Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

Antique Furniture Cambridgeshire

Living in the county of Cambridgeshire can be a wonderful place to live as it is full of beautiful scenery and history. In Cambridgeshire there are many older houses and these can look wonderful with beautiful antique furniture placed in them. With today’s busy lifestyles who has the time to search through lots of small antiques shops with very little choice and travelling far distances to look at items can be a real problem. Driscolls antiques (LAPADA members) is a very good option as we display and fully describe all our antique furniture on our antiques website and we regularly deliver to Cambridgeshire using two men who will carry the items into your home. We have on offer a 28 day money back guarantee (see terms) giving you confidence in buying from the internet and have been established over 30 years. Our website is updated daily with lots of choice and we have helpful staff on the other end of an email or telephone that are here to help you with your purchase.

With the history of Cambridgeshire comes some interesting facts that you may not know.

Cambridgeshire was first founded in pre-Roman times.

Oliver Cromwell is buried in a grave close to the Sidney Sussex College Chapel in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire is said to have the oldest drinking inn in Britain as it has been serving alcohol since before 560AD

The world famous university of Cambridge was founded in 1209

King’s College founded in the fifteenth century

Cambridge produced some very famous scientists from Sir Isaac Newton who invented calculus, Charles Darwin, Ernest Rutherford who split the atom to Stephen Hawking.

Cambridgeshire is a beautiful place to live and by adding beautiful pieces of antique furniture to your home this will add to the unique and charm of the area. Driscolls antiques always try to offer beautiful and genuine pieces of antique furniture and offer a high standard of service so please purchase with confidence and we will ensure a beautiful piece will arrive at your home.

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The correct method to apply Wax on Antique Furniture
Antique furniture should always have the original finish preserved and the best way o do this is by using a wax finish as it is very easy to apply, it will clean any old dirt and keep the finish on your antique furniture looking attractive. There can be very bad streaks, smudginess and dullness if applies incorrectly so below is how to correctly apply the wax to your furniture.

Before you start ensure the surface is clean and dry, clean the surface with a cloth and if it is very dirty you can use a moist cloth sometimes by adding a tiny amount of vinegar to the water (but ensure it is very diluted), this will remove some of the dirt and dust that has built up over the years. The furniture wax will act as the main cleaner as it removes some grease and dirt so don’t worry about the first stage too much. The biggest mistake when applying furniture wax, is applying too much at once as this will make it difficult to buff up and if not buffed up correctly it will act as a dust collector leaving your finish dull. The correct way to apply antique furniture wax is to use a soft, clean cotton or lint free cloth and apply the furniture wax by dipping the cloth into the can of wax and rub the wax on in a small circular motion over the entire wood surface sparingly. Rub the wax in vigorously but thinly and then finish by applying the wax in the direction of the grain. One applied i would recommend to wait for around 30 – 60 minutes to ensure it is dry and it has soaked into your wood surface, before buffing up. To get the desired finish buff the wax up by using a clean cloth (preferably an old piece of towelling) and buff the surface in the direction of the grain. The more buffing you do the higher the sheen you get and the more thin applications you apply using the same method the better the finish you will achieve. I would use this process around once every three months as not only will it keep your furniture looking fine but it will also protect the wood and ensure your furniture will last for hundreds more years, so can be passed down through the generations of your family.

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Primitive Period Antique Furniture

Early primitive antique furniture from the early 17^th and 16^th century can be difficult to find as such early pieces disappear throughout time. Mainly in oak or walnut these pieces can be seen with peg construction, iron plates, iron clout nails and drawer runner, slides. Period furniture is simpler in design with usability in mind as pieces were used for daily use. The beauty of period furniture is it comes with beautiful character and patina that cannot be re produced and this is only created by 100s of years of day to day use and waxing.

Driscolls antiques do get some beautiful pieces of primitive antique furniture for sale and below is a few examples of what we have for sale on our antiques website but please check for more up-to-date inventory on a daily basis as our stock does change quickly.

For unusual small spaces but if you need good storage then this could be the piece for you. Its a country oak primitive antique cupboard. It has two beautifully figured cupboard doors with brass ‘H’ hinges and stands on shaped bracket.

