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I have my Grandmother's dining room table. It wasn't an expensive piece, it's not particularly valuable. I got it in rough shape, my husband had to reglue every single piece (there were a LOT) and put all kinds of new dowels, and replace some veneer.
It has funny feet, six sets of "toes". If it were a bathtub it would be claw footed, but I don't know if that pertains to dining room tables. : )
Those feet had some kind of metal covering the toes, molded to fit. Some are missing. What are they called, and does anyone know where I might find replacements?
Did you ever do more to the table? You have any pics? The table may not have been expensive when purchased or made, but from what I am reading..sounds like a goodie..Please dont tell me you all have stripped it and revarnished it?? The metal coverings on the toes..Are they brass?? Copper?? When was the table purchased? Was it in your area? If so, you may have a gem of an antique or collectible..but with all the updated work done on it..and replacing of parts..It may have lost a great deal of value...
No no, no stripping or revarnishing...it was all the joins that had come undone. He took everything apart, reglued it all, clamped till dry, replaced dowels where needed and reassembled. The bases were in four parts, each base has three legs, the legs all had two parts, etc, etc...
He glued down where veneer was coming up, it didn't need much more than that once we really got to it.
The metal toe thingies are copper, I think, and it's those I am still looking for but googling "metal toe thingies for tables" hasn't gotten me very far on google. : )
The table was probably purchased in Dublin, but I'm not sure, and I know my grandfather bought it new for her when they got married, so...1920?.
It can't possibly lose value in my eyes...it's my Grandmother's. Anything that keeps it up and running would be ok, but never fear, I am living with my husband, Mr. Purist. : ) He would never do anything horrible to it.
I don't have any pictures of it, except covered with food and with people all round it. : )
Hi luna, those feet are called 'ball and claw', (probably) and there's always some on e-bay. The odds of them matching ? Who knows, but maybe your table was built in a factory, or is a standard style from a shop. If they really are copper, a smith could probably copy them without too much trouble.
What you're describing sounds like it might be a Duncan Phyfe style. If it is, and if there are metal coverings on the claws, it probably doesn't have the balls.
Even though your husband wouldn't do anything "horrible" to it, an improved finish can lessen the value of a good older piece of furniture.
I hope you find what you're looking for. It's nice to have something passed down like that.
That's exactly how I feel, Mahnot...Grandmum would be thrilled the thing is still be used every Christmas by the whole family. That's the value in it for me.
Your very first link had exactly what I needed. Thank you SO much. I'd hug you if I could. : )
PS The table came to me with mismatched chairs. I found four chairs in an antique shop that match the originals, a kind of harp back design, and managed to buy them for $75 a piece. Yeah!!!!! Now all I have to do is get some matching up covers or reupholster the seats!
