Exceptional Large French Chestnut Low Table, c.1850

This table makes my heart sing - a truly authentic piece with extraoridnary colour and patina.

A substantial French chestnut low table, dating to the 19th century, with a beautiful pale top that has mellowed and softened through generations of use. The grain is fabulous, running through broad old boards showing the dowels, knocks and wear, with rounded edges, developed naturally over a very long time.

The pale, dry surface of the top is particularly beautiful against the dark base, where the old painted finish has worn away in places to reveal warm timber beneath. Nothing is over-restored; the surface has all the evidence of a working life and a depth of colour that comes with genuine age.

One of my favourite details is the neat little repair at the top - a small shaped piece of timber carefully let in to the surface - now mellowed and worn with the table and part of the character.

Two unusually large drawers make the table very practical: a deep drawer to the side with an old iron ring pull and a long drawer opening from one end, also with an old iron handle.

At 166cm long and 76cm deep, this is a substantial piece of furniture. Low, broad and well proportioned, it has real presence — a glorious centrepiece for any interior space.

For me, it is the combination of scale and extraordinary untouched surfaces that makes this table so special: pale, worn chestnut, remnants of dark paint, fabulous grain and centuries of honest use.

L166cm × D76cm × H47cm