Driscolls Antiques – Antique Furniture Blog

The history of Antique dining chairs

Antique dining chairs along with antique dining tables are one of the most useful and wanted pieces of antique furniture. In very early periods only the head would have had a chair and every one else would have had to sit on a bench or stools.  During the 17^th century antique dining chairs were starting to be produced with upholstered seats making them much more comfortable and popular. As time went on, chairs were used for dining and social events. From the mid 18^th century furniture makers started designing there own style of dining chair. Some of the well known makers were Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton and there designs are still production today. Chairs were usually made in sets of twelve but over the years most sets got split between family members, that is why there are so many sets of six today. Similar sets of chairs put together (not 100% matching) are called harlequin sets of chairs.

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The history of Antique Coffers and Mule Chests

An antique coffer is usually a plain, simple box constructed from planks of oak and has a hinged lid. Most coffers were constructed pre 1700s and were of pegged construction or old clout nails were used. They are very simply made but very strong and well made. Coffers were used for storing good, transporting goods and also used as a seat or side table. Most coffers are made from oak and have very simple carved decoration.

Domed topped coffers or ark coffers have a dome shaped lid which can be removed and reversed for kneading dough.

an antique mule chest is basically coffers with drawers below.

Today coffers and mule chests are mainly used as a bedding box or linen chest but they do look superb anywhere in the home. Driscolls antiques always have a large stock of period oak furniture.

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Antique furniture is eco friendly furniture

Today we should be looking for items that are environmentally friendly and antique furniture is one of the things to look out for as it is basically recycled furniture with style.

Antique furniture is over 100 years old, it is constructed from quality timbers, has charm and character and most importantly no new trees have to be cut down to make the piece. With new furniture trees have to be cut down for the materials to make them, which in turn cause a reduction in oxygen and a huge increase in CO2.

With antique furniture you save on the tree reduction, you are buying an investment and you are buying quality which you do not get today.

At driscolls antiques all our items are antique and have been beautifully cleaned and restored to a high standard, so if you are worried about the effects of the ozone and the tree reduction, why not have a look on our website and see if you can find a beautiful piece of furniture.

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Lambs of Manchester Furniture

Antique furniture by the furniture makers Lambs of Manchester was run by James Lamb. He was a Manchester cabinetmaker who started in the second half of the 1800s. James Lamb was born in 1816, he joined the family business and turned it into a high class interior design, decorating and furnishing firm. The firm had a workshop in Castleford and their main gallery in John Dalton street, Manchester, with showrooms over three floors.

The firm was to go onto international success winning medals at the London 1862 Exhibition and the Paris 1867 Exhibition.

James Lamb died in 1903, his obituary appeared in The Journal of Decorative Art and British Decorators where it stated that:

His name was a synonym for the best in everything that he did from 1850 – 1885, and he towered over everybody in Lancashire and Yorkshire as maker of high class furniture. His name for 50years stood as a landmark for all that was best in both spheres of industrial art.

They employed famous designers of the calibre of Charles Bevan, Bruce Talbert and W.J Estall and were especially well known for there arts and crafts furniture.

You know you are buying quality furniture when you buy antique furniture by the furniture makers lambs of manchester.

Here at driscolls antiques we have had many pieces by lambs of manchester some pieces include a an oak arts and crafts antique coffee table, mahogany bookcases, a burr walnut credenza and a large antique extending dining table. why not visit our web site and see what we have in stock by these quality furniture makers.

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Holland and Sons Furniture (1803 – 1942)

Antique furniture by the furniture makers Holland and Sons is a sign of quality. The English furniture making firm was founded in 1803 by William Holland and by the middle of the 19^th century, one of the main rivals to the furniture makers Gillows and one of the greatest English furniture producers.

They started as the cabinet makers and upholsterers called Taprell and Holland, by 1843 they changed there name to Holland and Sons with William Holland, a relative of the Regency architect Henry Holland.

