What's up with this weird historical table thing?

March 3, 2011 10:23 AM

At the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, I saw this side table with some sort of basket underneath. What is the purpose of the basket?

Here is a photo of the table.

Unfortunately I don't have any additional information - I did not see a placard.

posted by rikhei to Home & Garden (6 answers total)

I think it's a sewing table.

Look at the one on the lower right side here.
posted by methroach at 10:30 AM on March 3, 2011

Oh, and the purpose of the basket--storage! All kinds of sewing materials and supplies would be kept there.
posted by methroach at 10:33 AM on March 3, 2011

Scroll all the way down for a photo of a similar table.
posted by MonkeyToes at 10:36 AM on March 3, 2011

Sheraton designed a table called a "pouch" table which is similar. It's meant to be a ladies' work table which can hold needlework. There's another one here.
posted by bcwinters at 10:38 AM on March 3, 2011

Yup, sewing table, with basket for storage of odds and ends of fabric, needlework projects, etc. I bet the drawer has dividers and fittings sized to hold spools of thread, scissors, packets of needles, and common sewing stuff like that. The basket is for things that don't fit into neat little compartments.

My parents bought a Scandinavian teak version in the 1960s, and those drawers were the coolest things ever.
posted by Quietgal at 11:37 AM on March 3, 2011

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! My mom was curious, so I'll let her know. :)
posted by rikhei at 3:51 PM on March 3, 2011