18ft Victorian Pollard Oak Extending Dining Table 19th Century

There is no mistaking the style and sophisticated design of this exquisite rare antique Victorian pollard oak wind out extending dining table, circa 1860 in date.

This stunning dining table will stand out in your dining or conference room and will definitely become a key piece in your furnishing collection.

The styles that developed throughout the early 19th Century were an extension of the current political situations but also in accordance with the needs of the rising middle class during the industrial revolution. 

This amazing table has seven leaf extensions and when they are all added is 18ft/534cm long and can comfortably seat twenty. It has been hand-crafted from solid oak and the d-ended rectangular top is in striking pollard oak which is seen in the intricate burr on the table top.

The seven leaves can be added or removed as required to suit the occasion by a special winding mechanism, labelled Joseph Fitter, Patentee, Britannia Works, 210 Cheapside, Birmingham. The leaves can be easily stored away when not required.

The table is raised on five elegant carved, turned and fluted legs that terminate in their original brass caps and porcelain castors.
 
Whatever the function of this gorgeous table, it will make a profound impression on your dinner guests or clients and will receive the maximum amount of attention wherever it is placed.

Provenance:
From the Regimental Headquarters of the famous Hallamshire Battalion 1859-1968 Endcliffe Hall, Sheffield.
 
Condition:

In really excellent condition having been beautifully cleaned, polished and waxed in our workshops, please see photos for confirmation.
 

Dimensions in cm:

Height 76 x Width 534 x Depth 147 - Fully extended

Height 76 x Width 208 x Depth 147 - With all 7 leaves removed

Dimensions in inches:

Height 2 foot, 6 inches x Width 17 foot, 6 inches x Depth 4 foot, 10 inches - Fully extended

Height 2 foot, 6 inches x Width 6 foot, 10 inches x Depth 4 foot, 10 inches - With all 7 leaves removed

The Hallamshire Battalion 
was an infantry battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment, part of the British Army in existence from 1859.

Pollard Oak
Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches. It has been common in Europe since medieval times and is practised today in urban areas worldwide, primarily to maintain trees at a predetermined height. The bole of the tree, constantly cut back over a period of years, will eventually form a lump, or ‘burr', which when sawn for veneer, gives a lovely grained, swirling figure.
The effect is similar to that of burr walnut with its distinctive speckled grain. Burrs, or ‘burls', are growths which appear on the side of tree trunks, resulting from a tree undergoing some form of stress. They may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus.
During the 19th century great strides were made in the mechanisation of cabinet making. Marc Isambard Brunel [ Isambard Kingdom's father] built the first steam driven saw mill, and invented a circular saw that could be used to cut veneers thinly and evenly for the first time. He also developed the first hydraulic veneer press. The figured wood cut from burrs and pollards is notoriously difficult to cut and lay: the wild grain which makes it so attractive results in a very delicate, brittle veneer. The new machines enabled the Victorian craftsmen to make the most of these beautiful timbers.

Oak 
is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus - Latin "oak tree" having approximately 600 extant species. Oak wood has a density of about 0.75 g/cm3, great strength and hardness, and is very resistant to insect and fungal attack because of its high tannin content. It also has very appealing grain markings, particularly when quartersawn. Oak wood is very durable, easy to maintain and resistant to wear and tear which is why it can be easily handed to the next generations if taken well care of. 

Oak wood virtually lasts forever and you can still admire oak furniture in museums and palaces even if it was made many centuries ago. Oak has been prized since the Middle Ages for use in interior panelling of prestigious buildings such as the debating chamber of the House of Commons in London and in the construction of fine furniture. 

Winding Mechanism for extending tables
Winding mechanisms were invented in the early 1800s, a man by the name of Samuel Hawkins applied for a patent on a screw expander on June 6th, 1861. Presumably, Mr. Hawkins either died or retired because his business was taken over by a young machinist named Joseph Fitter  in 1864.
Joseph Fitter operated a machinist shop where he produced winding mechanisms for extending tables as well as screw expanders for piano stools and other applications at 210 Cheapside, Birmingham England by the name of Britannia Works.