Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

Here are a few of the best antique furniture designers and cabinet makers. If you buy antique furniture that has one of these names stamped on it then you know you are buying a quality piece and they will be a good investment for the future.

Antique Furniture by Gillows.

Gillows of Lancaster furniture or later know as Waring and Gillow produced some of the finest pieces of English antique furniture. They were established from 1731

founded by Robert Gillow. He served his apprenticeship as a joiner and cabinet maker. When he died his firm was taken over by his two sons Richard and Robert Gillow and they expanded the business to London. They had a reputation of supplying superb quality furniture, using only the finest materials and their own unique designs. They participated in many international exhibitions and furnished many important houses and supplied several Royal homes.

In 1903 Gillows joined forces with the company Waring of Liverpool and the firm became known as Waring and Gillows.

The stamp GILLOWS LANCASTER first appeared on furniture in the 1780s. By ca.1850 GILLOW is found stamped on pieces. By the end of the 19th Century GILLOW & Co is often found, and Waring and Gillow was continued up to the 1950’s. Some pieces that were not made for a special order would be stamped with the letter L for Lancaster and would follow numbers.

Antique Furniture by Edwards & Roberts

The antique furniture cabinet makers and restorers Edwards and Roberts were among the best English antique furniture cabinet makers in the 19^th century. The company was founded in 1845 and was trading as ‘Edwards and Roberts’, 21 Wardour Street, Antique and Modern Cabinet Makers and Importers of Ancient Furniture’. They became one of the leading London cabinet makers and retailers and the firm produced high quality antique furniture, as well as good copies of the 18th and 19th century English and French furniture. They also adapted and restored the finest antique furniture and there are many examples of their earlier furniture with later embellishments bearing their stamp. There workmanship included pieces with satinwood marquetry and favoured the Georgian designs. They were known for restoring and adapting older pieces of antique furniture.

Antique Furniture by Howard and Sons

The antique furniture cabinet makers and upholsterers, Howard and Sons were among the best English antique furniture makers in the 19^th century. Howard and Sons were founded in 1820 by John Howard who started trading at 24 Lemon St, London. By 1854 Howard and Sons was established at Berners St, London as ‘Cabinet Maker, Upholsterer and Decorator’. Howard and Sons became one of the most fashionable and successful cabinet makers of the 19^th century. They participated in many international exhibitions and furnished many important houses and supplied several Royal homes. They were as well known as the antique furniture makers Gillows, and Howard and Sons worked together with Gillows and Maple and Co on several occasions.
Howard and Sons were mainly well known for antique upholstered furniture such as easy armchairs and sofas. They only used the finest materials and made their chairs for comfort.

Robert H & James Simpson, 18 Nicholas Street, Lancaster 1865-87

We often have pieces by these makers and they are some of the best investments as they are by such good makers. I will be writing on other cabinet makers shortly so please keep checking my newly added blogs.

What are the types of antique desks you can sit under?

There are several types of antique desks that we stock for sale. We have an antique kneehole desk which was originally made to have two uses. It was made for use as an antique dressing table and an antique writing desk. Until the mid 18^th century the kneehole desk was mainly made of walnut and oak. Later the main wood of use was constructed usually in solid mahogany and the best quality would have mahogany drawer linings. The Georgian examples usually stand on shaped bracket feet and Victorian desks sometimes had bun feet or a plain plinth.

antique pedestal desks were introduced into Britain due to the demand for large, freestanding desks, with a large knee hole so was comfortable to sit at. The first antique pedestal desk was made in walnut and then mahogany was the main wood used. The late Georgian antique desks usually have three drawers in the frieze, the pedestals are fitted with either drawers or cupboards, and they stand on moulded plinths with hidden castors.

The Victorian cabinet makers used woods like oak and mahogany and made very usable designs, they usually have plain turned wooden knobs. More elaborate antique pedestal desks were produced in the late Victorian times.

We get some stunning antique desks for sale like our stunning antique Victorian mahogany twin pedestal desk with a rectangular moulded top and tooled leather writing insert above a central drawer and knee hole. Each pedestal has four graduating drawers with moulded edges, beautifully turned handles and stands on a plain plinth. We also have an antique Victorian mahogany desk with a rectangular moulded top with rounded corners and a leather tooled writing insert above a central mahogany lined drawer and large kneehole. Each pedestal has four graduating mahogany lined drawers with turned knobs and moulded edges.

They are very useful and useable pieces of antique furniture.

Antique bureaus, very nice writing desks.

