Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

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.

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.

The history of Solid or Veneered furniture

antique furniture was made from either solid wood or from veneer over a carcass.

veneered antique furniture first appeared in the walnut period around 1680-1740, when the decorative effects were produced with walnut, olive, tulipwood etc. The veneers were hand cut and were very thick.

Veneering was a progression of good cabinet making as it improved and new tools became available. This led to decorating antique furniture by applying different types of wood veneers and also if you cut the wood into thin pieces from the tree in several ways giving different grain effects. Veneering was also a less expensive way of using woods, as solid wood became more expensive to buy, but veneering also allowed the cabinet maker to create more unusual effects from the different grains and figuring of the wood.
antique furniture that is veneered usually has a carcass made from a different wood like pine but some more expensive pieces of furniture were veneered onto a solid carcass to show different grain effects.

As cabinet making progressed in the Victorian period, more thin veneers came into use which saved them money but also gave them better ways of producing striking grained furniture like flamed mahogany.

Solid wood antique furniture is usually the better quality pieces and can be mainly seen in the earlier pieces like in the Georgian period but the late Victorians also built solid wood antique furniture called arts and crafts antique furniture.

Antique Georgian, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian Furniture.

Antique Georgian furniture is from 1714 – 1811 and comes in three different periods

George I, George II and George III

In George I period of antique furniture was similar to the Queen Anne period but with slight differences. Some of the differences were the replacement of walnut with mahogany as it was a very strong timber and was long lasting, it also gives a rich dark red colour and this was a very popular colour of the time.

In the later Georgian period Britain got wealthier and more middle class people wanted the better pieces of furniture. This produced some very good cabinet makers like Chippendale, Adam, Hepplewhite and Sheraton.

Antique regency furniture 1812 – 1830 was very fine looking with elegant small carvings (Like lion carved feet) and lots of pieces were in the neoclassical style. The cabinet makers got their inspiration from the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome. Regency furniture was elegant, plain, slender and beautiful. brass work was used with woods like rosewood and zebrawood, because they liked the striking use of colour in veneers and the furniture was always well constructed using quality timbers and beautifully finished.

Antique Victorian Furniture 1837 – 1901 was produced under the rain of Queen Victoria and the biggest influence was the comfort factor. middle class homes was in a boom therefore the demand for furniture was great. Victorian furniture was made from many older copied styles, and also the earlier pieces was constructed to look imposing, rounded, lots of ornament, carved decoration and curving with a high gloss French polished finish. Woods used was mainly mahogany, oak and rosewood.

Antique Edwardian Furniture 1901 – 1910 was more mass produced furniture but still good quality. They used many older styles and mahogany and oak was mainly used with some decorative inlays.

Whatever period you are looking for we stock them all from antique georgian, regency furniture, victorian furniture and edwardian furniture.

Hints and tips for buying antique furniture

Would you like to buy antique furniture but you do not know where to start, well here are a few hints and tips to help you get started. The main thing I would suggest is to firstly buy what you like the look of and what suits your lifestyle best. Buy useful pieces of furniture so not only will it look good but it can have a purpose and be used on a daily basis. Dependant on where you buy from always buy the very best you can afford but do not go direct to an antique shop in central London or you might be buying at an inflated price. Only buy antique furniture from reputable dealers with years of experience like us at Driscolls antiques as we have been established for many years and we only deal in quality antique furniture items. If you stick to these guidelines then your investment will continue to grow, not only in value but also in years of use.

Antique furniture covers lots of different styles, designs, periods and woods and if you are not sure the style or period you are looking for then contact us for advice.

I would always stick to buying English antique furniture as English cabinet makers were in my opinion the best and used very good quality timbers for construction.

There are lots of different types of woods used in antique furniture like mahogany, walnut, oak, pine and rosewood and the wood can significantly affect the value of a piece.

The handles, escutcheons and metal work on furniture along with the construction are also very important factors in determining value of furniture and also a main factor is the originality of a piece. If you buy from a reputable dealer do not be scared of asking if there are any alterations and he should talk you through the piece but we always do full descriptions on our website and describe alterations, repairs etc.

Try to buy pieces in the original finish and do not worry about old marks and small old repairs as this is to be expected in an old piece of furniture and it adds to the character, this is the beauty of antique furniture. Make sure the furniture comes with a nice patina (this builds up over many years)

Speak to us if you are unsure as we have lots of quality pieces of antique furniture for sale and we will gladly help you on your way towards your collection of quality antique furniture.

Antique furniture by Lambs of Manchester furniture makers

A very good antique furniture maker in the Victorian period was a firm called Lambs of Manchester. This antique furniture makers firm was run by a man called James Lamb and he was a Manchester cabinetmaker who started in the mid 1800s (mid Victorian times). He was born in 1816 and he joined the family business and eventually turned it into a very high class interior design, decorating and furnishing company. Lambs had a cabinet makers workshop in Castleford and their main gallery was in Manchester, with vast furniture showrooms over three floors showing their quality furniture for sale.

Unfortunately James Lamb died in 1903 but his name was well known for the best quality antique furniture and maker of high class British antique furniture.

lambs of Manchester is quality antique furniture and Driscolls antiques we have had many pieces by lambs of Manchester.

We have had a Victorian figured walnut triple wardrobe with makers stamp ‘Lambs of Manchester’. This antique wardrobe had four full length doors with arched moulding and the two outer doors are beautifully figured striking walnut.

We have also had an antique Victorian walnut coat stand by Lambs, Manchester. The piece had a swan neck pediment above a moulded cornice, a central mirror and beautiful carved plaques. It also had two umbrella stands with trays.

