Antique French Milking Stool | Tabouret de Traite, Late 19th Century

French Milking Stool 

Tabouret de Traite

12" H × 9" diameter

A French provincial milking stool — tabouret de traite — late 19th to early 20th century. Solid elm or oak with a round disc seat of interlocking finger-joint construction, four lathe-turned legs secured by through-tenon mortise, and turned stretchers throughout. The silvered patina on the legs contrasts with the warm amber of the seat surface — the natural result of decades of use in a cold stone dairy. A piece of the most honest kind of French provincial furniture: made to work, built to last, beautiful as a consequence.

Use as a side table, plant stand, footrest, or sculptural object on a stone floor. The small footprint makes it endlessly useful. Stack books, place a single ceramic, or leave it empty.