HELP TO IDENTIFY A BURNT IN BRAND MARK ON MY DOUGH TABLE?

[jjohn48]

I HAVE A DOUGH TABLE THAT HAS A BURNT IN BRAND ON THE INSIDE OF THE TABLE.   A72
CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHAT THIS IS OR REPRESENTS?
THANKS
JAMES

[KC]

Hello!  Welcome to the forum.

The number on your table is most likely the manufacturer's/workman's furniture/piece identification number.  Without knowing more it could be nearly impossible to let you know who made it. 

Can you please post a picture of the entire table? 

[jjohn48]

The table opened and closed.

Thanks

[Rauville]

I used to call those "Book Leaf Tables", back when container loads of English furniture were being shipped over here. Maybe "Pub Table" is the more common term?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ANTIQUE-ENGLISH-PUB-DINING-TABLE-1920-30-England-OAK-DRAW-LEAF-FOLDING-Med-wood-/171764083189?nma=true&si=sm7fn6mgpK4qRroY2qRoLx9J6YI%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[mart]

Yep !!  Nice little pub table !!  The A 72 is useful only to the company that made it !!  Can be style/ finish number or as KC said !!  These were rarely marked by Mfr. !!

[jjohn48]

Thanks for the reply. If you notice the back or bottom side is unfinished and there is a big square box underneath the top.
I do appreciate the info very much. Have a great week.

[jjohn48]

Here is the box underneath the top if the table.
This is why I assumed it was a dough table.

[KC]

Typically the table like yours would have a place to store utensils or table coverings.

The dough tables I envision are the ones with the possum belly storage area. (old posting Liveauctioneers)

[jjohn48]

Thanks for the info KC. I looked at quite a few dough tables and see what your talking about how there made. The reason I thought it was a dough table because you can pull back the top and access the box in the center, flip the 2 halves over (which are both unfinished) and you can slide it back together with the unfinished side up. It is very detailed in the way it opens and flips over and closes all the slides are wooden. I just have not been able to locate/see a table like this one. Your help with this matter is greatly appreciated.

[mart]

The depth of the box underneath does not look deep enough to allow for rising bread dough !!  If it had ever been used for that you would see an oily surface inside of the box !!  If no oil the dough would have stuck to the surface of the wood !!  If a dough bowl was used they would not need a rising box !!  KC`s example has a pull out dough board right below the top on the right !!

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=primitive%20dough%20table

Look at the difference in shape/style !!

[KC]

The style resembles some of the old English or old Tudor expanding tables.  So I agree with Rauville on the English origin.  You might want to search for antique draw leaf table, English "draw leaf" table or English draw leaf pub table,  extending draw leaf pub table.  I think you will find quite a few that will resemble yours.

[cogar]

Justa bit of trivia.

The table that KC posted the picture of is called a “possum belly” baker’s table.

Flour and meal didn’t come in 5 and 10 pound “pokes” (paper bags) back then, but what was called “loose” (how ever much you wanted to purchase) or in 100 pound bags, even if you ground your own ….. and the “loose” flour and meal was dumped into those “possum belly” drawers …. which made it easy & handy for the cook or baker to “dip” out as much as they needed …. without having to scrape it out of any “corners”. 

[Ipcress]

I would have thought more likely for architectural plans or maps.

Any pub dining table or folding leaf dining table in the UK would have thicker leaves or supports and no central compartment ( I haven't seen any ) because the centre is always another leaf which flips up.

It's a nice table. Functional, well made

Carved codes like that can sometimes refer to a maker ( as I've said before, Shapland and Petter furniture usually has a code beginning with R on the item )
This might have been made to order and been the 72nd piece that person did.

I'll have a dig around but unfortunately probably return with a blank

[mart]

Many that are called pub tables have never seen the inside of a pub !!  Its more a common name than an accurate one !!  A number of multi-use tables are called pub tables for lack of a better name !!  And there was a time a few years back when almost anything called a pub table sold well here in the U.S. !!

[KC]

Totally agree Mart that it became a style name for tables over time.