Confusing drop leaf table. Are these legs original?

The legs seem out of place to me but what do I know. Is this a mash up of different parts put together or was it made this way? Age? Is this oak? Is that an old repair on top? My pictures of the underside are not very good. I can get more tomorrow if that will help. Thank you.

 

well someone's put new ( newer ) casters on it so the legs may be newer additions also...
I love the repair to the knot hole !!....kinda....

 

Hi,
I guess I'm too old fashioned. My Gramp taught me to make repairs like that either diamond shaped or oval. A square he would have knocked on my head. I think the legs are fine but the top looks replaced. I can not tell for sure since I am not sure if it is my eyes or the couple of fortified egg nogs.
greg

 

LOL @ "Fortified egg nogs"

Thank you both for looking.

 

Looks right to me. More of a kitchen table than a dining table. Would have had leaves and probably a 5th leg in the center. Looks more like ash than oak to me.

 

Thank you Brad. Do you have any idea how old it is?

 

I think this is turn of the century, give or take.

 

Thank you!

 

Brad, can you please give us a lesson in how you came to determine this is turn of the century? Not being snarky, I truly want to learn.
<<see, I am curious!

 

There is nothing quite like experience. I have seen a lot of these tables over the years and my first kitchen table as an adult was one nearly identical to this that I refinished. These date to late 19th and early 20th century. After about the early 20s, the styles change. I think you will find the legs to be mortised in on the older ones. On in to the 20th century, you will probably find bolt-in legs. If bolt-in, the nuts will be square rather than the hex nuts you will find on newer tables. The mounting bracket will be wood on older tables with bolt-in legs. On newer ones, they used a metal bracket. Many have the old porcelain or wood casters on them indicating that they are older. Also, the classic 5 leg expanding table was not made much after the 20s.

Of course, there are exceptions to all this. When looking for pics of a complete table to show, The best example I found was a modern one made by the Amish. I did find this one that shows the basic form. When I got in to looking at the additional pics, I found it has been reworked quite a bit and I am not even sure that these legs go with this top.


Here is one that is probably more original but missing casters. The owner indicated that it did originally have casters but they removed them. I am not sure why both these pics have the 5th leg off center. The extension hardware moves back and forth so the leg can position in the center regardless of how many leaves are in it.


The leaves are almost always missing on these tables. They were inexpensive tables to begin with and got shuffled around a lot through the years. They served as kitchen tables or might have been found in modest or country homes in the dining room. If families ever had a chance to upgrade them, they did so willingly. Because they folded up so compactly, they could also be used as auxiliary tables off to the side. There were also non-expanding versions made.

 

Not sure why the second pic doesn't show. It shows in the preview. Let's try again......


Doesn't seem to work despite trying a couple different ways

 

Brad, thank you so much for the mini education. That table you showed--wow, so many leaves in it! Pretty table. Regarding OP's table, I guess the mortised legs are the overriding confirmation. In OP's pics, number 6 and 7, are those metal plates something that started near the turn of the century?

 

Look at pic 3
there's one too many long lines on the right table board.
it's cracked all the way down and those metal plates are a recent fix to hold it together.

 

Ahh, Komokwa, now I see, thanks.
Regarding the OP: "The legs seem out of place to me" I agree! They seem a bit clunky for the table. But the turnings on them seem more elaborate than those oak tables that came out in the 80s. Is this clunkiness, for lack of a better word, an earmark of turn of the century kitchen tables? It's like being a detective, figuring this all out.

 

To me this table has had work done on it ......how much , I'm not certain, but if it's that old it's not showing it's age.
IMHO...

 

The OP's table is definitely refinished and those mending plates are not original. I do think the legs are original and they are not as clunky as those found on many dining tables from the period. I can not tell from these pics if they are mortised in or bolt-on.

 

6th pic top right....isn't that a metal screw plate i'm seeing ?

 

Probably because it is a *.png image file. Let's see if this works on that pic. I think I've converted it to a .jpg image file.

--- Susan

 

I have a piece of furniture with legs like that and was told it was 1910.

 

I also have a drop leaf table with a drawer in the center section that has legs like the one Brad showed in post #10