Early Twentieth Century Oak Table Leg Styles

A number of drastic aesthetic and technological advances occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. From the move to abstraction in painting to the proliferation of technology capable of handling the mass production of formerly handmade goods, these changes radically impacted the approach to furniture making. Early 20th century table styles from the legs up sought to both combat and embrace these new challenges. The design of wooden table legs from this period embodies these trends. Does this Spark an idea?

Art Nouveau

Art Nouveau is an early 20th century style. Originated in France, the style was common in both Europe and the U.S. Art Nouveau encompassed mediums such as pottery, architecture, interior design and furniture. The movement began in response to machine-made furniture and as such prized designs that showed a human touch. Oak table legs from the period curved gently and often bore simple hard-carved designs at the juncture of the table's body and legs. Art Nouveau furniture relies heavily on circles and curved lines, formations that were hard for machines at the turn of the century to replicate.

Art Deco

Art Deco is a style that was common in America and France beginning in the 1920s. The style arose from the move to abstraction in painting and sculpture and was influenced by the formal experimentation of movements like Cubism and Futurism. Art Deco tables generally have two styles of legs: very thin or very thick. Deco tables with thin legs are tall pieces. Compact pieces, such as coffee tables with thin legs often have a base to which the legs attach. Thick-legged Deco tables commonly have one large piece of wood at each end of a long table, which act as support beams as much as legs.

Bauhaus

Bauhaus is an architectural and furniture style associated with the German design school of the same name. The Bauhaus School opened in 1919 and was closed by he Nazis in the early 1930s. Bauhaus artists saw their primary challenge as reconciling art and mass production. Wooden tables built in the Bauhaus style in the early 20th century had very basic, straight legs. A coffee table pictured on online resources Museum Furniture has two "U" shaped wooden legs, one at either end of the piece. Author Magdalena Droste describes a table with oak legs on page 82 of her book "Bauhaus, 1919-1933." As per the description, the table's legs alternated light and dark wood for aesthetic purposes.