Description

SOLD in 2024 for $1,750.

The listing price is $1,750 for the hand-crafted extension dining table by S Barber and Co of Queanbeyan. Any matching chairs shown are listed and priced SEPARATELY.

LOCATION- being sold by a private vendor in CANBERRA, ACT but can be freighted Australia-wide for a reasonable additional price. We are operating as the seller’s agent and will organise every facet of the sale. This listed price INCLUDES our commission fee. I travelled to Canberra and personally worked with this suite.

Provenance and Background Info

I LOVE this one! A hand-crafted bespoke dining table made by S Barber & Co in the 1960’s in Queanbeyan near Canberra. This piece oozes quality and timeless appeal. It will never go out of style. It looked great in the early-1960’s, still looks great today about 60 years on and no likely will look great in another 60 years! The simplicity of the styling allows the beauty of the timber and fine workmanship to take focus. The timber seems to just glow- the honey tones, warmth and earthiness immediately draw you in- the quality of the construction cements your attention.

This S Barber table ticks all the boxes. The timber is a medium, neutral tone. I personally don’t like dark timber tables (and neither do most people)- they are drab, bulky-looking, they will make your space look smaller than it is and darken your room. These lighter tones will freshen up your space whilst still inviting in a warm, feelgood vibe. Plus, mid-tones will marry in with virtually any dining chair- I can even see modern white and chrome chairs working with this table. The sled-base is also the best design in a dining table. It adds subtle designer flair but more than that, it won’t dictate where your chairs can be placed, making it a lot more practical. The base is also tucked under the table (virtually out of sight) which contributes further to the clean, minimalist style. The construction here is second to none- no shitty Parker-furniture chipboard here! It’s ALL solid timber, built with integrity and love- this one will last forever if you look after it. And even if you’re not too precious with it, it can also be sanded back to give it a new lease of life. To top it off, the dimensions are perfect. Unextended, the table is 170cm long- perfect dimensions! It’s on the small side of average for a dining table but not too small. In it’s unextended state, it accommodates 6 chairs. It extends to be 225cm long. This is also a great size. You can get 4 chairs up each side of the table and if you’re happy to get close to your guests, an extra chair can also be added at each end of the table which means you could squeeze in 10.

I can see anyone falling for this one. I want it myself! It will be something you’ll love the longer you own and will end up being something that’s passed on to future generations. I can’t see it ever losing a cent of value- try getting that from new furniture!

The label underneath cements the investment appeal. The 6-digit phone number on the label proves the table has age to it. Records retrieved in the National Library have an entry in the Queanbeyan Age Newspaper on the 26 November 1963 where the Queanbeyan Council have given approval to “S Barber” to build a furniture workshop in “Stephens Road Queanbeyan”. The previous owners told the current owners that they had the table custom-made in the mid-1960’s for the 8 Michael Hirst dining chairs we currently have in stock. This means that this S Barber table and 8 Safari chairs marry in perfectly and that it’s pretty safe to say the table was made around 1965.

This timber extension table by S Barber & Co of Queanbeyan (c. mid-1960’s) is one to be passed through the generations telling more stories as it goes. This is why many people are turning back to vintage furniture- buyers can be assured that vintage furniture will last for as many years as they want it for (if they use it with some sense). There’s no better way to invest in your home, reduce landfill and your carbon footprint.

2308