I think you have a 1960 or later...most likely later version of "French provincial table". It appears to be sturdy, fits your needs, will seat a crowd. BUT you don't want to spend a bundle on it.
I would sand the top clean of finish...being careful not to nick the edges and paint it a color of your choice...probably a medium "wood" color would look fine.
But perhaps it wouldn't be as hard to fix the scratches as you think, and before I proceeded I would find someone to give me an estimate.
Linda C

I'm pretty much in agreement with above - especially seeing the cream w/ gold accent treatment. I'd be a little cautious in sanding the top - in particular - to remove any finish; it could be a thin laminate veneer. A non-wood veneer was popular on top surfaces likely to take more abuse on the white French Povincial furniture suites of the 60's, etc. era.

Back in the late 60s, my parents got us twin beds in this style with this exact finish, so I agree that it's probably doesn't have much collectible value. If it were mine, I'd lightly sand it down and repaint it in the color of my choice. My daughter just got a dresser in this style in Duluth, MN for $60.

Annie

I forgot that thin laminate stuff....becareful...ask me how I know that!
Linda C

Thanks all for the help.

You guys are dead on about the veneer. Looking at the table closely and doing a little testing, looks like a less than 1mm layer of laminate (or something), then about a 1.5mm layer veneer of some kind of wood, and then the core, which seems like some kind of pretty soft, light wood. (I am not thrilled about any of these discoveries; the table was cheap, so it's no huge deal, but I don't want it to be a total waste.)

Now I'm worried about sanding it. If I take off the first veneer, I'm worried about the second veneer being too thin not to "peel up." If I just take off both veneers, I'm worried about the table itself being too thin.

Maybe I'll just super lightly sand it just enough to make paint adhere, and go for a distressed look.

Hmph. Any more suggestions? Linda C--what experience did you have with that kind of thin laminate? Might it have asbestos in it or something?

Thanks again!

No, it's not asbestos. In effect, it's the finish layer which was likely manufactured in large sheets and applied with some kind of heat process. It's all one giant sandwich. Scrape/sand that away and you may well be down to something akin to particle board if you're lucky, something worse if you're not lucky.

Certain things are just not designed to be retooled - we had such an early American kitchen table with a laminate veneer top. Fine in the house it was originally purchased for; in the next house it made a dandy puzzle and game type table in a den; in the last house, a nice laundry folding table in the basement. Who has it now and what it's being used for, I can only hazzard a guess.

My experience with that thin laminate is it's impossible to rough it up enough to accept paint and if you hit it with stripper, what's underneath is soft white wood that never really gets smooth no matter how much you sand....and the table becomes fit only to slap a coat of paint on and to send to college with your kid....and for him to leave there.
Try to patch the scuffs as best as you can...use lots of place mats and a runner and keep looking for something else..
But don't buy chairs to match!LOL
LInda C

I have a funny story about French Provincial. I had a dealer friend send two high powered buyers to an antique furniture store I used operate. The couple bought quite a lot of expensive furniture from me. I stopped by the dealerÂs store to offer him five hundred cash as a token of my appreciation. The dealer refused the money so I simply picked out what I thought was a nice piece of 50's 60's FP for $500.00. It was a nice half moon server with a marble top but not worth anywhere near that much money. I decided to strip it to get rid of the off-white paint. I figured I could stain or whitewash what ever wood was underneath. Underneath the paint I discovered a fabulous inlaid scene of a guy playing a violin for his girl.. It had in fact been a much older French piece that someone had tried at some time to update to F.P. There's no luck like dumb luck. IÂve found many pleasant surprises under paint. This table unfortunately does not look like itÂs worth stripping unless you simply enjoy doing that kind of thing. ItÂs a great feeling you get from restoring an old quality piece and turning it back into something useable.