The antique bureau has been around from the 1650s and was a fall fronted cabinet and the first England antique bureau had gate legs to support the fall fronts when open. The interiors had small drawers, pigeon holes and a sliding bible wells. The carcasses of the antique bureaux were in oak or pine and veneered with figured veneers like walnut, or oyster veneers. By the early 18^th century the bureaux had sliding lopers at each side and they came with the chest of drawers with and bracket feet as the base. Mouldings on the fronts of the dust boards between drawers was replaced after ca 1740 by cock beadeding on the edges on the drawers and mahogany and oak was the main woods used.

The antique bureau bookcase was a design which came from the antique bureau and they usually have glazed cupboard doors or wood panels and the interior would have shelves for books. The next stage of the bureau to appear was the tambour or cylinder desks which were designed by George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton.

We get some very nice antique bureaus for sale from all periods and in all different woods.

We currently have an antique Georgian fruitwood bureau with a moulded fall front and the interior has small drawers, secret drawers, a central cupboard and several pigeon holes. The lower section has four graduating drawers with brass handles and key escutcheons and stands on shaped bracket feet.

We also have a Georgian antique mahogany bureau with a moulded fall front and the interior has a central cupboard door, concealed slides, small drawers and pigeon holes. The lower section has four graduating mahogany lined drawers with brass swan neck handles. The bureau stands on shaped bracket feet.

We also have an antique Georgian oak bureau with a moulded fall front and the interior has a writing insert, several small drawers, pigeon holes and secret slides. The lower section has two over three graduating cock beaded drawers with brass swan neck handles and shaped bracket feet.

We stock antique bureaus from all periods and in all woods as they are such useful pieces of antique furniture.

Very nice small tables called antique sutherland tables

The idea of the antique gate leg tables came around from a very delicate form of flap top table that was popular from the mid 18^th century called a spider leg table. Like our antique Georgian mahogany occasional spider table that we currently have for sale. This type of antique table is ideal for use as a wine or lamp table. The table has a rectangular solid mahogany top above a shaped frieze and four finely turned elegant legs with cross stretchers. As time progressed a new form of small flap table was introduced during the 19^th century called the antique sutherland table, it was named after the Duchess of Sutherland, and was very similar in design to the antique pembroke table but much smaller in size. The antique sutherland tables usually have narrow central sections supported on a trestle base with quite deep leaves on either side. The base would sometimes have splayed feet and carving on the end supports with beautifully turned legs.

We currently have a very nice Victorian mahogany Sutherland table with two shaped drop leaves with moulded edges, stands on beautiful turned legs with reeded supports, has a turned cross stretcher and small castors. Two of the legs swing out to support the leaves.

These tables are extremely versatile and very useful due to its small size when folded down as it enables it to be tucked away in a small space like behind your sofa or in a corner of your room but when extended the deep leaves provide a spacious top when opened out, a very useful piece of antique furniture.

Different types of Antique Furniture Construction

antique furniture construction has changed through the ages but some of the traditional methods were re introduced as they were a sign of master craftsmen. Early antique furniture was fairly primitively constructed out of solid wood and they would often re use old pieces of timber. Up to the early 1700s antique furniture was mainly built using pegged construction (wooden dowels) or simple mortise and tenon joints, also steel clout nails were seen in pieces of antique furniture.

Earlier versions of antique chest of drawers usually have thick solid wood sides or which have channel sections on the inside and the drawers have bars or runners to slide into the channels. As time progressed dove tail joints were used whereby two sides are joined together by interlocking, triangular shaped wedges.

The earliest antique tables were traditionally constructed with a fixed top with a frame with a frieze and legs. They were made in solid wood, but from the late 17th century veneering was becoming available and smaller tables became available for occasional use. Smaller tables like the antique gate leg tables had hinged leaves, which allows flaps to be supported when the gate-leg is rotated and extended. To provide sufficient strength for the solid drop leaves, the central section is firmly secured to the table frame by numerous glue blocks and often by tenoned joints. This type of table was changed to a new version called the Pembroke table with lighter leaves often veneered and were supported by a hinged flap. A different later form of antique table is a Tilt top table and they have hinged tops, which enable them to be stored away or to the side of a room when not in use.

The earlier antique tripod tables had cross stretchers on the underside of the tops and were hinged using a wooden or brass screw pegs. Some had a birdcage which enabled the top to swivel around and also tilt.

Very early antique chairs were constructed out of solid timber with pegged construction and broad, thick hand sawn rails, as time progressed the rails became smoother and narrower and more easier drop in seats that could be supported on the recessed lips around the seat frames. The earlier back uprights or were often made of one piece of timber but as cabinet makers progressed the Splat back chairs became available with uprights that have shaped top rails supported by the vertical baluster splat, like tenon joints to top and bottom.