For a good alternative to clothes storage we have a primitive oak antique harness cupboard with two cupboard doors having raised fielded panels and working oak lined drawers below.

Some of the earliest pieces seen are coffers and a good example is our primitive period antique oak coffer with beautifully carved panelled front, panelled sides and stands on raised legs.

A rare find indeed is our primitive walnut cupboard with canted corners above two cupboard doors and raised fielded panels. It has a shaped apron and stands on beautiful shaped ogee bracket feet.

Finally we have a rare primitive walnut chest on with graduating drawers, brass Swan neck handles and stands on beautifully turned legs.

Primitive Period furniture is not only getting rarer but is becoming much more collectable. They usually come with character marks, old repairs and years of use but this is the beauty of the antique.

Not only can primitive furniture look good in an older property but it can also act as a work of art in modern decor.

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Antique Rosewood Furniture

Antique Rosewood Furniture can be very striking to look at as rosewood has such an unusual grain. The colour can vary from a nice honey colour to a very dark colour dependant on the age of the piece and also the light conditions of where the furniture has been stored over the years. We find rosewood was mainly used in Regency and William IV furniture as this would have suited the tastes of fineness in such periods.

Driscolls antiques do stock a good quantity of quality rose wood antique furniture for sale and we display all our goods on our website. Rosewood furniture comes in all different shapes and sizes and below is a few items listed to show examples of the type of items we sell.

For the large scale home with a need for book storage we have the large antique Regency rosewood bookcase with glazed doors, adjustable shelves, beautifully figured cupboard doors and stands on a plain plinth. It is not often you see such a large scale bookcase in rosewood.

A striking and possibly one of the nicest tables we have had in stock for some time is our rosewood antique dining table with stunningly figured rosewood tilt top with original brass tilting mechanism. With a tapering pedestal and tripod splayed base it stands on unusual turned feet with brass castors. A beautiful piece.

For large hall ways or library rooms we can offer this antique Regency rosewood centre table standing on four carved scrolled feet with original brass castors.

One of the most popular pieces of rosewood furniture we sell is card tables and here we have for sale an exceptional example. It is a rosewood Regency antique card table, games table with a swivelling top and opens up to double its size. Once open it displays green baize playing surface under which is a concealed games storage compartment. Standing on a beautifully turned pedestal, with carved acanthus leaf detailing, and a quadraform base with turned bun feet it really is a quality piece. This is the ideal piece for use as a side table with a dual purpose.

Dining rooms can sometimes look a little drab with the normal plainer storage but for something special we have on offer an antique rosewood chiffonier with carved fretwork back, cutlery drawer beautifully figured cupboard doors. This would make your room stand out with such beautiful detailing on display.

If you have a small area in your room and you need something just to make the space look more exciting have a look at our rosewood Victorian pier cabinet with fine detailing like the beautiful turned upright supports and a central mirrored door. The antique cabinet stands on a shaped base with castors and is a very nice small size.

Finally for the something unusual look at our William IV rosewood workbox with beautifully figuring. Mainly used as an occasional table it has the benefit of an upholstered shaped base with pull out side drawer with needle and wool compartments. A very useful piece for your home.

So as you can see antique rosewood furniture comes in different sizes and periods and we try to stock all the different pieces for you to view on our antiques website.

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Antique Furniture Berkshire

The historical county of Berkshire is the ideal place to display antique furniture in your home.

The county of Berkshire is one of the oldest in England as it is said to date as far back as the 840 AD. It has some of the most historic buildings from Windsor Castle to one of the oldest pub in all England. There are many period properties in Berkshire and these are the ideal place to display antique furniture but it can be very difficult to find good quality antique furniture in the area to suit your homes. This is mainly due to many antique shops closing or lack of choice in quality furniture in the surrounding area. The only other option is to look further afield but who has the time to travel around to different shops looking at a small selection. This is why Driscolls antiques can be a very good option as all our antiques and furniture is photographed and fully described on our website that we update daily. We are also LAPADA members, so offering you more confidence in your purchase and have been established for over 35 years. We regularly deliver to Berkshire using two men to carry the items into the room of your choice. It might sound a little daunting buying from a website but this is why we offer a 28 day money back guarantee (see terms) We are always available to help with your purchase from choosing the right piece to delivery so please look at our beautiful selection of antique furniture for sale.

