Oval Table with Falling Leaves

Known today as “gateleg tables,” tables with falling leaves were among the most versatile forms of furniture found in American homes in the 17th and 18th centuries. First appearing in household inventories in the late 1660s, these tables had auxiliary legs that swung like gates beneath the surface to support hinged leaves. When not in use, the leaves were typically lowered to the side, and the table was placed against a wall. Unlike earlier rectangular tables, which were massive, heavy, and less easily moved, oval tables had no true head, reflecting newer, less formal dining customs and less rigid social hierarchies. With elaborately turned balusters, rings, and reels forming its legs and stretchers, this table exemplifies the vibrant energy seen in American furniture of the Baroque period. Its two drawers, one under each end of the top center section, provide a further note of practicality to this highly versatile form.