We have had an antique mahogany occasional table has been constructed by the renowned maker Lambs of Manchester and we also currently have for sale a pair of antique walnut chairs by Lambs.

So as you can see we do get quality pieces by lambs and if you are looking for a good investment for the future having the original makers label of such a good maker you will not be disappointed.

Holland and Sons Antique Furniture (1803 – 1942)

Holland and sons were extremely good antique furniture cabinet makers and if you buy antique furniture by these makers you know you are buying quality. Holland and sons was formed in 1803 by William Holland and by the middle of 1800s, Holland and sons was one of the main competition to the furniture makers Gillows.

Original they were cabinet makers and upholsterers called Taprelland Holland but by 1843 they changed to Holland and Sons.

In 1851 Holland and sons employed over 350 cabinet makers and in 1852 took on the prestigious firm of Thomas Dowbiggin who had previously made the state throne for Victoria’s Coronation.

Holland and Sons worked successfully as undertakers and became responsible for the Duke of Wellington’s funeral.

Holland and sons became cabinetmakers and upholsters to the Queen and their first commission was for Osborne House in 1845. They then went on to supply furniture for Windsor Castle, Balmoral and Marlborough House. Holland and sons also worked for many famous buildings such as the reform Club, the British Museum, the Royal Academy and the Houses of Parliament.

The firm stayed as a family run business until it closed in 1942.

Driscolls antiques do get pieces by Holland and sons and in the past have had many pieces like a Victorian oak antique library bookcase that is stamped Holland & Sons. The antique bookcase has three glazed doors with moulded edges and the lower section has three cupboard doors with beautiful carved panels. We have also had an antique burr walnut what not by Holland and Sons. The top has a brass gallery above rectangular moulded top with satinwood banding and it stands on beautiful turned supports and four brass cup castors.

If you are interested in buying antique furniture by Holland and sons please email us and we will let you know when we get more pieces in stock.

Who wants to buy antique furniture at auction?

Who wants to buy antique furniture at auction? Well if you look at all the negatives from buying at auctions it might make you think twice. If you are looking to buy antique furniture one of the biggest mistakes some people make is when they have been buying it in an auction house, because they do not realise when you buy in auction you have no come back. Basically because it is not through a retail premises you do not have the consumer guarantee you would get from a shop and also the buying premiums are going through the roof at the moment, as the yearly premium hike is due in most auction houses.

When you buy at auction there is no guarantee that the piece is genuine as they do not have to put a full description of the piece whereas because we are LAPADA members we fully disclose any restoration, its age and authenticity.

The buyers premiums are constantly rising and now in most cases with insurance etc. Premiums add an extra 25 % to the purchase price and this makes a huge difference to the price you thought you paid.

Some people also can very easily get carried away and bid far more than the value of the antiques should be.

Once you have bought your piece of antique furniture from an auction, you then have to arrange to have it collected and delivered to your home and this can be very costly and a pain to arrange.

Also the cost of restoration on antique furniture can be very expensive whereas our items have already been fully restored.

At Driscolls antiques we fully describe all of our items and give detailed photographs on our online website and we only deal in quality antique furniture.

We do not charge any buyers premium so the ticket price on our website is exactly what you pay with no hidden surprises.

Our antique furniture is cleaned and restored only using traditional methods of restoration and we also deliver anywhere in England with a two man assembled delivery service.

So before buying antique furniture or antique desks from auction think of the hidden costs and hassle and instead why not look on our antique furniture web site as we always have hundreds of pieces of antique furniture for sale.

Small Antique Rosewood Furniture

On occasion we get some very unusual and very interesting small rosewood pieces of antique furniture. Antique rosewood furniture is usually very delicate looking and was rosewood widely used in the regency and William 1V periods.

We have two very interesting pieces of rosewood antique furniture for sale and the first is a beautiful antique Regency rosewood teapoy. This is a very unusual item and was designed to store tea. It has a sarcophagus shaped lift up lid and the interior has four lidded compartments and two bowl sections for the tea. The piece stands on a beautifully shaped pedestal with a quadriform base and beautiful small turned reeded feet with brass castors.

The other rosewood piece is an antique William IV rosewood workbox that was used for all your sewing needs. This antique workbox has a square beautifully grianed figured top above a drawer with turned knob. The antique workbox has an unusual upholstered shaped base and a pull out side drawer with compartments. The workbox stands on a moulded pedestal with acanthus leaf corbels and a quadriform base with small castors.

This week we also have a very nice antique rosewood chiffonier coming up for sale so please keep an eye on our website for details.

Antique Furniture in the Arts and Crafts Design

Arts and crafts antique furniture varied massively as there were many different types of arts and crafts furniture designers and makers. The thing they all had in common was they all had the same philosophy and that was to build using quality solid timbers, use traditional methods of joinery and they were against the idea of mass production of furniture. They did however have similarities of decoration and technique in construction. They liked to use traditional methods of construction and craftsmanship and this was promoted through a system of Guilds formed of associated craftsmen. The antique furniture designers who became members were mainly architecturally trained and they mainly designed and built furniture for special commission pieces or for a limited amount of pieces of furniture but these would be quite costly to produce and sell. There hand made antique furniture was expensive, and therefore mainly did not sell to the lower class but mainly the middle class person.

Arts and craft antique furniture is very solid built and made usually from solid quality woods. It is also very reasonable to buy for example we have an antique Victorian ash Arts & Crafts antique dressing table. It has the famous makers label Gillows of Lancaster and it is only priced at £695 so for a quality piece of antique furniture buy a very good maker this is a bargain.