Sharp Edge Noguchi Coffee Table  

I don't believe the seller, or the poster who brought the table to our attention, claims or even suggests that this is a prototype; that word doesn't appear in the thread until your first message.  
But I believe the similarity of the table base to other works by Noguchi makes the question self-evident . . .wouldn't you say ?

Lowe,
How much is the owner asking for this piece? Is it a big gamble?
Where did his parents or grandparents buy the table? Where they aquintancesof Noguchi?

I have no idea of the provenance of this table but Freud make shapers of a very broad round over that would approximate this now. I would fear using it but something close is doable.

I think it more likely that a copy lathe such as was used by the makers of the Wegner round chair would be the pre-CNC shaping method -- though the base parts of the Noguchi table are somewhat larger than the arms or back of the Wegner chair . . . ?
The profile (cross section) of the poster's table, like some other Noguchi sculptures, approximate that of an airplane wing, as I recall it.  It's hard for me to see a shaper making such forms.

Yeah cnc would be better but if you look at the edge on a lot of dining tables now its often a shallow wide convex cut Ill try and find a link. It wouldnt be as dramatic but better than the dull bullnose used now.
But imo this example was mostly handshaped after bandsawing.

Yes, the kind of shaper cutter you mention might have been employed to to make the production Noguchi table "more Noguchi-like."  (Have you seen one of those cutters in use ?  They're maybe four to six inches in diamater -- kind of scary !)
Googling "Noguchi table" shows repeated examples of the table, many of them presumably knock-offs; the thickness and even the shape of the parts varies considerably. I assume it's getting harder and harder for the layman/dealer to determine authentic from bogus.  Labeling wouldn't be as reliable as precise sizing and shaping data.
The last two photos of the poster's table clearly show the absence of the "extra wiggle" to the connecting lobe which seems to be a part of the standard design.  I have always thought this minor feature to be more accident than intention.  It's a pleasure to see the pure forms exhibited by this unique example . . .

So a month or two ago I bought an interesting old Noguchi looking table and decided to do a little research. I came across this posting and while reading I saw the same story I was told from the buyer about calling under it when he was a kid. Then I saw the photos and there it is, that's my table.  Too funny
The original poster must be from the Chicago area. 

so how much was it greatwhite? Lowe9 went off the grid after the early posts.

I am in the Chicago area, it was for sale by an older gentleman close to Wheeling.
After much thought, I elected not to buy the table. I really didn't have room for it, and without enough information, and lacking the original glass top, I had no idea to its authenticity.
I've continued to do some research on it, and haven't been able to find anything. At this point I'm guessing its a handmade replica by a skilled wood worker who saw a picture of it.
This table is a complete mystery at this point.
 
 

I'm still excited  by this piece.  I don't often "talk up" something -- I'm more of a cynic, I guess. But the forms here -- even the color ? -- speak of a sophisticated maker.  Rather than a crude take on the Noguchi table, it seems to be an improvement on the production piece, and (to my eye) a step or two closer to Noguchi's aesthetic.  
Are there any known prototypes of the Noguchi table ?

Greatwhite: can we get some more photos of the table?  I share SDR's enthusiasm for this particular table.  I am curious if it has the subtle "feet" of a Noguchi table (on a flat surface you can see the "feet", on carpet, not so much).  I am curious about the metal post and socket, and how they are constructed.  
And the unusual black finish is wonderful, but I can't tell whether it is intentional (probably) or wear (maybe).  More photos of that as well?

The feet Leif mentions are created by a subtle concavity of the horizontal edges of both the upper and lower arms of the table base. This feature keeps the base from rocking on an uneven floor, and keeps the glass from touching the entire length of the upper arm.  The subject table seems to have soft pads of some sort added to these "feet." 
I'm seeing the color and transparency of the finish as an attempt at a "bronze" appearance.  I may be wrong, and would love to see more photos . . .

Yea I think it's made by a woodworker who was fan of the original table years ago. It's definately hand sculpted. The finish is actually a greenish multi toned and painted. There are some spots where it's flaked/worn off. I'll post some photos of it this weekend.
I have a herman miller Noguchi table and it's  roughly the same size, just thinner with gentler curves and sharper edges.