Featured Governor Winthrop Style Desk - Price Point

Yes, they are old, dating to the European Renaissance.
The smaller (usually 30"-36" square without the leafs extended) 20th century English revival tables were kinda "hot" once upon a time not that long ago but alas, have fallen out of favor as have many furniture forms.
Quicky on LiveAuctioneers had this one, sold last year for a WHOLE $22. USD on 19 bids! GEEZ, it must have started out at $1. needs refinishing but still.......

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/en-gb/item/71622498_antique-jacobean-style-oak-pub-table

 

OTOH, if you happen to have the matching chairs, they do much better!
This one sold this year with 4 chairs for $900.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/en-gb/item/80596858_vintage-english-oak-pub-table-and-four-chairs

 

Breaks my heart when I see this. Replacing my table and chairs is lower down my list, but I would gone for it if I had known. I have to replace my entrance table and blanket chest first, but I got to know the final cost of the expansion of my garage project will be before that. Wouldn't you know it, I figured with a three car garage my new F250 would fit, but NO. Because it is jacked up to carry the weight of my slide-camper, the opening height is 1/2 inch too short, as well as being a couple of inches too short in length. Just torture me with all these pretties you will.

 

@James Conrad When I talked about my friend's draw leaf table, it looks like I was mistaken. It is 10 foot long without additional leaves. He was told it was a library table . It did have to be assembled in place, though, and he showed me the wooden pegs that were used on the ends. Slot screws were used to connect the base to the top. I don't know if they are original. It is 10 foot long and 3.6 foot wide. It has solid tiger oak planks on the top each showing a different grain. There are no marks, except I suspect a mark made during the restoration that he had done prior to its coming into his home. Here are some photos. It will take two posts to show them.

 

Nice table!!

 

A few more photos of my friend's table. The last one is one of the wooden pegs.

 

He's pretty proud of it. I'll tell him you liked it.

 

No, don't think so, more likely a revival Refectory table.
"A refectory table is a highly elongated table used originally for dining in monasteries in Medieval times. In the Late Middle Ages the table gradually became a banqueting or feasting table in castles and other noble residences."

 

What revival would that be? He thinks it was purchased in England and shipped back here

 

Hmmm, looking at the screws, I'd guess 20th century

 

now those screws maybe be because of the restoration not original. When he bought it is was in pieces.

 

Well, could be late 19th at the earliest, machine-made for sure. Those incised lines are awfully "crisp". Ditto the holes bored underneath and trestle parts.
Add in It does not look like solid quarter sawn oak, the tabletop boards underneath are different.
A lot of machining to do all that, 20th century my best guess

 

Solid points. This is why I asked you. I knew you would know. Thank you for taking the time to look it over. I really appreciate it.

 

Another thing, that trestle in the middle like the makers were not real sure they could span that distance without it sagging.
Typically in 19th century revival english refectory tables, you don't see that middle trestle.

 

Because the wood would be of one piece and able to span the 10 feet?

 

Exactly

 

You are terrific. I am in awe of your knowledge and analytic power. Thank you.

 

Here is a 17th-century english refectory table, it doesn't say how many boards the top is but that really doesn't matter, what matters is, is there enough mass to carry that span?
The top on this table is 2-1/2 inches thick of solid oak so yes, plenty of mass to span this tables over 9 feet span.
https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/70706473_a-fabulous-17th-century-trestle-base-refectory-table
Sold last year at Wilkerson's in the UK for 3100 GBP

 

I have to look this over carefully but am unable to do it until later. Have myriad appts this morning

 

So when my friend talked about the pegs, he was taking about "connected by a moulded centre stretcher with pegged through tenons"? You found a wonderful example.