Antique Marble Top End Table Value (Identification & Price Guides)

Are you interested in purchasing an antique marble top end table? If you are, I can see why. Nothing can add so much classic beauty and timeless elegance to your living room as much as this piece of furniture.

However, before you make a purchase, there are a few things you need to take into consideration, the first one is the price and the fact that this material is vulnerable to staining and scratching.

But don’t despair with the minimal effort and knowledge you’ll gain after reading this article, your marble top table will withstand your future generations.

Styles Of Antique Marble Top End Table

As you research the market you’ll find out that antique marble top side table was made in vide variety of styles and materials. This is mostly because this accent table became very popular over time so almost every furniture manufacturer made at least a few different options.

Components

• Base – Considering marble is heavy, most antique tables have a wood base, on the other hand, modern versions do feature metal bases. In the past, mahogany, walnut, and oak were used for bases. You can find them with three or four legs, with pedestal or trestle-style bases.
• Marle top color – Marble tops come in different colors, mostly they are black or white, but you may encounter varieties like grey, orange, yellow, pink, red, blue, and ivory.
• Shape – The last thing that determines the style is the shape of marble-topped tables. Here you can choose from oval shapes with pedestal bases, circle shapes, square tables, rectangular tables, and scalloped edges.

Styles

However, in most antique stores you’ll find that tables are mainly categorized by the decorative styles and era they originate from. So here are some most common styles:

• Art Nouveau

An Art Nouveau marble end table in most cases features a round or scalloped top paired with a wooden base that is decorated with carvings like animals, flowers, leaves, and even people.

• Eastlake

This type generally is the most common type. It has a square or rectangular top combined with a dark wood base carved with spindles, geometric design, and repeated motifs.

• Empire

This is the most discrete and simple style, and it originates from the 19th century. This type of table features a round or square top. The base is wooden and sometimes gilded, but it always has thin spindle legs with no or very simple carvings.

What Makes A Good Marble Top End Table?

When you are observing some product or item to buy, no matter if that is a piece of furniture, pair of jeans, or bed linens, the first thing that all people notice is the quality of the material used for crafting. The next thing is design, or how eye-catching it is, but this greatly varies from person to person, depending on what they usually like.

In the case of antique marble top end tables, you’ll want it to have a good quality marble on top (that isn’t damaged, discolorated, or fake marble) and a sturdy base and legs that can withstand the weight of a marble board.

These tables are simple pieces of furniture so there isn’t much that you need to look for, except the quality. Keep in mind that black marble is more natural and less processed compared to colored ones (they are usually bleached and colored to achieve that shade), which makes them more durable.

Also, in case you can find one that has a small drawer included in the design you can consider yourself lucky. These drawers are very convenient for storing things you might need in the rush, such as paper for notes, pens, and other trinckles.

Antique Marble End Table Value

The value of any antique furniture depends on several factors.

These include how old are they, their overall condition, quality of material, and origin (are they specialized or rare). For tables, style and size also play a prominent role, since they will be used with other furniture and not only as a decore.

• Age – This factor can drastically impact the value, and there is a great example of this statement. A few years ago, the marble table with an inlaid semi-precious stone that dates from the 1600s, is sold at Sotheby’s for 3.5 million pounds. What increased the value was – the centuries that passed by. Vintage pieces that you can buy at antique shops are usually from the Victorian era (the 1700s and 1800s) and they are very valuable. An Eastlake-style marble table from the 1880s is worth around $500 nowadays, depending on the condition. An art nouveau pieces are half that price.
• The materials used for making –  Quality of the material is essential! Something that is made from excellent quality material will remain excellent no matter how much time passed. It is known that a table crafted from black Egyptian marble (rare) made in 1825 was sold for $112,000.
• Condition – All antiques that are kept in perfect conditions are more valuable than the same ones that are chipped over time. However, marble is a delicate material so you’ll have to be very careful. Unfortunately, it is prone to staining, cracking, and pitting.

Are marble tables durable?

The most straightforward answer I can give you is – it is durable with proper care and a lot of effort. Marble is a beautiful material, there is no doubt about that, but it requires a lot of maintenance.

If you care about it properly and consistently, it just may outlast every other piece of furniture you have in your home! On the other hand, if you don’t take care of it, it will end up ruined faster that any other furniture you own.

Here are the things you need to think through before purchasing any marble-furnished furniture:

• Maintenance – Careful and thorough cleaning is a must, if you spill something on it, you really can’t let any messes sit.
• Scratches easily –  You’ll be disappointed now but, I’m sorry, sealing will not prevent this, even though you’ll need to seal it regularly. At least once a year, but if you use it frequently make that two times.
• Coasters – It is so delicate that even a plain old glass of water will leave a ring, so don’t plan on buying if you don’t utilize coasters on your coffee table.
• Stains –  Marble is sensitive to acidic foods and drinks. Avoid drinks with tannins (coffee, tea, and wine); veggies like carrots that have beta carotene; drinks with calcium and magnesium carbonates (Coca-Cola, hard water, etc.); and acids or alkalines (lemon, vinegar, ammonia) that are present in many household cleaners can stain or ruin the finish on the top of the marble.

Always wash it with warm water and gentle cleaner like dish soap, rinse and dry it off thoroughly with a soft cloth. In case you spill drinks like coffee or wine you can use 20% hydrogen peroxide.

If you are able to provide extraordinary care like this and follow all these rules, then you can consider marble a durable material. Nothing else will work. So if you can handle this you are good to go and buy marble furniture, but if this is too much for you, don’t waste your money in vain.

Where To Buy Real Antique Marble Top End Tables?

End tables were also called parlor tables in the Victorian era. In fact, many tables came in parlor sets with a sofa, an armchair, and two chairs.

Because these sets were so common in the past, the first place where you should look is your antique store. In case you are looking for something specific, or larger then try your luck at some of the web pages I usually recommend, such as eBay, Etsy, Ruby Lane, and so on. want Luckily, there are a number of websites where you can check the offers and price ranges. You should expect to spend at least $500 for a smaller marble stone table in a good condition. Depending on the era, materials, condition, and quality of manufacturing the price can jump up to tens of thousands of dollars.

Conclusion

When shopping for a valuable piece of furniture such as an antique marble top end table make sure you take your time. Since you’ll pay quite a lot for it, research all the options to find the one that will meet your decorating needs.

If you are lucky to find the right piece in your local store carefully examine it for any damages. But if you buy online always purchase an item that comes with a detailed seller’s return policy if you are buying it from a website.