Maxie Lane Solid Elm Coffee Table

A rare, sculptural coffee table attributed to Maxie Lane, carved from a single solid section of English elm. Unsigned, with attribution from the original family source.

 

Lane’s work sits somewhere between furniture and sculpture, each piece cut directly from trees he felled himself, first shaped with a chainsaw and then slowly refined by hand. This table carries all of those hallmarks: the rhythmic surface markings, the weight and honesty of the form, and a structure that feels instinctive rather than engineered.

 

Its construction is particularly striking. Formed from one continuous piece with no joins, the base features interlocking, almost architectural elements, while the top follows the natural movement of the grain rather than a strict geometric line. The result is something both grounded and expressive, substantial in form, yet visually balanced. 

 

Lane’s most significant work, the Last Supper Table at Furzey Gardens, was created as a response to the devastation of Dutch Elm Disease, which wiped out much of the English elm population in the 20th century. Pieces like this sit within that same body of work, celebrating the material at a time when it was rapidly disappearing, and preserving its character rather than reshaping it.

This example is a complete one-off. Heavy, tactile, and deeply characterful, it reads as a functional sculpture as much as a table. Works by Lane of this scale and quality are increasingly hard to source, particularly those retaining such a strong connection to his most important period.

A highly collectible piece, and a considered addition to an interior looking for something with real presence and narrative.

 

H: 53cm

L: 115cm

D: 42cm 

 

Please examine the photographs carefully as they form part of the description, this is a vintage item so there may be evidence of this on the item.