Gateleg ‘Universal Workbench’ by Josef Meeth Gmbh, Germany, 1976. This product was withdrawn from sale In 1976, in an out-of-court settlement betweeen Meeth and Workmate. This particular specimen was given the legal reference no. ‘M1’ and used as evidence during legal proceedings between the two companies.

Marketing materials for this workbench claimed it as ‘the perfect workbench for the homeworker, the workshop, and the fitter... The MEETH universal workbench is versatile, handy and, when folded, saves space and is easy to transport. In the unfolded state, she could use this workbench not only as a chip element but as a full-fledged workbench with a large work surface. The stable substructure and the 4cm thick solid book plate make the workbench absolutely torsion-resistant and stable. Use this bench for your hobby in the house, on assembly and in operation.'