The Silverdale Table Saga

Here’s a little history to my precious purchase from yesterday’s Vintage at The Village Hall.

Many, many moons ago I wrote this little article. 

My late dad (oh - that seems so sad to see it written like that) gave me the history.  I hope you enjoy.

 

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The Silverdale Table Tray

This type of tray was manufactured by a company named "X Chair Patents Co.",based in Hayes, Middlesex. A comprehensive range of outdoor folding furniture was their niche market, all of which formed an X in their mode of operation. They ranged from the well known deck-chair to military beds and portable washbowls for senior officers. They all shared the same functional mode of wooden frames, riveted to permit folding for transport and storage.

Products were made in a variety of woods, from soft woods such as beech to more exotic sycamore and mahogany, which were used for the high quality trays.

The most popular version was made in beech with high quality cellulose finish and optional aquatic stencils on the tray surface.

The model in the photograph below was assembled by my father after being sprayed by a young girl, who later became my mother.

The table was purchased via a staff sale as a birthday present for my grandmother in 1938. The war started in the following year and my father joined the R.A.F. with my mother working in the munitions factory. All contact with the table factory was then lost.

 

The Silverdale Table (Mark II)

One of my favourite past-times is doing up old pieces of junk and my mother had often asked me to renovate the Silverdale table (above)  that formed part of my life at home. To me, that would have been sacrilege. How could I paint something my parents had made so many years ago- so I refused to do it. A couple of years ago I was browsing around a car boot sale and was amazed to see, for the first time ever, another Silverdale table.

 

This one had no stencilling and I cannot even remember what I paid for it, probably three or four pounds. I kept my bargain buy a secret and worked on it in my spare time.

After rubbing it down I applied two coats of silk paint in a sage green colour. For the top of the table I bought a few sheets of good quality wrapping paper with a postage stamp/flower design. Meticulously I cut out each stamp (yes, I did regret it once I'd started) and using a watered down solution of PVA glue, stuck them to the table leaving minute spaces between the stamps to enable the base green paint to show through. When dry, I applied a few coats of matt varnish.

The finished table was given to my father as a birthday surprise. My mother was thrilled to bits and immediately ordered the original table to be put in the garage! Of course I saved it and now have it in my lounge -  after all it's part of my family history.

The Silverdale Table Mark III

Yesterday I went to the wonderful Vintage Boutique Fair held quite locally to me in Pamphill, Dorset.

www.vintagevillagehall.blogspot.com

Elaine deserves a medal for all of the hard work she puts into this event – and it shows as her promotional skills are second to none.

I had promised myself to browse and not purchase **coughs** due to eventually having to pack up all of my worldly goods and move on.  However, I didn’t reckon on this little Silverdale beauty being there.

It was an amazing find for me personally,  and despite my love of covering everything with cream paint, I’m going to leave this already shabbied jobbie as it is, I think it will be perfect for a summer house table.  Sadly the original label underneath has been painted over.

My mums face was a picture when I showed her my purchase!

(Thanks Elaine, hope your day was as successful as you deserved  xx)