The large corner blocks in the corner of the earlier models were replaced by diagonal blocks and these were more sturdy but also supported the drop in seats.

The earliest constuction of antique furniture was more simple and as time progressed up to the Edwardian period machines became available but the quality of these pieces have always been superb and especially up to todays standards.

What is an antique wellington chest ?

The antique commode originally came from France in the 17^th century and this was a word to describe the antique chest of drawers. The antique chest of drawers became the term used in Britain from the early 18^th century as the French design in antique furniture was popular and so the commode was copied from the French. The antique chest of drawers became one of the main pieces of antique furniture used throughout the ages and came in many forms such as the bow front or serpentine front and also unusual designs like the antique wellington chest. These designs were used mainly in the 19^th century and the antique wellington chest got its name because of the great wellingtons victory of 1815. Originally the military chest was made for the war so it could be transported easily on a horse and the more decorative Wellington chest stayed at home. The antique wellington chest first came about during the 1820s, and are tall narrow in shape, usually with seven drawers (one for every day of the week). Instead of each drawer having its own lock, they have a single locking mechanism in the form of a hinged flap on the side, which locks over the drawer fronts to stop them opening.

We currently have a very nice example for sale and it is a Victorian oak Wellington chest. This antique chest has a rectangular top above seven graduating mahogany lined drawers with turned handles. The chest has two beautifully carved corbels, stands on a plain plinth. It is a very nice piece of antique furniture, not only decorative but also very useful.

Looking after your antique mirrors

To look after your antique mirrors, there are many things you can do. If your mirror is showing signs of foxing eg. the silver backing of an antique mirror has badly deteriorated then repair should not be attempted as some restoration can devalue the antique mirror dramatically. If you want your mirror looking perfect then the best way is to scrape off the old silvering and either re silver or some people put a very thin mirror on the back of the original glass. For cleaning the fronts of antique mirrors you can wipe the glass with a lint free linen cloth moistened with a small amount of methylated spirits. Then other alternative is to wipe the glass with a lint free cloth which is only very slightly damp with lukewarm water and a few drops of ammonia.

It is very important to remember not to let any moisture to get behind the mirror, as this can cause deterioration of the silvering.

In some of the antique mirrors it is more preferable to see some slight foxing as this shows the authenticity of the mirror and it also adds to the character of the antique furniture so it is worth checking before replacing the old glass as you do not want to de value your antique mirror.

Different Antique Mirrors from the 16th century to the Victorian period

The earliest antique mirrors in the 16th Century were called looking glasses and they were being made originally in Murano and then delivered to Venice to be silvered. The first antique mirrors made in England didn’t develop until the 17th century. The first mirrors to appear in England was by Sir Robert Mansells glass house in London in 1625 and the mirrors was made by the cylinder process which is basically where cylinders of glass were blown then split open and laid flat. The limitations of this process meant that only smaller mirrors could be made so several pieces of glass would be used to create a single mirror. By the late 18th century larger and better quality plates were being produced as new methods were used to make the mirrors.

As time went on in the late Georgian and throughout the Victorian period framing styles changed dramatically from elegantly carved gilt wood framed mirrors turned into more simple mahogany framed mirrors like the antique cheval mirror.

This was more simple in design but still an elegant piece of antique furniture.

We currently have three very beautiful antique Victorian cheval mirrors for sale

The first is an antique Victorian mahogany cheval mirror with a tilting mirror, half rounded, moulded frame and two beautifully scrolled, carved upright supports. The mirror stands on a serpentine shaped base with four splayed scrolled legs.

We also have an antique Victorian mahogany cheval mirror with arched tilting mirror and a beautiful flamed mahogany frame, scrolled upright supports and stands on a serpentine shaped base.

And my current favourite cheval mirror is our Victorian cheval mirror with a flamed mahogany frame and beautiful barley twist turned upright supports, stands on a serpentine shaped base and has four scrolled carved legs with castors.

So as you can see we always have a good selection of antique furniture for sale.

What are the different type of antique sideboards.

The antique sideboard first appeared as a dresser which appeared from the 17th century and this piece of antique furniture was very fashionable in dining rooms of the 18th and 19th centuries. This is a piece of antique furniture which has changes into many different forms over the centuries.

The earliest design of an antique sideboard was a decorative side table on which would be displayed silver, but after the 1770s new designs were produced with with twin pedestals. This type of antique sideboard was practical and decorative, usually you can see one pedestal that serves as a plate warmer and the other can be used as a led lined wine cellaret. These antique sideboards would usually have knife urns on top and in the centre opening a free standing wine cellaret. Some also came with shallow drawers or linen trays for storage of linen and napkins. There was sometimes small drawer or cupboard to store the chamber pot which the gentlemen would use to relieve themselves without having to leave the dining room, what a nice thing to look at whilst dining. Here is three antique sideboards we have for sale and this shows how they changed through the ages.

