SHABBY CHIC FURNITURE | FRENCH STYLE FURNITURE | MIRRORED FURNITURE
There's something about antique furniture that appeals to us. Maybe it's the quality of the craftsmanship or the beautiful finish of the wood. Maybe it's the nostalgic styles that evoke times past, the fact that it's pre-loved, or even that it provides a connection with periods of history where things seemed simpler somehow. Perhaps it's all of these and more. Whatever the reasons, antique furniture is as popular as ever, as enthusiasts strive to claim a beautiful and tangible piece of history for themselves in these increasingly confusing and uncertain times. If you have an antique piece of your own and you've been wondering which era it dates from, we've got some pointers to guide you. Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/victorian-furniture-luxury-vintage-940933/ Identifying Furniture StylesOne of the best ways of discovering which period your furniture belongs to is by comparing its style to other examples. Furniture designs have changed dramatically in style over the years, and it's not always easy to know which style dates from when. So, when a furniture style is referred to as Queen Anne or Gothic revival, what does it actually mean? Tall Back Upholstered Dining Chair with Queen Anne Style Legs Here is an overview of this timeline with some of the furniture styles presented during these periods, linked to the reigns of British monarchs: Elizabethan EraElizabethan furniture is extremely rare, so it's very unlikely that you have any at home! Most pieces are part of exclusive collections in museums or grand stately homes. This period dates between 1558 and 1603 when Elizabeth I was on the throne and furniture from this time is regarded as Primitive style. During this time, English furniture makers were heavily influenced by Renaissance and Gothic styles from Europe, resulting in more ornamented pieces. Key features:
Gold Antique French Style Throne Chair Jacobean EraThis period runs from 1603 to 1649, taking in the reigns of James I and Charles I, although the latter half is sometimes called Carolean. Key features:
Cromwellian (Commonwealth) EraEngland's Republican experiment lasted from 1649 to 1660, during which time Cromwell and his Puritan followers had a marked effect on all aspects of life, including furniture styles. Key features:
Restoration PeriodFrom 1660 to 1689, after Cromwell's fall and the return of the monarchy, craftsmen went into overdrive, realigning their designs with European examples, often in extreme ways. It was a means of wiping out the austerity of the Puritan years. During this era, taking in the reigns of Charles II and James II, baroque styles really took off. Key features:
Green Antique French Style Sideboard William And Mary PeriodThe William and Mary period lasted from 1689 to 1702 and is one of the most influential periods of British furniture history, even though Mary only reigned until 1694. Key features:
Source: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/540502392765242377/ Queen Anne EraLasting from 1702 to 1714, the Queen Anne era is another influential period in British furniture making, sometimes called Late Baroque. Key features:
Baroque White Bedroom Collection Georgian EraThis period is divided into two sections: early and late Georgian, covering the reigns of George I, George II, George III and George IV between 1714 and 1830, taking in the Regency period. Key features:
Mahogany Antique French Style Console Table Regency PeriodThis sub-period of the Georgian era technically dates from 1795 to 1830 including covering the time between 1811 and 1820 when Prince George IV stood as Regent in place of his sick father. Key features:
William IV EraThis period doesn't receive as much attention as others, but it is important nevertheless, covering the years 1830 to 1837 when William took over from his brother, George IV. Key features:
Victorian PeriodVictorian furniture tends to be eclectic, influencing styles between 1837 and 1901. Key features:
Rococo Antique French Style Bed Edwardian EraOddly enough, Edwardian furniture dates from 1890 to 1911, even though Edward only took the throne in 1901. As with Victorian-era furniture, the styles remain eclectic. Key features:
