Our Blog - Read up on antique furniture!
Posted by Chris under Furniture Commentary on June 16, 2011
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the continued existence of the antique industry is by definition predicated on stagnation. Which is another way of saying: "They don't make 'em like they used to." Of course, this shouldn't surprise us: the divide between postmodernity and the modern era grows wider every day. It is becoming increasingly difficult for one generation to speak to the next: on top of the usual social and ideological differences between generations, we are now confronted with a deluge of new technologies and revolutionary ways of using them. Is Victorian furniture really any longer relevant to today's young professionals, who are turning in droves toward contemporary tastes and away from the venerable traditions of antique furniture? Is it possible to bridge the generational gap so that our industry can perpetuate itself?
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Tags: media, social, digital, culture, marketing
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Posted by Chris under Industry News on June 14, 2011
So, we started a new Flickr group just for English antique furniture. I'm actually pretty shocked that nobody has done this yet—but it sure feels good to get there first! Hopefully we'll get plenty of gorgeous photos... :)
Tags: flickr, social
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Posted by Chris under Furniture Resources on June 03, 2011
Many people ask us for advice on which wood types to choose for their furniture. Basically, which wood you choose depends on the context: mahogany, walnut, yew, and elm, for example, are generally considered more "formal" wood types. Cherry, oak, and especially pine are usually used in country style furniture. However, these are only trends and guidelines—not rules. You can definitely mix different wood types as long as the style of the furniture and the color match (color is determined by the stain, not the wood). Of course, being able to identify wood types certainly helps.
Similar Wood Types
The first of the two following tables is mahogany, and the second is cherry. As you can see, they are both beautiful, formal tables and the wood looks relatively similar (the difference is in the grain). Thus, depending on the style of the pieces that you're dealing with, you can substitute cherry for mahogany and vice versa.
Similar Styles
In contrast, consider the following two tables, which are identical models but have different wood types; the oak table is also hand-planed and distressed, giving it a more country style appearance. Oak is also generally considered to be a "less formal" wood, although whether you'd use an oak table or a walnut table depends entirely on the style of your home and the furniture within it.
A Little Banding Goes a Long Way
Adding banding to the edge of a piece can make it look slightly more formal without overdoing it. So, as an example, consider the following two pictures. One shows plain cherry, and the other shows cherry with yew banding. A nice touch, isn't it?
More Common English Woods
Beyond these three basic wood types (cherry, mahogany, and oak), the other two most common woods used in English furniture are elm and yew, which are represented in the following bookcase and cabinet, respectively. Note how they don't really look all that different from the other wood types, at least insofar as color and style are concerned.
In Summary...
The most common English woods are mahogany, cherry, walnut, oak, yew, and elm. Occasionally maple, rosewood, pine, and ash are used; satinwood and rosewood are relatively common inlays. Knowing this can sometimes help identify "fakes" that are represented as genuine English furniture; for example, teak is highly unlikely to be used in English furniture, as it is principally an Asian wood. We hope that we've answered some of your wood type questions. As always, feel free to leave any additional questions and concerns in the comments section below!
Tags: wood, tips
1 comment.
Posted by under Furniture Resources on May 27, 2011
This is a common enough question, but basically there is a standard set of elements to consider when determining whether or not your furniture is antique. Many people make the mistake of looking at one or two details while neglecting the rest, but judging antique furniture is a lot like judging a painting: look at the details, but also take in an overall perspective.
Hardware
For starters, look closely at the hardware—pulls, knobs, hinges, screws, nails, whatever. Does it shine brilliantly or does it look old? Keep in mind that hardware goes in and out of style just like everything else, so a large majority of antique furniture has had its hardware replaced at least once. New hardware can also be made to look antique, so don't draw too hasty of a conclusion: just keep it in mind. Also, if you can find screws (usually visible on the back, if at all), are they Phillips or flat head? Phillips screws are a 20th-century invention, so if your piece is supposed to be from the 18th century but has Phillips screws, they have either been added in a recent restoration or it's a fake.
Drawers
This ties into the hardware issue. If your piece has drawers, take a drawer out and look at how the handles are attached on the inside of the drawer. Nuts are more common for antiques, while screws are a newer convention. Also check to see if the hardware has been replaced: usually there will be marks or holes on the wood around the hardware.
Note whether the drawer has dovetails, and whether they are machine-cut dovetails or hand-cut. Does the back of the drawer have dovetails? This is usually a sign that the piece is indeed antique—and high-quality at that, since rear dovetails are very uncommon even in antiques.