In 1851 the firm employed over 350 men and in 1852 it incorporated the prestigious firm of Thomas Dowbiggin (1788-1854) of 23 Mount street and took over its Mount Street premises in London. The firm Thomas Dowbiggin had made the state throne for Victoria’s Coronation

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

Under William Holland the firm became cabinetmakers and upholsters to the Queen, their first commission was for Osborne House in 1845, supplying furniture in the Queen’s favored Louis XVI style. They continued to supply furniture for Osborne and gained further commissions for Windsor Castle, Balmoral and Marlborough House. Holland and sons also worked for many leading institutions including the reform Club, the British Museum, Athenaeum Clubs and the Royal Academy. Along with Gillows they shared the commission for the new Houses of Parliament. They were part of many of the important international Exhibitions including London in 1862, Vienna in 1873 and Paris in 1867 and 1872.

The firm remained under family control until it closed in 1942.

You know you are buying quality when you buy Antique furniture by the furniture makers Holland and Sons.

Here at driscolls antiques we have had many pieces by holland and sons some pieces include a painted bedroom suite, side tables and a very unusual holland and sons antique library bookcase. why not visit our web site and see what we have in stock by these quality furniture makers.

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Why Buy Antique Furniture At Auction ?

When people are looking to buy antique furniture sometimes they make the mistake of buying it in an auction house. What they do not realise is that when you buy in auction you have no come back and the buying premiums are going through the roof.

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.

The buyers premiums are constantly rising and now in most cases with insurance etc. Premiums add an extra 25 % to the purchase price.

Some people get carried away and bid far more than the value of the goods should be.

Once you have bought the item you then have to arrange to have it collected and delivered to your home.

Also you have to think about restoration costs, these can be extremely expensive.

At driscolls antiques we fully describe all of our items and give detailed photographs.

We only deal in quality antiques.

We charge no buyers premium so what the ticket price says is what you pay.

All our items are cleaned and restored using traditional methods of restoration.

We can arrange a delivery service anywhere in the world and a two man assembled delivery service in the U.K.

So when you are next thinking of buying some antique furniture please look on our web site first or email us with any requirements as we will always try to help in any way.

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How to care for your antique furniture

What is the best way to look after your antique furniture and how much restoration should I do ?

The patina on the surface of antique furniture builds up over many years and even with old marks and damage, it is part of the character and value of a piece of furniture and should be preserved. Try not to strip the old finish away, instead try to revive it using restoration products.

Before waxing if the piece is dull and lifeless you can use a polish reviver which will gently clean the surface. Waxing antique furniture with a good quality natural beeswax (not spray polishes as over time this builds up a bad finish), brings out the colour and grain of the wood and provides protection. We recommend a good quality furniture wax like fiddes wax. Put a small amount of polish on a soft cloth and rub the piece until the wax on the cloth shines which will burnish the surface and evaporate any solvent. Then polish with a clean duster. Try to apply the wax at night to allow it to nourish the wood and polish the following day but make sure there are no smears in the wax as this makes it harder to buff the next day. If the wood has become very dry, the wax will soak in rapidly and should be applied several times until a good patina has developed. Normally wax polish need not be used more than once every few months as too much wax will cause dullness and absorb dust. However, frequent dusting is important using a clean, dry, soft duster. This will encourage a hard skin to form which enhances the patina. If you have minor scratches you can use rustins scratch cover and this can also be used as a polish.

Brass mounts and handles should not be polished with metal cleaners which can harm the wood around them and remove any water gilding. It is best to leave the brass the nice aged look.

The gold finish on ormolu (gilded or gilding ) is very delicate and should not be polished. It should be handled as little as possible, as the acid in fingertips can damage gilding and it breaks very easily, but it can be dusted gently with a soft brush. Upholstery should be vacuumed regularly to guard against a build-up of dust and pests and on some fabrics you can use a protective spray but always test a small area first..

