Italian 1950s Round Dining Table with Sculptural Ebonised Star Base

The table plays entirely on the contrast between the disc and its supports. The top is a solid circle with a rounded edge, resting on a structure that opens downward like a sunburst of tapered legs. Each leg springs from a central hub, articulates with an elbow at mid-height and ends in a point on the floor, pierced by a slot that lightens the profile. Seen from below, the star arrangement of the legs recalls an insect or an open compass. The very dark tone of the support sets off the warm, flamed grain of the top.

The top is in walnut, with a dark finish that brings out the strong figure of the grain and a deep polish. The supporting structure is in matte black ebonised wood: a central truncated-cone hub gathers the vertical stem and the legs, which radiate outward with a triangular section and a pierced profile. The legs are worked with sharp edges and a clear change of direction at mid-height. The contrast between the glossy top and the matte base is deliberate, and clearly distinguishes the two materials.

The table is of Italian production from the 1950s. The radiating base with tapered, pierced and angled legs belongs to the formal vocabulary of that decade, close to the work of designers such as Ico Parisi and Carlo de Carli, who were concerned with lifting tops off the ground on supports of an organic, almost animal design. The piece bears no marks: the dating relies on formal and technical choices, consistent with good Italian cabinetmaking of the period.

The table has undergone a professional conservative restoration and is in very good general condition. The top retains its grain figure and polish, with a patina consistent with age; the ebonised base keeps its original matte finish. The structure is solid and stable. Signs of use typical of a piece of the period remain, of limited extent.

Dimensions: Height 79 cm (31.1 in) x Diameter 114.5 cm (45.1 in)