Sheraton Console Tables - How to Identify

(Above photo - Pair Mahogany Console Tables Sheraton Demi Lune Regency Table )

Sheraton console tables get their name from famous furniture designer and maker Thomas Sheraton (1751 to 1806), who lived in London, England. Sheraton trained as a cabinet maker and became a revered carpentry teacher after publishing The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book in 1791. The book provided detailed designs of several furniture pieces, including console tables. Furniture makers who adopted his style are responsible for most of the furniture pieces named after him.

The following are some of the features that distinguish Sheraton console tables from any other furniture pieces:

1. Wood Used

(Above photo - Regency Sheraton Console Table - Mahogany Demi Lune Hall Tables )

Like any other Sheraton furniture, the console tables had contrasting inlays and veneers, indicating the use of more than one type of wood. Even though most furniture makers preferred satinwood for the base, others used beech and mahogany most of the time. Decorative elements were made using rosewood, ash, birch, or tulipwood. In America, furniture designers preferred maple, walnut, cherry, and cedar, the locally available woods.

2. Feet and Legs

(Above photo - Lacquer console tables painted Regency )

Sheraton sought to create something different from Queen Anne and Chippendale styles, which had cabriole legs. Instead, he chose straight tapered legs. Sometimes, the back legs in the console tables were splayed. As a deviation from the square-shaped Hepplewhite legs, Sheraton chose rounded legs. Most of the time, the legs come with reeded edges to imitate classical building columns. On some console tables, the legs are joined with stretchers.

Sheraton created simple tapered arrow, cylindrical, or rectangular spade feet at the base of the straight, slim console table legs. The heavier furniture pieces, such as bookcases, desks, and chests, had a burn or bracket feet to support the extra weight.

3. Additional Features

(Above photo - Regency Sheraton Console Table in Mahogany Inlay )

Sheraton console tables have additional features apart from the wood used and straight legs with tapered feet. Here is a sample of some of the things you should look out for:

It appears light and elegant, more delicate than the earlier pieces by Chippendale and Queen Anne.

It has Embellishment with painted designs, trim, low-relief carvings, veneers, and marquetry with intricate details and patterns. Mainly these were created using contrasting woods. Some of the pieces are entirely japanned, dyed, or painted.

Features motifs include traditional neoclassical flowers, urns, feathers, fans, ribbons, lyres, and drapery swags.

Hardware pieces included urns, rosettes, stamped plates, and lion’s heads.

It features robust and straightforward, proportional geometric shapes, usually rectangular or square.

It has gathered silk placements behind sideboard, cabinet, and bookcase glass doors. Some console tables might have secret sliding drawers.

Uses of Sheraton Console Tables

(Above photo - Sheraton Card Console Table Demi Lune Mahogany Inlay )

A console table can serve different purposes inside your home. For example, you can place it in the entryway for keeping keys, turn it into a bar cart, or behind your sofa. In the dining room, a console table can be a useful accessory, especially for holding utensils. If you have a home office, a console table can act as a perfect desk. It can also serve as a laundry-folding surface or as a substitute for a vanity. If you are looking for a Sheraton console table to purchase, we have various furniture pieces in our store.