Hi Tina,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Étienne Meunier was a distinguished French menuisier en sièges (chairmaker) active in Paris during the mid-18th century. He achieved the status of master craftsman around 1732 and established a notable workshop on Rue de Cléry. Meunier is recognized as the most prominent member of the Meunier family of furniture makers, a lineage that continued his legacy well into the 1770s.

Yale R. Burge (1917–1972) was a prominent American interior designer and antiques dealer renowned for his contributions to mid-20th-century design. He founded Yale R. Burge Interiors and Yale R. Burge Antiques, both based in New York City. His antiques business, established in the early 1950s, became a key resource for designers seeking high-quality 18th- and 19th-century French and English furniture and accessories.

Burge's passion for antiques was sparked during his service in World War II, where he traveled extensively with the Royal Air Force. This exposure influenced his aesthetic and informed his later work in both design and collecting. Beyond dealing in antiques, Burge also created high-end antique reproductions, blending traditional craftsmanship with contemporary needs.

He was a founding member and the first president of the National Society of Interior Designers, which later merged into the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). Throughout his career, Burge mentored several notable designers, including Melvin Dwork and Angelo Donghia.

After his passing, Yale R. Burge Antiques continued under the leadership of his son, Robert Burge. The business operated until 2013, when it closed due to rising rents. Many of its archival materials were donated to the New York School of Interior Design, preserving Burge's legacy.

While some antique furniture online websites like 1stDibs and Chairish list pieces by Yale R. Burge for sums in the low four figures ($2,500-5,500 currently), they rarely sell for more than $1,000 at auction, with a table such as this fairly valued at $500-800.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage Regence bleached oak one-drawer corner table
Made by Yale R. Burge after an original design by Etienne Meunier, mid 20th Century
Of shaped trapezoidal form, the molded-edged top with turret corners front and back, serpentine front and back and rounded sides, the front rail fitted with a single long drawer with relief-carved shell, raised on three tall cabriole legs with shell-carved knees and scroll feet. Hand-written note taped to the inside of the drawer inscribed "Hand carved table / made in France / by / Yale R. Burge / oak Regence / original design / by / Etienne Meunier."
Height: 28 inches; greatest width (front): 28 inches; narrowest width (back): 8 inches; depth (front to back): 19-3/4 inches
CONDITION: This table appears to be in good condition; value assumes no chips, breaks, repairs or losses.
PROVENANCE: Acquired at a garage/yard sale
Retail value: 2,000
Fair market value: $ 500-800*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia