Dining table - Walnut - Round turn with a clove hitch

Round table with “sail” mechanism, Walnut - original England, second half of the 19th century - with a keyed/crank-type mechanism to position it in the “sail” position and with casters under the foot, which allow easy storage.
Top veneered in walnut burl, as is the underside fascia.
Central turned leg resting on three feet shaped with volutes and scrolls culminating in shells.

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

The discreet — and undeniable — charm of the “sail” table. From the late 18th century, the first models of this type of dining table appear, whose top can be reclined vertically, hence the term “Sail.” The aim is to take up less space and store it in a corner when not in use. The need arose in bourgeois city houses, which, although well-off, 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 became a fashion, even in homes that did not suffer from a lack of space, and it spread to the rest of Europe. The grain of ancient woods, in this case walnut, continues to enchant, enhanced by the vertical position.
The need harmonizes with today’s living, balancing practicality and a touch of class, then as now.