Friday, October 09, 2009

The Not Mott, Judd Table

If you did a Google search of "Mott" and "Waterford, Ontario" chances are all you'd come up with would be the funeral home owned by the woman who was my sister's best friend in high school. She's the Thompson part of the Thompson Mott Funeral Home. The Mott part was another family, and it's that family, but not those particular brothers, who give their name to the Mott table. *actually, not. I just realized a glitch in my cranial filing assigned the wrong family to this furniture. JUDD, not MOTT.

We never owned one of these local legends, the Mott Judd Coffee Table but oh, how I wanted one. Bad. Everybody had a Mott Judd table, e.v.e.r.y.body. Scott's dad had one in his office. Our neighbour Audrey had a beautiful large one showcased in her "for good" living room. Everyone, seriously. Except us.

The tables were made of a single thick slab of tree trunk, covered with about 100 layers of clear poly. They were slick, in every sense of the word. This isn't a picture of a Mott Judd Table, think legs instead of that base. I can't find one, but it gives a bit of an impression of just what these things were.

For those of a more modest budget, the Mott Judd family also offered a thinner slice with a brass clock mechanism attached. We didn't have one of those, either. They might have even done trivets, I know they had little three legged stools. They did. We didn't. Sigh.

I should put a bug in my sister's ear, see if she can find one of these in her garage sale hunts. I'll bet the appeal has been lost on at least one of these 70s treasures from someone's rumpus room. I wonder if mom wanted one of these as much as I did...?

And with the correct name, I do now have a picture of an actual Judd table. Made by the Judd Gunstock Company in 1975. And also, a picture of a picture of a clock. On a plate. It would appear the company might even still be in business.

9 comments:

dee said...

It wasn't a Mott but my BIL Bob brought me backa clock from Alaska made like this. It was an outline of the state, a favorite of his....not mine.
I love the tables though. Couple of years ago they had a show/sale it the nearby mall and one artist was selling the tables. The slices were attached to a natural trunk. Pretty neat! The price was way out there though.

dee said...

I forgot to thank you for the info on the bug. It's the Asian Longhorn Beetle that's killing many trees in Central Park and around Manhattan. There's a bounty on the beasties but once you could find one, it's way too late for the tree.

Warty Mammal said...

These are great. Now and then one sees tables similar to this at chichi art galleries in places like Carmel. They aren't cheap.

I've coveted one myself. The cross section of the tree revealed is beautiful.

Vicky aka Stichr said...

I agree, this is a fantastic piece of wood!

Jules said...

My mom had a large slab of cypress wood she wanted made into a coffee table like these. It never happened.

julieQ said...

Such pretty tables! Love the circles in the wood, very nice.

Unknown said...

I have two (2) Judd Gunstock end tables available. (Ontario)

Anonymous said...

I have a Judd Gunstock table from my father in law 17x22” what are they worth?

Dorothy said...

I have no idea. Sorry.