Coffee Table Styles in 1978

It was the year the United States handed back the Panama Canal, a shocked nation witnessed the Jonestown, Guyana, tragedy and toga parties were all the rage. In the year 1978, furniture designers also turned out some inventive and beautiful coffee tables -- pieces that are now called antiques. Currently found on popular auction sites and in museums dedicated to exhibiting mid-modern furniture, 1978 coffee tables are treasured for their eclectic materials, workmanship and originality, so if you have one, you own a piece of history. Does this Spark an idea?

John Widdicomb Coffee Table

Furniture maker John Widdicomb crafted furniture in 1978, including a fiesta-style coffee table put up for auction in 2011 with an asking price of $1,200. The 48-inch square table was 16 inches tall and featured Widdicomb's trademark carvings. If you think you might have spotted a gem just like this one, look for this gold sticker on the table's underside: "1978 John Widdicomb Grand Rapids." The furniture maker created only five, so if you find one, grab it.

Pierre Cardin Coffee Table

Autographed coffee tables made in 1978 are rare finds, but if you travel to France, you might happen on a chrome metal and wood coffee table with a few scratches and dents that are part of a small collection of furnishings created by fashion designer Pierre Cardin. These 15.35-inch high originals feature 30.31-inch square tabletops with Cardin's unmistakable signature.

Dakota Jackson Coffee Table

While in France, look for coffee table art inspired by the cultural changes taking place in 1978. "Self Winding Coffee Table," by Dakota Jackson, is a remarkable piece of semi-functional furniture. The round, 48-inch glass clock face with abstract glass hands is mounted atop a modern base of black anodized aluminum and black lacquered wood.

McQuire Rattan Coffee Table

If you want a great example of 1978 rattan furniture, search for a coffee table made of bamboo from the McQuire design studio in San Francisco. Likely paired with a glass top, the creation is an Asian-inspired table with a $2,000 price tag, because the wood and support network have no breaks or damage. The 1978 original is clear-coated with a sealant.

IKEA Coffee Table

There was a time when all of IKEA's coffee tables were made of real wood. Consider the company's round-topped 1978 Scandinavian table representing the clean, minimalist look popular with families in the late 1970s. The solid wood tabletop is mounted on four legs and joined by X brackets that stabilize and accent the design. Since IKEA didn't open its first U.S. store until the 1980s, this round table probably went from Sweden to Canada before landing in the United States.

Hans J. Wegner Coffee Table

Legendary Danish furniture designer Hans J. Wegner produced a contemporary glass top coffee table in 1978 that featured a round circle of glass mounted atop a spreading triangle of wood. Wegner produced a limited number of his coffee tables in beech and oak. The craftsman's vision of lean, clean lines and a fusion of media helped bridge past with present furniture design.