The first example is an antique Georgian oak dresser with plate racks, two cupboard doors with brass H hinges. It also has four central drawers flanked by a drawer above a cupboard with moulded panels and it stands on bracket feet. The next stage changes the dresser into a version of a sideboard called a chiffonier . we have for sale a William IV rosewood chiffonier with two cupboard doors with arched moulding and beautifully figured centre panels. The sides have beautifully scrolled carved corbels, pilasters and the piece stands on a plain plinth.

From the Victorian ere you get styles more like our antique Victorian pollard oak sideboard with an inverted breakfront top above a concealed drawer, shaped carved brackets and a panelled central back. Each pedestal has carved corbels and columns and the cupboard doors have moulded edges and central panels. One of the interiors has a deep drawer with original brass swan neck handle and celarette lining.

These are very useful pieces of antique furniture.

Antique Furniture terms – Know the Lingo

Here is a list of antique furniture terms used in the antique trade and I thought it would be interesting for you to know what all the different words mean.

acanthus

An acanthus is a leafy carved ornament on antique furniture from the Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian era.

Apron

An apron is at the bottom of cabinets, linen presses and bookcases.

Arcading

Arcading is a carved architectural ornament in the shape of arches. Can be seen on chair-backs and applied on panels on coffers and in some cupboard doors.

Astragal

Astragal is a small moulding used on glass for glazing bars and is called astragal glazing.

Armoire

An armoire is a wardrobe or tall cupboard.

Ash

Ash is a figured hardwood and was commonly used in the arts and crafts period.

Baize

Baize is a lining cloth usually in card tables and is usually green in colour.

Ball-and-Claw Foot

A Ball-and-Claw is a carved claw grasping a ball on the feet of some antique tables and chairs.

Banding

Banding is a decorative, inlaid border around a piece of furniture on the edges.

Baroque

Bead

Bead or beading is a moulding that is on antique furniture.

Beech

Beech is a wood with very little grain and was used for more less expensive furniture in the Edwardian period.

Bergere

Bergere is an antique armchair which is caned or upholstered.

Birch

Birch is a hardwood with a close grain and is a very strong wood.

Bevel

A bevel or bevelled edge is an edge that has been cut at a slant, can be seen on the edges of mirrors.

Biedermeier

Biedermier is a style of continental furniture produced in Austria and Germany during the Victorian period.

Birds eye maple

birds eye maple is a decorative wood from maple and has a striking grain which resembles small birds eyes.

Bombe

Bombe is a French term, meaning "blown out", describing a large outward swelling curve on the front of a piece of furniture, we have had a very nice antique bombe wardrobe in the past.

Bonheur-du-jour

A Bonheur-du-jour is a small, pretty lady’s writing desk

Bracket foot

A Bracket foot is used on a chest or a cabinet usually in the Georgian period. It is a straight corner edge and curved inner edges.

Breakfront

A breakfront is a piece with a front that steps forward.

Burl

Burl or Burr is a curly-grained veneered surface cut from irregular growths of the tree.

Bun foot

A bun foot is a foot that resembles a slightly flattened ball shape.

Bureau

An antique bureau is a desk with a sloping fall-front. The fall front is hinged above a chest of drawers.

Cabriole leg

A Cabriole leg is a leg with a curve and has a hoof, bun, paw, claw and ball or scrolled feet.

Camel back

A camel back is a chair or sofa back in the shape of a serpentine curve with two humps downward and three humps upward.

Candelabra

A Candelabra is a branched candlestick and can be found on dressing tales and some chests.

Caning

Caning is a form of wicker work for seats of chairs.

Canted

A canted surface is bevelled, chamfered usually on the corners of chest of drawers and are called canted corners.

Canterbury

A Canterbury is an ornamental stand having divisions for papers etc.

Carcase

A carcase is the term used for the body of a piece of furniture.

Carlton House Desk

The first Carlton House desk was made for George IV, then the Prince of Wales, living at Carlton House in London.

cartouche

A cartouche is usually oval in shape, and is an ornamental motif with curved or scrolling edges.

Cellaret

A cellaret is a portable cabinet for storing bottles, decanters and glasses.

Chaise lounge

A Chaise lounge is a long chair designed for relaxing and is usually upholstered.

Chesterfield

A chesterfield is an overstuffed upholstered sofa.