With history of Berkshire comes some interesting facts that you may not know.

Berkshire is the birth place of King Alfred the Great, who stopped the Viking invading the south.

King Henry I is buried at Reading Abbey in Berkshire and it is because he founded it in the 1120s.

Windsor Castle is the largest inhabited castle in the world with Successive monarchs from William the Conqueror onwards. King William the conqueror built it.

Edward III was born on the 13th November 1312 at Windsor Castle.
Henry VI was born on the 6th December 1421 at Windsor Castle in Berkshire

The famous Ascot Racecourse is close to Windsor castle and was founded by Queen Anne in 1711.
In 1825 Richard Cox, grew the first Cox’s Apples in the orchard of his house and these apples are some of the most popular apples eaten today.
Berkshire has the third oldest pub in all England called the the Ostrich
19 of Britain’s Prime Ministers have been educated at Eton in Berkshire from the Duke of Wellington to David Cameron.

With all this history in Berkshire, it is a beautiful place to live and visit and by adding our quality antique furniture to your home you will add to the character and history making your home look more beautiful and charming.

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Wardrobe featured in Homes and Antiques Magazine

In the latest addition of Homes and Antiques in June our Striking George III red walnut antique wardrobe has been displayed under the best of British section. This is quite a rare find as it is from the Georgian period and is beautifully figured with lots of hanging space. It has a moulded cornice above a deep frieze with boxwood string inlay, the two full length doors are delightfully figured, have raised fielded panels and still has the key with working lock. The piece eloquently stands on splayed bracket feet and has a shaped apron and is a fabulous warm rich colour. Not only would this be a very usable piece for day to day storage of clothes but also would be a wise investment due to the age and quality. This antique wardrobe is currently for sale under our bedroom section with lots of other quality pieces of antique furniture and if you require any further information please contact us, as we are always here to help. We can arrange a two man delivery into your home and with all our antiques this piece comes with a 28 day money back guarantee (please see terms and conditions)

We have put some additional pictures below to show the beauty of this quality antique.

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We have been emailed the following and are publishing this on our antiques blog to warn any one who is offered or has seen such a picture.

Date: 30th April 2012

STOLEN
Oil on canvas – Sir Stanley Spencer
Cookham from Englefield

This painting was  stolen in a burglary from the Stanley Spencer Gallery, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire 29th April 2012.

The painting measures 76.2 x 50.8 cms

Any individual in possession of the stolen item could be a suspect for a crime.

A crime has been reported to Thames Valley Police ref: LC4039798/12
Any information please contact Police on 101 or the Art and Antiques unit on
0207 230 2150 

If a crime is being committed, or you require immediate assistance, please call  999.

Art and Antiques reference LSAD 53673

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Antique Furniture Oxfordshire

If you live in the county of Oxfordshire and you are interested in purchasing antique furniture it can often be very difficult to find good quality antique furniture in the area due to the lack of choice in the surrounding area. It might be an idea to look further afield but then there is the travelling to take into consideration. This is why Driscolls antiques can be a good option as we display and fully describe all our antique furniture on our antiques website and we regularly deliver to Oxfordshire. I know it might sound daunting buying from a website but this is why we offer a 28 day money back guarantee (excluding carriage) and we have also been established for over 30 years, so have the knowledge and experience when dealing in quality antique furniture. We are also LAPADA members, so offering you more confidence in your purchase. We are always available to help and I highly recommend you look at our beautiful selection of antique furniture for sale.

Oxfordshire is full of history and by adding history to your home with antique furniture; you will be adding to the charm of your county, here are some facts about Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire was created as a county around 1007 AD

Oxford has over 1,500 listed buildings and this is mainly due to it not being bombed in world war two as Hitler was intending to use Oxford as his capital if he conquered England.