Drawers (and backs) are also usually one of the cheapest components in furniture. Look at the wood used in the drawers. Most modern pieces—even high-quality reproductions that look very genuine on the outside—use plywood in drawer construction. The logic behind this move is simple: why waste expensive, solid wood (which has to be carefully treated and cured) on the inside of a drawer? Plywood, however, is another 20th-century invention, so if you're looking at composite wood and your antique is supposed to be Victorian, then that plywood was either added in a restoration or you've got a reproduction on your hands. Flip the drawer over too, as a true period piece will not only have a solid wood bottom, but that wood will be thick and beveled to fit into the grooves of the frame of the drawer.
Finish
This is an easy one. High gloss finishes and polyurethane are 20th-century elements. Antique furniture was usually shellacked, meaning that it typically had a duller finish. This isn't to say that antique finishes can't be shiny and reflective, but they're not going to be high gloss, either. Shellack finishes were very often quite thick (up to a quarter inch!), so that's another—albeit slightly more difficult—indicator to look for.
Style
This element is a little more nuanced. Basically, if you're serious about knowing whether your piece is antique, compare it to similar pieces that claim to be antique. Search the internet—or look at our inventory, which serves a very good benchmark for what English antiques should look like. Our reproduction furniture also exemplifies what a quality replica looks like, so be sure to learn the differences between good and bad antique imitations. You may also want to look up Asian furniture manufacturers: they usually produce caricatures of English or European styles, so you'll find, for example, that ogee feet become ornate and excessively curved, or you may even find Asian motifs carved into the wood.
Wood
This one has limited application but can be a life saver in some situations. We've already written a great piece on distinguishing between different woods, so you may want to check that out. Basically, however, English furniture is usually mahogany, walnut, oak, pine, yew, or cherry (sometimes with rosewood and satinwood, usually as inlays). In contrast, English furniture is almost never teak, which is a favorite of Asian furniture manufacturers because it is a fast-growing hard wood.
We hope that we've answered your questions, but if anything is lacking, please feel free to post in the comments section below!
Tags: tips
1 comment.
Posted by Chris under Furniture Resources on May 24, 2011
The concept here is pretty simple: a visual timeline of English antique furniture periods. You might notice that we've excluded 1650, which coincides with the English Interregnum, a tumultuous time at best. As a result, a distinct, post-Jacobean furniture period didn't really emerge until the turn of the 18th century. Click on the image to view it in full size.
More information about English furniture period history can be found at the following links:
Medieval, Tudor and Elizabethan Furniture (pre-1485, 1485-1603)
Jacobean Furniture (1603-1625)
Queen Anne Furniture (1702-1714)
Georgian Furniture (1714-1820)
Regency Furniture (1800-1830)
Victorian Furniture (1837-1901)
Edwardian Furniture (1901-1910)
Tags: timeline, history
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Posted by Chris under Company News on May 21, 2011
Well, ladies and gents, we sure got a beautiful bunch of antique furniture this month—imported straight from England! Here is a selection of a few of our lovelier items.
Tags: container, arrivals, chairs, clock, cabinet
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Posted by Chris under Company News on May 12, 2011
It's that time again! Summer's coming 'round, and before you know it Thanksgiving will be here, so be sure to keep your eye out for good deals on dining tables and chairs. You might just find the perfect set before heading off to summer vacation! As always, Peter will be there to answer all of your questions in the South building, spaces H9-H10.
Tags: scott antique market, show
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Posted by Chris under Furniture Resources on May 05, 2011
One of the most common questions that we get is, "Can I mix different styles of furniture?" The short answer is a definitive, "Yes." However, there are some subtleties that have to be negotiated before deciding on what styles to use together.
My own approach to eclectic furniture style is a little like the Rifleman's Creed: "This is my style. There are many like it, but this one is mine." This is another way of emphasizing that there are standards for mixing styles, but there is still room for your own personal touch. As they say, however, seeing is believing, so to illustrate my point, I'm going to pick a group of pieces for my lovely, imaginary office.
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Tags: style, design
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Posted by Chris under Furniture Commentary on April 29, 2011
A while back, we wrote a post about a Pickfords, Ltd. sticker that we found on the back of an antique Welsh dresser. Today I photographed a gorgeous flame mahogany grandfather clock with an even older version of the Pickfords label:
Tags: pickfords, sticker
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Posted by Chris under Company News on April 26, 2011
T.S. Eliot once wrote, "April is the cruelest month." Like Eliot, we're Americans harboring a special affinity for English culture (he moved to England and repatriated). Unlike Eliot, however, we're ecstatic that it's April! Not only is the weather simply stunning here in Atlanta, but we also imported a fantastic load of furniture. Here are a few of our favorite pieces. (Click on the pictures to view their listings.)
Tags: container, arrivals
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