Chest-on-chest

A chest on chest is a chest of drawers on top of a chest of drawers.

Cheval mirror

An antique cheval mirror is a large tilting mirror, usually standing on the floor.

chiffonier

A chiffonier is a small sideboard from the regency or early Victorian periods.

Chippendale

Thomas Chippendale 1718-1779 was one of the greatest cabinet makers of the 18th-century in England.

Cock beading

Cock beading is small moulding, around the edges of drawers.

Commode

A commode is a low chest-of-drawers.

Console table

An antique console table is a small table that can be attached to the wall or is thin to be placed in a hall.

Corbel

A corbel is a carved bracket and can be seen on the corners of antique bookcases.

Cornice

A cornice is a moulding at the top of furniture like bookcases or antique wardrobes.

Credenza

A credenza is a sideboard and is usually very elaborate with a mirror back and can be seen in burr walnut.

Cross banding

Cross banding is thin strips of decorative veneer that are cross-grained.

Davenport desk

An antique davenport is a small writing desk.

Dentil Moulding

dentil moulding is the moulding under the cornice consisting of a series of small rectangular shaped blocks or teeth.

Dovetail

Dovetail is a joint used to construct drawers.

Drop-leaf

A drop leaf is a leaf which is hinged to the side of a table.

Dowel

A dowel is a wood pi, used for constructing earlier pieces of antique furniture.

Drum table

A drum table is a round table with drawers in the frieze.

Dumbwaiter

A dumb waiter is a serving table.

Ebony

Ebony is the name of wood that is black in colour,

Ebonizing

Ebonizing is the staining of wood to black.

Elm

Elm is a light wood with very nice grain.

Escutcheon

An escutcheon is a metal plate fitted around a keyhole and are usually in brass.

Fielded panel

A Fielded panel has bevelled edges, enclosing a flat central panel.

Finial

A finial is a turned knob usually on top of some bookcases.

French polish

French polish is a high gloss finish.

Gallery

A Gallery is an ornamental metal or wood railing around the edge of a piece of furniture.

Gadrooning

Gadrooning is a series of small vertical, diagonal or twisted carvings used around the edges of tables..

Georgian

The Georgian period is English furniture from 1714 to 1800.

Gillows

Gillows was a cabinet maker in England.

Hepplewhite

Hepplewhite is an English designer from the18th century.

Horse hair

Horse hair is hair cloth, used for covering of chairs and used for upholstery.

Inlay

Inlay is a form of decoration used on antique furniture, using thin layers of wood.

Kneehole desk

An antique kneehole desk is a desk with pedestals down either side and has a central opening for your knees.

Lowboy

A Lowboy is a Chest of drawers mounted on short legs.

Mahogany

Mahogany is a wood used in the Georgian and Victorian period

Maple

Maple is a light coloured wood.

Marquetry

Marquetry is several shaped pieces of wood used as a veneer on furniture to create decorative patterns.

Nest of tables

A nest of tables is a group of tables, that fits under each other.

Oak

Oak is a hardwood.

Occasional table

An antique occasional table is a small table.

Ottoman

An ottoman is a low, upholstered seat which has storage space inside.

Partner’s desk

antique partners desk is a desk with drawers on either side.

Patina

Patina is a term used to describe a mellow sheen formed over years of use.

Pedestal

A Pedestal is a term for an upright support usually under tables.

Pediment

A Pediment is usually above a cabinet and can have scrolls.

Pembroke table

A Pembroke table is a small table with drop sides.

Pilaster

A Pilaster is a flattened column on the sides of furniture.

Plinth

A Plinth is the low square base of a piece of furniture.

Reeded moulding

Reeding is moulding with straight lines.

Regency

Regency is the Period from 1810-1820.

Rosewood

Rosewood is a wood that is beautifully figured.

Satinwood

Satinwood is a pale wood.

Sarcophagus

A sarcophagus is a rectangular, coffin-shaped box.

Serpentine

Serpentine is a shaped like an s-curve

Shield back

A Shield back chair has the back in the shape of a shield

Sideboard

An antique sideboard is a large piece of dining-room furniture for storage.

Stretcher

A Stretcher is the rail at the bottom of chairs.

Stringing

Stringing is the term for decorative inlay in the form of fine lines.

Splat

A Splat is the flat central support on a chair’s back

Tallboy

A tallboy is a different word for an antique chest-on-chest.

Veneering

Veneering is the fixing of a thin layers of wood to the surface of a piece of furniture.

Zebrawood

Zebrawood is a wood with unusual stripes in the grain.

I hope this is helpful as these are very useful terms used in the descriptions of antique furniture.