A workbench is a sturdy table designed for manual work, providing a firm surface on which materials can be held, cut, shaped and assembled. In antiques the term usually refers to carpenters', joiners' and cabinetmakers' benches, as well as watchmakers', cobblers' and other trade benches.
A traditional woodworker's bench has a thick top, often of beech, elm or pine, supported on a heavy frame, with a front vice, a tail vice and a series of holes for bench dogs and holdfasts that grip the work. Continental benches are often more elaborate than English examples, with heavier tops and built-in vices. Benches were made by the craftsmen who used them and frequently show generations of saw cuts, chisel marks, stains and repairs that record their working life. Industrial benches from factories and workshops, in pine, oak or steel, also survive. Old workbenches have become very popular in interiors, where they are used as kitchen islands, console tables, desks and display surfaces. Buyers should check the stability of the frame, woodworm, and whether the vices and fittings are original, as a characterful worn top is a large part of their appeal.
