18th Century English Oak Cricket Table

An 18th Century English Oak Cricket Table of Exceptional Colour and Patination. This lovely table is a great example of the form known as a 'cricket table'. This type of table is believed to have first emerged in the early 16th century and it is one of the most recognisable of English vernacular designs. There is some dispute about where the name 'cricket table' comes from but it probably refers to the three straight legs which are somewhat like the stumps used for wickets when playing the sport. The table has a round, overhanging top above a deep frieze and stands on three legs. What distinguishes this particular example, however, is the outstanding colour and patination it has developed over the years, the top having a great variety of tones and some finely figured oak timber as well. Oak furniture of this sort was very popular with the mid-century modern artists in Britain such as Henry Moore. Clean, simple lines and rustic charm combine to make something unique and interesting. A lovely piece.