English Furniture Periods and Styles
GUIDE TO ENGLISH ANTIQUE FURNITURE PERIODS AND STYLES
English furniture styles developed in ways broadly in line with those of mainland Europe, art deco figurine but were interpreted in a distinctive fashion. There were also many regional variations within the British Isles — a term that once encompassed England, 1930’s folding wood card table Wales, edwardian inlaid chair styles Scotland and Ireland.
In England itself, antique walnut cabinet, union furniture co regional accents are marked by the differences between, antique bed end table attached englis say, antique buffet furniture North Country chairs and those of the West Country; Salisbury and Norwich were noted centres of production at an early date.
Wales retained the dresser and the press cupboard as status symbols long after they had ceased to be fashionable in England, antique bed foot stools and further distinctions are to be drawn between those of North and South Wales.
In late-18thC Scotland, regency columns Edinburgh was producing sophisticated furniture, used art deco dresser some of it with distinctive differences from that of London.
In the mid-18thC, johann hoffmann sitzmaschine Irish furniture was so extravagant in its use of richly carved mahogany — especially for side tables on cabriole legs — that a whole class is described as ‘Irish Chippendale’.
The following summary concentrates, antique empire style coffee table in common with the rest of the book, wooden chair frames for upholstry trade on the mainstream.
If you are a ‘mainland’ European (or an American) you will find it useful to understand the broad relationships between British and mainland European styles; and of course vice-versa.
MEDIEVAL
Romanesque Imported to Britain by the Normans following the conquest in 1066. Rounded arches — a typical Romanesque feature — occur on chests as late as the 17thC, antique crocodile silver flask james but the few examples still in existence which date from earlier than 1300 are simply constructed and mostly carved with roundels bearing little relation to Romanesque architecture.
Gothic About 1300 to 1550. The change from Romanesque was gradual. Panelled construction from about 1480, louis xiv bombe ormulu lions paw feet boulle the panels often carved with linenfold. The coronation chair at Westminster Abbey has a back with a pointed arch; made in 1296 by Master Walter of Durham, a. j. beatty & sons antique glassware it was the first English piece firmly attributable to a named maker. The Gothic style was revived in the mid-18thC and again in Regency and Victorian times.
ELIZABETHAN
Renaissance When Elizabeth I came to the
throne in 1558, english gothic tudor most furniture was functional and plain. After 1570, meissen victorian chamber pot a version of Renaissance style owing more to France and the Netherlands than to Italy found expression in fat turnings surmounted by Ionic capitals, antique 18th and 19th century german blue white cups and saucers cornflower solid inlay, antique german india table lamps brass with velvet lining carved caryatids, old chest of drawers with large top drawer strapwork, paterns and three leg tables split baluster turnings.
JACOBEAN
Strictly speaking, define edwardian style furniture the reign of James I, antique british cupboards 1603-25 but also used to cover that of Charles I (162549). Geometric mouldings, longines antique 1898 watch silver case split balusters, zen trestle table bobbin-turnings; popular until about 1720.
CROMWELLIAN OR COMMONWEALTH
Plain mid-17thC furniture said to be made for Puritans. Square-backed chairs on turned legs, cattaneo of london barometer
with leather upholstery fixed with large-headed nails; so-called ‘refectory’ tables on turned legs. Wood is generally oak, antique acorn leaves porcelain vase but solid walnut occurs.
RESTORATION
Sometimes known as Carolean, arabesque ivory design for frames in reference to Charles 11, antique metal branch lamp with vase restored to the throne in 1660. Also covers the reign of James II, whiting 1910 lady baltimore sterling silver gravy ladle 1685-9. Dominant style is baroque but more Franco-Dutch than Italian. Twist legs, 1930s queen anne bow cabinets carved scrolls, antique desk types caned seats, console vitrines top veneering, tall antique desk with front latch floral marquetry, 19 century french furniture sale japanning. Skilled French workers sought refuge in Britain when Louis XIV of France ceased to protect Protestants, antique round cherry dining table 1685.
Japanned oriental cabinet oil gilded stand, george walton arts and crafts chair about 1670- 1680.
WILLIAM AND MARY
More foreign craftsmen (Dutch and French) arrived in Britain following the accession of William of Orange and his wife Mary, neeldework workbag the daughter of James II, symbols, blue stripe over black field in 1689. Fine cabinet-William & Mary walnut bureau on stand, writing tables western about 1690.
Carted and panelled oak coffer, bosio seal stamp about 1650, antique french clock face making, 1940’s era draw leaf table reference walnut and ebony veneers, mahogany floral foliage antique bureau floral and `seaweed’ marquetry. Legs are turned to trumpet shapes or scrolled; scroll develops into cabriole leg by end of William’s reign in 1702.
QUEEN ANNE
During her reign, lionhead carving rocking chairs 1702-14, antique 18th century german furniture the cabriole leg dominated; surfaces were veneered with walnut, thomas sheraton chest but marquetry became less evident. English craftsmen, antique claw foot dresser having acquired foreign skills, wooden hasps adapted these to their own style.
Queen Anne walnut ta Ilboy, 1770 antique blanket chest lock 1710-1720.
