The influence of the French on furniture design was extensive. King Louis XIV was a man of extravagant tastes, reflecting his strength, wealth and power. When he began his reign, cabinets were built largely according to Italian designs. His demand for a unique French culture led him to urge his best designers to create a distinctively French look. He went so far as to buy a famous tapestry factory and set it up as a cabinet-making workshop. While surfaces were kept flat in the early period of the Renaissance, King Louis XIV encouraged elaborate carving and scrollwork, richly chased fruit and floral motifs, swags and leafage. His designers created a free, lavish interpretation of the Renaissance's classical lines and proportions.

Intricately carved from top to bottom in the "Buhl" style developed in the late 1600s by artisan Andre Boulle, virtually every popular motif of Renaissance France is found on this table. Nowhere else can such exquisite detail be found on a table designed as a historic showpiece and intended for practical use.

TOP RAIL: Serpentine rails of hand-selected hardwoods such as African sedua, inlaid diamond-shaped, genuine mother-of-pearl sights, and a unique, hand-rubbed antique finish distinguish the top rails of the King Louis XIV table. Eighteen individually milled steel inserts allow each rail to bolt to the slate for unsurpassed durability and action of play.

CABINET: Featuring intricately carved panels of Honduran mahogany hardwood. A richly glowing, hand-rubbed finish creates an incomparable appearance.

LEGS: Solid cabriole-shaped legs are elegantly carved, hand detailed and custom fitted to each table.

SLATE: Matched, 1", thick, diamond honed to precise dimensions for a professional playing surface. Frame backed with poplar hardwood to ensure quiet play and increased durability.

CUSHIONS: Professional, full-profile, grade-A gum rubber cushions are covered with a layer of canvas on the back and top for superior accuracy and action.

CLOTH: Available in a variety of colors.

Included with your Table: a Brunswick Centennial Play Package (a $679.00 value!), which includes a "Getting Started" instructional DVD featuring Billiards Hall of Fame member Ewa Mataya Laurance, Centennial Pocket Balls (the standard of excellence in the billiards industry, and made with premium grade phenolic resin), Four Centennial Cues, a high-quality two-piece cue, great for any level of play, a Two-Piece Short Cue, a Two-Piece Bridge Stick, a Brass Bridge Head, a Big Break Rack, a Nine-Ball Rack, a Table Brush, Twelve Pieces of Chalk, and an Official BCA Rule Book.