestal resting on three legs, cleverly carved with volutes and scrolls culminating in a shell.

Product condition: excellent thanks to the meticulous care of the owner, periodically finished with shellac and alcohol.
NO damage, NO restoration, NO alterations.
Dimensions (cm):
Height: 77
Diameter: 135
Pickup in northern Rome, ground floor, vehicle access possible.

The discreet — and unsustainable — charm of the “sail” table. From the late 18th century the first models of this type of dining table appeared, whose top could be inclined vertically, hence the name “Vela.” The purpose is to take up less space and store it in a corner when not in use. The need arose in bourgeois city homes, which, while prosperous, did not enjoy the unlimited spaces of aristocratic country residences. The new luxury of this social class had to contend with space in Dickens’s crowded London. The sail table thus becomes a fashion, even in homes that certainly do not suffer from a shortage of space, and it spreads to the rest of Europe. The grain of ancient woods, in this case walnut, continues to enchant, enhanced by the vertical positioning.
The need harmonizes with today’s living, reconciling practicality with a touch of class, now as then.