The Furniture MakersMany antique experts talk about the items by referring to the makers. This doesn't mean that each piece of furniture was individually made by that person! It simply refers to a specific workshop owned and run by a master designer that produced certain styles of furniture. Looking at antique furniture maker's marks can also help you identify antique furniture and it's originality. Source: https://antiquesworld.co.uk/antique-furniture-by-johnstone-jeanes/ Here are some of the most highly regarded cabinet makers in the business, along with details of the styles that made them famous: Thomas Sheraton 1751 - 1806An accomplished draughtsman and designer, Thomas Sheraton influenced furniture design until the early 1900s. His designs are noted for their use of contrasting veneers, tapered legs, and fluting. He is regarded as one of the big three, the most British furniture designers, along with Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite. Thomas Hope 1769 - 1831Dutch by birth, Hope made England his home after travelling around Europe extensively and accumulating a vast collection of antique furniture that inspired his genius design elements that feature heavily in Regency style furniture. Thomas Johnson 1714 - 1778Johnson was a highly-gifted craftsman who combined the three most popular motifs (Louis XIV, Chinese, and Gothic) amazingly well. Birds, fish, animals and humans feature heavily in his work. George Smith 1786 - 1826Smith was a great fan of Thomas Hope, writing several books on his designs with the aim of making them accessible to the masses, not just the nobility. His own designs focused on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian themes. Thomas Chippendale 1718 -1779Famous for his outstanding styles that incorporated rich carvings, especially those in his book, The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director which influenced master craftsmen from the Georgian period onwards. Oriental design in Europe prompted Chippendale to include them in his designs. He is one of the few British designers who ever achieved worldwide fame, as Chippendale furniture is known almost everywhere. Robert Adam 1728 - 1792One of the most important proponents of the Neo-classical style, Adam was inspired by Ancient Greek and Roman ideas, using them in his architecture and interior design work as well as furniture. Considered one of the most influential designers of the time, his distinctive designs came to be known as the 'Adam Style.' George Hepplewhite 1727 - 1786Hepplewhite is an enigma. Despite being one of the big three, we don't know a lot about him at all! However, his designs are distinctive: well-balanced with pronounced curviness and very slender. They also feature shield-back chairs with shorter, curved arms and straight legs, without any carvings. Any other details were painted or inlaid at a later date. Looking For CluesAside from identifying your furniture by its style or the wood used in its manufacture, you can get a rough idea of its age from how it was made: Check The JoineryLook for dovetail joints on the back or underneath of your furniture or the underside of drawers. Early furniture usually has one large dovetail joint with imperfections in the cut. This tells you that the piece probably dates to the 18th Century. Several smaller joins, still with saw and tool marks, suggest a 19th Century date is more likely. If the dovetails are small, perfectly spaced and smooth, the piece is almost definitely machine-cut, meaning that it is post-Industrial Revolution or Victorian furniture dating from 1860 onwards. Screws And NailsHandmade screws are a good clue, as these were rough-looking with the slots often being off-centre. Cabinet makers often had to cut a slot into the head using a hacksaw on screws that were partially machine-made. Although the earliest machine-made screws were around in 1790, it wasn't until 1856 that most makers started using machine-cut screws, and these are uniform in size and appearance. They are also tapered to a sharp point, whereas earlier examples were blunt and did not taper as much. Nails, which were always handmade by blacksmiths prior to 1790, usually have a square rose head, where the end was flattened with a hammer. Modern nails have round heads. Check For Slight DifferencesLook at the drawer knobs, handles or spindles to see if they are perfectly identical. If so, your item probably dates from 1860 and later. Earlier pieces will never be absolutely identical as they are made by hand. Which Period Is Your Furniture From?Hopefully, you'll now be equipped with a little knowledge to be able to identify when your antique furniture was produced. At the very least, you should be able to narrow down the possibilities and find an approximate date, and you'll be able to tell Jacobean from Art Nouveau! Tudor furniture isn't included here as it is even rarer than Elizabethan, and the timeline cuts off around the Edwardian and Art Nouveau eras as anything from the mid 19th Century doesn't qualify as an antique - just yet! Antique Grape Tiffany Small Table Lamp The following article What Period Is My Furniture? was first published to Homes Direct 365 French Furniture from Homes Direct 365 | Blog - Feed https://www.homesdirect365.co.uk/blog/2022/05/what-period-is-my-furniture/ via Blogger What Period Is My Furniture?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Company BioHomesdirect365 are an online only retailer specialising in antique French furniture, shabby chic furniture, mirrored furniture & french bedroom furniture available for all rooms of the home from bathroom vanity units to decorative mirrors to gorgeous bedroom sets. Archives
March 2023
Categories |