Oxford was the country’s capital city during the Civil War when Charles 1 held his court here.

Oxford’s Botanic Garden is the oldest in the world, having been founded in 1621.

The Holywell Music Room, built in 1748, is the oldest music performance hall in Europe.

Oxford is the home of the world famous Oxford English Dictionary, which is used worldwide today and Oxford University is the oldest English-speaking University in the world.

With all this history in Oxfordshire, it is a beautiful place to live and by adding our quality antique furniture to your home you will add to the character and history making your home look more unique.

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English Antique Mahogany furniture

Antique furniture constructed from mahogany is always a sign of quality as mahogany was an expensive and very solid timber. Antique mahogany furniture comes in several different styles, from plain mahogany, flamed mahogany, plum pudding mahogany and figured mahogany. The more figured grains used were made to look rich and stunning.

Driscolls antiques always stock all types of quality English antique mahogany furniture from all periods, such as the Georgian, Regency, William IV, Victorian and Edwardian periods. Below are a few examples that we currently have for sale but we display all our quality antiques on our website and it is best to see our up to date inventory on our website.

A good Georgian example is our George III mahogany antique chest. It has a rectangular beautifully figured moulded top above three smaller drawers over three wider oak lined cock beaded drawers, all with oval brass handles.

A good Regency example is our antique mahogany linen press with an unusual moulded cornice above two figured doors with ebony banded edges. The interior has four sliding linen trays. The lower section has a moulded edge and a two over two drawer configuration, all cock beaded with oval brass handles that boast unusual ornate thistle detailing.

A good William IV example is our Set of Six William IV Mahogany Antique dining chairs made from mahogany and each has a beautifully carved back and elegantly scrolled carved back bar. They stand on splayed back legs and have delightfully scrolled carved turned front legs and are finished in a traditional upholstery fabric with braided tape trim.

A good Victorian example is our Victorian Mahogany Antique Bookcase.
It has a moulded cornice above two glazed doors with arched moulding, key and working lock. The doors are flanked by beautifully carved corbels and the lower section has a rectangular moulded top above two shaped frieze drawers with brass Arts & Crafts handles and below these are two cupboard doors with arched moulding, again flanked by beautifully carved corbels.

A good example of an Edwardian piece of mahogany is our Antique Edwardian antique astragal glazed bookcase made from mahogany, with classic Edwardian styling and top is rectangular, with a reeded edge, and sits above a beautifully figured frieze and three astragal glazed doors which have key and working locks. It stands on shaped bracket feet and is a warm mellow mahogany.

All these beautiful pieces are currently available to buy on our antiques furniture website so please visit the relevant category for details.

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Here are a few comments from antique furniture we have sold recently,

Hi James,

Bookcase arrived yesterday in time for us to go to our rugby match thank you. It is in place and fully laden with books etc.,

We are delighted with our purchase.

Thankyou for your prompt and efficient service. It was a pleasure to do business with you.

Kind regards

Lilian

antique bookcase to Hull

Hi James
All have arrived safe today. Thank you for suggesting the table it
goes very well.
I really like my chairs and table. !
Warmest regards,

Table and six chairs to London

Dear James,
Just a quick note to say thanks for the linen press, arrived on Sat
and made it up the stairs! We’re very pleased with it and
many thanks for your help and understanding.
BW, Steven.

Antique linen press

Dear James,

I collected the bureaux and I’m very pleased with them, Thank you for your

Confidence and correct business .

Hope to do more business in future.

Kind regards,

Erik

Antique bureau to Gloucestershire

Hi James,

This is just to say that I received the nest of 3 mahogany tables last Saturday, and am very pleased with them.  We put them to use immediately, and my granddaughter very much enjoyed organising them and explaining how they work.

Many thanks – hope all is well with you.

Heather

Antique nest of tables to Bristol

Dear James

Thank you for the bookcase. It arrived safely and looks excellent.

Regards

Stephen

Antique bookcase to Dorking

Dear Mr Driscoll,

Our Edwardian walnut extending table has just arrived and we are delighted with it!

Thank you very much.

Best wishes,

Eileen

Antique dining table

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