Gueridon

Empire guéridon table

If you are going to walk the walk, you should talk the talk.

What is a gueridon?

GUERIDON (Rhymes with Aubusson): A small, typically round, side table.  It originated in France and Italy in the second half of the 17th century.   Andrea Brustolon created some of the finest specimens.   A few   survive today in the Ca’ Rezzonico in Venice.   Later examples often  have neoclassical motifs.

Carved boxwood gueridon by Andrea Brustolon, c. 1690–99; in the Ca’ Rezzonico, Venice. The figure supporting the tabletop is known as a blackamoor.

The gueridon takes many forms.  Sometimes the tabletop is supported by columns or figures such as caryatids. 

Here are a few other classic examples.

Maison Jansen’s tripod form.

Maison Jansen, c. 1950

Campaign style.

(The next Design Dictionary will cover campaign furniture in detail.)  Quick review: the side table sits in front of a beautiful Art Nouveau bed (note the whiplash curves on the headboard).

Louis XVI style.

Fornasetti created an eye-catching version.

Piero Fornasetti

I am a big fan of this type of side table and own two.  Here is the one I use as my nightstand.

If I were shopping  for one today,  I would look hard at these two tables.  The first  is from Distant Origin.

I also like Van Collier’s gueridon from their Gingko collection.  I discovered Van Collier a few years back at High Point Market.

Photo Credits: Empire  Blackamoor .  Lucite column base.  Caryatids.  Campaign style gueridon image from Hamptons Cottages and Gardens.  Two photos of my master bedroom by Ellen McDermott.  Louis XVI style.  Fornasetti Distant Origin  Van Collier