A Fine Quality circa late 19th Century Burr Walnut Tilt Top Table

A burr walnut tilt-top table is a deceptively simple Victorian form: a round or oval top that pivots upward so the table can be stored against a wall, typically on a central pedestal with three or four legs and caster wheels. When the veneer is high-quality burr (burl) walnut and the carving is crisp, the table sits in a sweet spot for collectors: decorative enough for a living room, but still useful as a chess, tea, lamp, or occasional table.

This guide helps you evaluate one the way a furniture appraiser would. You’ll learn how to confirm burr walnut veneer vs. plain walnut, how to inspect the tilt mechanism, what condition issues matter most (veneer lifting, wobble, replaced casters), and how recent auction results bracket value.

Quick value snapshot

The legacy WordPress appraisal text for this specific keyword cited an AU$600–AU$800 range (May 2022). In today’s market, a practical way to think about value is to break it into three tiers based on quality and sale venue:

• Everyday Victorian tilt-top tables: often $100–$400 USD when condition is honest and veneer is decent.
• Better burr walnut examples (strong figure, good base carving, original casters): commonly $400–$1,000+ USD.
• Exceptional or earlier/high-style examples (inlay, unusual base, top condition, major house): can climb into the multiple-thousands.

The comps section below shows just how wide the spread can be between everyday parlor tables and high-style tilt-top furniture.

What “burr walnut” means (and why it matters)

Burr (British usage) or burl (American usage) describes a growth on a walnut tree where the grain twists around dormant buds or stress points. When sliced into veneer, that chaotic grain creates swirling “eyes” and feather-like movement that looks dramatically richer than straight walnut.

Most Victorian tilt-top tables are not solid burr walnut. They are built with a stable substrate (often pine, mahogany, or secondary hardwood) and then veneered. That is normal and historically correct. What affects value is:

• Figure quality: tight, even burr pattern across the top reads as premium.
• Bookmatching and banding: well-centered or well-matched veneers with crossbanding show higher workshop skill.
• Veneer thickness and stability: very thin modern veneer replacement can lower value.

How to identify a late-19th-century tilt-top table

There are many earlier tilt-top tables (Georgian and Regency tea tables) and many later revival examples. The late Victorian pieces you most often see—especially in burr walnut—share common construction traits:

• Pedestal base with a tripod or quad base, sometimes with carved cabriole legs and casters for mobility.
• “Birdcage” tilt mechanism under the top: a rotating block with a latch/catch that locks the top flat.
• Machine-cut screws (consistent threads) rather than early hand-filed hardware; by late 19th century this is expected.
• Rounded moulding profiles and applied banding typical of Victorian taste, especially on loo/breakfast tables.

Condition checks that move the value most

For tilt-top tables, cosmetic wear is common. The value swings on structural stability and whether the veneer work is intact. Focus your inspection on these items:

• Veneer lifting and bubbling: run your fingertips across the top under raking light. A “soft” edge suggests delamination.
• Radial veneer cracks: round tops often split along the grain line if stored in dry heat. Hairline cracks are repairable; missing veneer patches are more costly.
• Tilt catch integrity: the top should lock flat without rocking; a worn catch means the table becomes unreliable as a usable surface.
• Wobble at the pedestal joint: grab the rim and gently test. Movement can mean loose bolts or a failed glue block inside the column.
• Casters: original brass/porcelain casters are a plus; modern replacements are common but should be disclosed.

Good news: most issues can be repaired. But expensive restoration on a mid-market Victorian table can exceed the value lift, so it’s worth pricing the table as-is and restored before committing to work.

Auction comps: what similar tilt-top tables are bringing

Below are three recent auction results from the Appraisily auction dataset that help bracket the market. They are not identical to every Victorian burr walnut table, but they demonstrate the spread between “high-style” examples and everyday parlor tables.

Comp 1 (high-style reference). STAIR (24 Oct 2024, lot 559) sold a Regency ebony inlaid burl walnut and oak tilt-top center table for US$13,000. The inlay, earlier period attribution, and major-house buyer pool explain the premium. Use this comp as a reminder: “burr walnut + tilt-top” can be very valuable, but only when the table is in a higher collectible class than the typical Victorian loo table.

Comp 2 (everyday parlor table). Asselmeier May Auctions (9 Jan 2022, lot 50) sold a walnut tilt-top parlor table for US$70. Regional auctions often realize lower prices for large furniture due to shipping friction. If your table is plain walnut with modest veneer and needs work, this is the “floor” behavior you need to account for.

Comp 3 (condition/venue sensitivity). The same auction house sold an “early walnut tilt-top parlor table” (6 Nov 2022, lot 395) for US$25. The take-away is not that all tilt-top tables are worth $25—it’s that condition, marketing, and venue can compress furniture prices dramatically when the buyer pool is local pickup only.

How to use these comps: If your table is late Victorian, burr walnut veneer, and in above-average condition, you generally should not anchor to the $25–$70 results (unless the selling channel is similarly constrained). But the comps help you quantify the “auction reality” if you choose a local venue. For online private sale and better presentation, the mid-hundreds to low-thousands range is often more realistic for a strong burr walnut example.

Fair market value vs insurance value (and why tables differ)

Furniture values can vary more than small collectibles because shipping costs and buyer access matter. In appraisal work we often separate:

• Fair market value: what a typical buyer would pay in a reasonable timeframe, often linked to auction or local market conditions.
• Replacement value (insurance): the cost to replace with a comparable table from a retail source, which can be higher because it includes dealer margin and sourcing time.

If you need insurance documentation, photograph (1) the full table flat, (2) the top tilted, (3) the underside/birdcage, (4) close-ups of veneer figure, and (5) caster hardware. That set of photos makes it much easier to justify a replacement value.

Best ways to sell a burr walnut tilt-top table

Because furniture is bulky, the best selling channel depends on how quickly you need to sell and whether you can offer delivery. Practical options:

• Local auction house: fastest; prices can be lower but it’s easy and the buyer handles pickup.
• Consignment gallery (decorative arts/furniture): better presentation and higher pricing, but slower and requires a commission.
• Private sale (Facebook Marketplace / local classifieds): good if you can deliver and the table photographs well; buyers will expect negotiation.
• Online platforms: viable if you can pallet-ship; include detailed condition notes and underside photos to build trust.

Tip: “tilt-top table” is the functional term, but many buyers search “loo table,” “breakfast table,” and “Victorian burr walnut table.” Using those terms in your listing title can widen reach without keyword stuffing.

Key takeaways

• Burr walnut is usually veneer; value depends on figure quality and veneer condition.
• Photograph the birdcage and locking catch—tilt hardware condition matters as much as the top.
• Regional auctions can realize very low prices for furniture; selling venue heavily impacts value.
• Use comps as brackets: high-style inlaid tables can reach five figures, but everyday parlor tables can be double digits.
• For insurance documentation, replacement value can exceed local auction value due to sourcing and shipping friction.