The fashionable tendency to decorate modern interiors with antiques has given a second life to undeservedly forgotten ombre tables. What is it, few people today know, however, an interesting variety of tables has an ancient origin and a rich history: triumph, oblivion and return from nonexistence. Today, everyone can buy an ombre table, simple or vintage, and use it as functional furniture or interior decoration.
Spanish ombre
Remember the history of Spain and its Golden Age? Until the middle of the 16th century, the Spanish Empire was actively expanding its colonies, and the nobility was able not only to fight, but also to have fun. The ombre card game was very popular in the country, where two players fought against the third.
Special tables for the ombre did not exist then. The Spaniards played at ordinary tables and did not even suspect that, thanks to the name of the game, they invented a new kind of furniture. From the middle of the 16th century, the empire's power was shaken, and in the conditions of economic decline, the Spanish nobles were not up to games and tables, but the ombre continued its triumphal march through Europe.
How the ombre table gained its name and characteristics
A popular card game among the Spaniards could not remain without the attention of neighbors - the French and the British, however, they also spent time at the ombre, adapting ordinary tables for this. To prevent the cards from slipping and it was possible to make notes in chalk, the surface of the countertop was upholstered with dense woolen cloth - cloth, mainly green: bright, but pleasant to the eyes.
The Russian nobility learned about the new commercial game only in the 18th century, however, it was in Russia that the concept of “ombre table” appeared and was firmly entrenched, and every noble house knew what it was.
The ombre table was necessarily symmetrical, with a square or rectangular top, so all players had an equal area for the game. Any lower rails characteristic of coffee tables were ruthlessly removed from the design, so that nothing would disturb the feet of the seated players.
For houses of the aristocracy, ombre tables were made to order, and if they paid with dignity, then nothing limited the imagination of the master of carpentry. Tables for card games were created from precious wood and inlaid with gold and precious stones. Skillfully executed ombre tables in the photo look like real works of art.
However, the triumph of the ombre was short-lived; it was replaced by whist and preference. The once popular game was safely forgotten, but the ombre tables remained as an integral attribute of every prosperous house. And although they began to be used for other card games, they did not lose their name.
Modernization of the ombre table
Having become a familiar element of the interior, the ombre table has expanded its functionality over time. In the evenings, guests were seated behind him, as before, and during the day he served as a stand for flowers, books or a place for tea drinking.
The design of the ombre table has changed, that it became clear only when it was laid out for the game. When folded, the characteristic cloth upholstery of the countertop was hidden from view, and the piece of furniture looked like a regular dining or coffee table. Several very interesting varieties appeared with original design features for that time:
- countertop that can rotate 90 °;
- origami folding angles;
- folding mechanisms on the basis of the piano;
- drawers for playing accessories;
- various legs: carved, extendable, one support - a pedestal, etc.
It is important to note that engineering solutions such as a swing lid and folding corners became characteristic of 19th century ombre tables. In many forms, the traditional rough cloth was replaced with softer calico or luxurious velvet. In public places where the nobility spent leisure time, double tables were invented at the same time to play several parties.
The tables became familiar, the covers of which were drawn for playing chess or backgammon, but they were still called ombre. It is interesting that this name as it appeared in Russia, so it stuck with us. In other countries, such furniture is called a card table.
Both women and their gentlemen were equally fond of gambling in tsarist Russia, however, due to some brutality inherent in ombre tables, many men began to place them in their offices. By the way, several very interesting stories are connected with this piece of interior and famous people.
How the world got its sandwich
Known to every Englishman, Lord John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich was not only a famous 18th-century diplomat, but also an avid gambler. He sat all night at the ombre table, and hungry, ordered to bring him cold beef, laid between two toasted pieces of bread. The first Lord of the Admiralty could not tear himself away from his favorite game and not get his fingers dirty, and thanks to this habit, a sandwich was named in his honor - the most popular dish in the world.
The Queen of Spades and Sovremennik magazine
It is believed that A. S. Pushkin wrote his mystical novel “The Queen of Spades” precisely at the ombre table in the autumn of 1833 in the family village of Bolshoi Boldino.
The poet and writer Nikolai Nekrasov often spent time at the ombre table. What is this, he knew firsthand, having received the miserable remnants of an inheritance that his ancestors had not time to lose. However, Nikolai Nekrasov approached the game rationally, hoping not for luck, but using his mind and strategy. Thanks to regular huge winnings, he returned the village Greshnevo lost by his ancestors and published the popular journal Sovremennik, founded by Pushkin.
Many gambling people of that time literally lived behind green cloth, but with the victory of the proletariat the attribute of the bourgeoisie was forgotten as unnecessary. Rare specimens remained in museums and private collections, and only the 21st century returned ombre tables from oblivion.
The second life of the ombre table
Popular in our time, interior styles - classic, baroque or empire - required appropriate design elements. Then I remembered the ombre tables: elaborate and graceful, fancifully decorated and austere, but again extremely fashionable.
Each self-respecting furniture manufacturer considered it important to organize the production of these interior items: folding, sliding and transformers, equipping them with additional options: a bureau, shelves or comfortable stools. If someone wants to buy an ombre oval table, it’s unlikely that they will be able to find a ready-made option, because the manufacturers retained its main feature - a rectangular or square lid of strict symmetry.
But there is no shortage of traditional elite options. For example, a mahogany ombre table with bronze decoration without modern gadgets will cost the buyer about 150-300 thousand rubles.
The tables are beautiful, but in-line production costs from 20 to 60 thousand rubles. You can choose a special one for playing checkers, chess or backgammon. For budget, but nice options from particleboard with wooden legs and a box you will have to pay from 4 thousand rubles.
Still people still manage to find old furniture in their attics, in sheds or in flea markets. In this case, it is better to entrust the restoration of the ombre table to professionals, they can play with time and reanimate the most ancient things, which can then be profitably sold or proud of a piece of history in the interior of your own home.