WHAT IS AN ABACUS TABLE?

The way that we think about quality is to ask ourselves: is this going to be one of those few things that you can enjoy your whole life? Not everyone realises that when they put a table into the middle of the room, it’s really like putting a piece of artwork there. It should make you feel proud and excited. It’s difficult to put that into words, but when you look at it, you should think, “That’s it. That’s exactly what I wanted.” At its core, that’s what an Abacus table is. It’s something that’s made just for you, exactly the way that you want it.

EXCEPTIONAL MATERIALS

Regardless of whether or not you can see it, every single part of each table is the absolute best that it can be, and it’s put together by people who are the very best at what they do. The cabinet makers who make our tables have a deep understanding of their craft and the materials they use. To source the oak, our workshop manager travels to the central region of France, where the best oak in the world has been used for centuries to make wine barrels. He inspects each tree and puts his hand across every single board to select the oak with just the right amount of natural character and is consistently high quality.

By using the whole tree to make a table, you get the long sweeping grain and natural features along the full length and thickness of the table. The result is unlike anything else. It’s an authentic natural sculpture. Knowing that it has been made from a single tree makes each table more unique and special. Working the wood by hand is the best way to retain its natural character. To create the live natural edge, we gradually remove the softer parts of the wood until you get down to that smooth, tactile, live natural edge, which is the curvature of the tree trunk.

EXPERT CRAFTSMANSHIP

I was a specialist boat finisher for 12 years and have always been obsessed with keeping things looking like new. For me, the perfect table finish needs to protect the table and keep the wood looking as natural as possible. These big natural pieces of timber adapt to their environment as they age. My background as a marine architect has helped us to engineer special joints for each table that allow the wood to breathe through the changing seasons, meaning the materials will retain their inherent strength and natural beauty.

The process of making our invisible stainless steel joints in our Komodo table involves a complex series of steps, each requiring its own level of expert skill, from meticulous hand welding to detailing and finishing. This can only be done by someone who takes immense pride in their work.

SYMBOL OF EXCELLENCE

Our tables are a collaborative effort by a group of craftsmen who have each spent a lifetime perfecting their skills. Because of that, they are the best at what they do. The mark that we engrave into every one of our tables is symbolic of that level of experience, care, and attention to detail. Wherever you see the Abacus mark, it means that somebody has had that table made especially for them, just the way that they want it. And you know that it’s going to last them for a lifetime.