Hi Bret,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

The concept of a low table for drinks and socializing emerged in Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries, but the modern “coffee table” as we know it didn’t appear until the 20th century. In the US, the modern coffee table began to be popular in the 1920s and 1930s, seeing its height of popularity by the mid 20th Century, when it was used to hold books, drinks or other decorative objects.

You rightly identify the style of this table as "Louis XV", so named after the French king Louis XV (1723-1774) who promoted Rococo elegance with curved, asymmetrical lines and ornate ornamentation. In the late 19th Century, the aesthetic was revived from a combination of nostalgia, wealth, and eclectic taste during the Victorian and Belle Époque periods but was continued well into the 20th Century to appeal to homeowners who considered the style evocative of refined cultural taste and wealth.

Several American and European furniture companies made furniture in this style, including Baker, Widdicomb, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Century and the Davis Cabinet Co, among others. I can't find a close enough match to a label table to base an attribution on but even similar attributed tables in good condition have been selling for modest sums at auction, typically for just a few hundred dollars, at most. It's worth pointing out that many private sellers or retailers might list ones they're selling for more.

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

A vintage Louis XV style marquetry and parquetry veneered brass mounted low ('coffee') table
unattributed maker, probably American, mid 20th Century
The shaped top centering an inlaid panel depicting a classically-garbed maiden holding parchment and laurel wreath, accompanied by a putti with a lute, flanked by scrolls and acanthus decoration, the shaped skirt with brass mounts, all raised on cabriole legs, presumably unmarked
Height: 16 inches; length: 36 inches; depth: 16 inches
CONDITION: This table appears to be in good condition; value assumes no breaks, repairs, losses or replacements.
PROVENANCE: Acquired in an online auction
$ 200-400*
*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