Mallary New York Martini Tables

Not sure of their value but I adore these tables. Any ideas?

 

Did you not notice that your close-up photograph is out of focus?

Debora

 

I did not! Thank you!!!

 

Uploaded updated label

 

Right side up helps too.

 

Dear! I am still learning. Thank you!

 

Very nice traditional early/mid 20th century. Looks to be high quality. Sadly, we know that "brown furniture" is still very depressed. Value would be fairly minimal. If you adore them, I'd keep them for the foreseeable future.

 

Apparently Mallary was not a manufacturer but a New York metropolitan area retail business founded in 1928. Logo looks original but they used it for many years so not helpful for dating. You should be able to date your tables more precisely if you could determine when Mallary had just the three stores. At the time of the founder's death in 1966, there were six stores (NYC, White Plains, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Paramus, NJ) so earlier than that. Of course, given their styling, that would be expected.

Debora

 

Martini table? Never heard the term.
This is a colonial revival candlestand, isn't it?

 

I, also, have not heard the term martini table for such. Form is a candle stand but, in modern terminology, maybe just an occasional table.

 

I am just going by what I was told they were Called at the estate sale - I am by no means an expert at any of this. I just really liked the tables. great advice! Thank you!! I’ll
Look
Into that info!

 

I've never heard that term either but according to the internet...

"What is a Martini Table? Any small table used beside a chair, sofa, sectional, banquette or seat that is primarily for the use of one person. Formerly called cigarette tables, these small gems have evolved into the more elegant named Martini Tables, a name that more accurately describes their use and stylish qualities."

I think yours wouldn't qualify as such because they're not small or portable enough. Here are examples from The Wall Street Journal:

Debora

 

Ahh, I see. Well at lease we know that is a thing!
Thank you!

 

So, I researched a bit and the only thing I could come up with was this court case:
https://books.google.com/books?id=1...ge&q=matthew kaplan mallary furniture&f=false

The case is dated 1945 and in the text Mallary claimed to have been in business in New Rochelle for about 5 years.
I am kind of in love with these tables now. After I graduated from NYU, I lived in New Rochelle - ohh, nostalgia.

 

That narrows your window of manufacture down to 1940 to pre-1966. So post-World War II.

Debora

 

....which is a date you would expect for a Dean Martin(i) table.

 

Some info I obtained from heritage

 

Nice note. Yes, value would be far less than $5000.

 

Would have been nice! I’m pretty interested in the history of the tables. I can’t seem to locate much information and I think it would neat to know their story.

 

The table form is a Candle Stand, small 3 leg tables used for holding candles in the 17th-18th centuries.
The candlestand form pretty much went extinct at the end of the Federal period, 1790-1830 as oil lamps came into widespread use and required a more stable platform to prevent fire. Thus,4 leg tables called light stands (now called work stands) dominated the market from 1830 onwards into the 20th century.