19th Century French Napoleon III Period Mahogany Tea Etagere Table

19th Century French Napoleon III Period Mahogany Tea Etagere Table is a fascinating artifact from a bygone era that can be repurposed today in a variety of modes!  Hand-crafted from exotic mahogany imported from the Americas, it features a structure of four turned columns that separate the surfaces into three tiers, each of which is oval in shape with a notch in the curvature for the aforementioned columns.  Turned & carved finials at the very top finish off the column effect, with turned and carved feet below that match, but are on a larger scale.  The lower tier actually contains a drawer which can be quite useful, and note that the drawer is crafted from fine mahogany as well, then fitted with a pair of turned mahogany pulls.  The three tiers were designed around the service of Afternoon Tea, which is the formalized version of the ceremony even though most folks assume "High Tea" was more formal.  Afternoon Tea was served in three courses, hence the three surfaces, with finger sandwiches first, scones with lemon curd or jam second, and finally a dessert course.  (As a side note, our Renaissance Garden Cafe ~ no longer in operation ~ was voted #1 Afternoon Tea in Dallas)  Today you can use this wonderful table as a display for family photos, as a creative bedside table, in the corner or amongst a seating group for lamps, books and what-nots, or any other ingenious purpose!
Circa 1850s
Measures 41H x 30W x 18D