My Father made similar tables in the 1960's - he says he made around 14 tables. He still has all the plans and a journal describing how to make the table from scratch. The men and the handles were imported from Italy.
Wow Strangeways - i'm stoked.
My table has a similar design and I know the men are imprted from Italy as they are stamped the the name 'RETA' on the base. There were about 4-6 men damaged (well headless) when I got the table and I looked all over the place to find reproductions. By luck I stumbled on a batch of them for sale.
I also admire the craftmenship of these tables and is certainly something I have no intention to sell. My issue when restoring the table was not to sand it back so far that I removed the scratched/marks made by people over the past 30 years. The only mark that can be read is a faint 'manly'. I guess someone perhaps wrote down their favorite football team - or perhaps the table once stood at one of the pubs in Manly - who knows - but if the tables could talk they could talk they would have a lot to say I bet.
I know it is a long shot but I was wondering... if I was to send you detailed pictures of the cabinet (with dimensions) you are able to determine if it was by chance one of the 14 he made.
Thanks Mark