EARLY GEROGIAN
George I and early years of George II until about 1730; mainly a continuation of the Queen Anne style, concealment marble in europe but rather heavier. Clawand-ball feet became the fashionable termination of the cabriole leg. Architect William Kent designed Italianate baroque furniture as a dramatic contrast to cool Palladian interiors.
MID-GEORGIAN
George 11, serpentine antique white sideboard 1730-60 and the first years of George 111. Mahogany replaced walnut as the fashionable wood. In 1754, chamberlain and co porcelain marks Chippendale’s designs appear; Ince and Mayhew’s, french rococo round end table 1759-62. Ribbon-back chairs, anglo indian furniture ornate gilt mirrors and console tables expressed the English interpretation of rococo. Some designs closely followed French (Louis XV) fashions. Chinoiseries popular. Gothic style revived.
LATE GEORGIAN
The George III period lasted from 1765 to 1800, porcelain neoclassical french vases but the term is sometimes extended back to 1730. First came the neo-classical style led by Adam – vertical lines, antique cachepot chinoiserie ovals, british united clock co wooden mantle circles, lichte-wallendorf white vase columns, small crown gold brooch with ruby and emerald urns, history of hardware english antique cabinet door hinges dating age disciplined carving, louis majorelle chair gilding and painting related to the Louis XVI style. Designs by Hepplewhite appear 1788, rockingham rhinoceros finials those of Sheraton 1791-4, art deco tambour front cupboard london providing a domestic, small george 111 dining table middle-class version of neo-classicism.
Gilded side-table in the style of William Kent, russian imperial malaquite furniture about 1750.
Mid-Georgian Chippendale-style mahogany chair, 80 year old round oak claw table antique about 1750.
Sotheby , antique card table with cabriole legs carved knees Late-Georgian Hepplewhite-style mahogany chair, jacobean antigue furniture about 1780.
REGENCY AND GEORGE IV
About 1800-30. Sometimes included with Late Georgian. Furniture has much in common with French Empire style. Greek, trestle table pullout Roman and Egyptian models used — sabre legs on chairs, advantage and disadvantage of tudor ( arches) lion monopodia, early sevres pottery sphinx mounts. Thomas Hope and George Smith head the list of designers, how to clean inlaid brass antique some featuring a second Gothic revival; also Chinese and Indian styles.
Regency rosewood secretaire, czecho slovakia identification marks in French Empire style, glass mould design about 1820.
WILLIAM IV AND EARLY VICTORIAN
Much furniture made 1830-50 was still neoclassical, period for bentwood chair? but heavier than Regency; some affinity with Charles X (French Restauration), billiet and roblin paris Biedermeier in Austria and Germany. Parallel with this are the Gothic revival led by Pugin and the rococo revival by commercial manufacturers making balloon-back chairs, english r. w. winfield brass bed asymmetrical chaises longues on cabriole legs. Increasing use of machines.
MID-VICTORIAN
The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, 1935 bing dining tables 1851, english style mirrors brought Continental exhibitors to London, triple stand for small decoration stimulating an eclectic taste for revivals of almost all historic styles, cupboard arches and imitated in poorer quality, painted display cabinet mass-produced furniture. Massive dining and bedroom suites; but parlour pieces more elegant, mahogany chest screw press with some sofas and chairs fringed and deep-buttoned in Napoleon III style. There were serious attempts at reviving medieval craftsmanship by reformers, small pices of glass for decoration such as Morris, carolean chair leg Burgess, antique ormolu candlesticks Talbert.
Godwin experimented with Japanese concepts.
Mid-Victorian rococo-style mahogany extending table, fretwork style bookcases about 1860.
LATE VICTORIAN, burled mahonogy veneer ART NOUVEAU AND EDWARDIAN
Heavy Victorian styles persisted until about 1910, desk with brass handles from the 30s along with reproductions of English, antique buffet chippendale French and Italian historic types, 1920’s queen anne revival dining chairs but the Arts and Crafts Movement, art deco secretary led by Mackintosh, voigt brothers figurines Ashbee, oak refectory tables carpenter Baillie Scott and Voysey introduced new ideas in sympathy with some aspects of European art nouveau, table-dining; victorian, oak, circular, 5 leaves, columnar standard, splayed legs, paw feet to which are often married commercial products that are partly an offshoot of the Edwardian revival of Sheraton styles in mahogany with inlaid decoration.
Oak buffet by M.N. Baillie :Scott, antique chair types barley sugar eclesiastic about 1897.
MODERNIST AND ART DECO
The period between the two world wars, swan neck cornice secretary marked by genuine desire for greater simplicity and honest, antique louis xv candelabra 1750 economically made furniture of the type produced by Heal and Russell, antique porcelain drop leaf table but in competition with mass-produced junk on the one hand and finely made but expensive products on the other. The term Art Deco — like most stylistic labels — was unknown at the time the furniture was being made. It derives from the 1925 Arts Decoratifs exhibition in Paris, antique metal tripod tray table and only came to be applied to the style in the 1960s.
Tags: Adam, ANTIQUE, cabriole, Chippendale, country chairs, cupboard, English, english antique furniture, English Furniture, furniture styles, Gothic, GUIDE, hepplewhite, irish furniture, James II, Mary, MEDIEVAL, PERIODS, Queen Anne, William