Hate to burst your bubble
... but I question if these tables are actually a Nelson design. They are certainly similar, but there are a few things that give me real doubt.
The pieces that were made by Arbuck were originally designed for the "Holiday House" as outdoor furniture and later went into production. However, they were not a commercial success so they were not produced for very long.
The Vitra book on Nelson says that the pieces consisted of a table, chairs and coffee table. There is no mention of any step end tables. if you think about it, why would there be end tables like this if it was to be used outside? End tables are most often used on either end of a sofa, and there is no matching sofa. Plus, the stepped design is typically used to place a lamp on the upper portion.
I guess it's possible that Arbuck tried to expand the line to make it more popular as many homes of the period began to have screened porches and three season rooms. But I can't find any documentation that this was part of the original group of outdoor furniture that Nelson was involved with.
I've not handled any of the pieces that we know are Nelson/ Arbuck so I can't speak to the quality of construction, but I suspect that they have a higher degree of finish than what you see on these tables. I have had Nelson designed fire tools and log holders made of iron rods and they are very well made, but those were sold through Howard Miller. They could have been manufactured by Howard Miller or a sub-contractor, so I can't say who made those.
Again, not trying to diminish your enjoyment of the tables. They are still nice period pieces (though I agree, I like the glass tops that let you see the structure of the base). I'm just trying to sort out reality from seller's attributions.
Here is the dining table and chairs:
photo from an auction house--
Treadway.
http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLINECATALOGS/MAY04/0901-0950.html
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