Sunlight and humidity as well as central heating and pollutants in the air can affect organic materials like wood, fabric and leather. The heat can shrink wood and the light can cause fading. Therefore it pays to give a little thought to the environment in which furniture is kept and to examine it from time to time to check for damage and always try to nourish the wood with antique furniture wax.

Do not to keep fine furniture in strong sunlight which will fade its colour. Roller sun blinds cut out rays of the sun without darkening a room and it can help to use waxes with a tint of coulour.

Restoration

Honest and sympathetic restoration is quite acceptable for antique furniture. We would recommend the use of a good antique furniture wax to clean the surface. If the piece needs to be fully restored, it should only be done by reputable professional restorers who will use the correct traditional materials. Chipped or lifted veneers should be professionally repaired quickly as it is very easy to loose and then harder to find matching veneers. Only water-soluble wood glue should be used for minor repairs undertaken at home like a PVA wood glue. Small chips of wood, veneer etc. can be held in place with masking tape (not sellotape) while glue is setting or prior to professional restoration. Drawers and doors which stick can be eased by rubbing candle wax on the surface or sides. Dry, cracked leather on desk-tops can be revitalised with a lanolin and beeswax preparation after spot-testing a small area to ensure it does not stain. Fiddes wax can also be used but always test a small area first.

Moving and Handling

Antique furniture should be treated with care and respect. Never tilt back on a chair as this loosens joints, never open a drawer using only one of two handles or drag furniture rather than lift it as this will cause unwanted damage. Do not lift a table from the top surface but from the lowest part of the main frame to stop the top coming away from the base. Chairs should be picked up from under the seat and never the top rails.

With any purchase from driscolls antiques ltd we send a two man fully insured professional delivery team who will carefully handle and assemble your goods.

So to sum up be mindful of the area you put your antique furniture, do not over restore items, instead try to keep your antique furniture as original as possible.

If you would like to view quality antique furniture why not visit driscolls antiques.

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Driscolls Antiques – a Different Approach

A LAPADA member on a trading estate? The new way of trading in quality antiques.

Driscolls Antiques is located on a large recently built trading and industrial estate near Clitheroe in East Lancashire. Passing trade isn’t guaranteed – the road on which the estate is located is one of several that connect Clitheroe with the A59 trunk road. Some visitors arrive via the nearby Clitheroe Auction Mart, useful, but hardly Kensington Church Street traffic for a LAPADA member. What’s going on?

Brief history

Driscolls Antiques, now almost entirely furniture and internet based, it was started around thirty years ago in Todmorden – a small Yorkshire market town on the Lancashire border. James Driscoll took over his family’s business in the late Nineties. James, a furniture restorer and French polisher by trade, soon took the ambitious view that it was possible to focus on higher-end antique furniture while increasing turnover at the same time. Both quality and quantity, rather than one or the other.

James identified the four key factors as being greater show space and exposure, lower overheads and Internet trading. So in 2002 he took a unit on an industrial estate in nearby Hebden Bridge and went online. Another milestone was passed in 2004 when Driscolls joined LAPADA, the prestigious art and antiques dealers’ association. That was the third of four key factors – but what about turnover?

Today

Driscolls’ success has been their ability to do what so many other dealers have done with smaller antiques and collectibles, but few with furniture. By 2007 turnover had increased to such an extent that Driscolls took on a 6500 square feet unit in Clitheroe. Apart from the vast display area, it gives them space for a small photographic studio area, shipment consolidation, a workshop and storage. Time and money is saved by employing four restorers on-site and in-house. Driscolls takes responsibility for its own deliveries anywhere in the U.K to ensure goods arrive safely and are assembled onsite.

Internet-generated enquiries and sales remain strong. Customers in the know are prepared to make quite a journey to LAPADA members. So the absence of a Kensington, Chester or Harrogate shop front is balanced by lower overheads, on-site resources and sheer volume of displays. All of the stock is displayed online, with prices and a money back guarantee is in place for direct orders over the internet

If you do decide to view items at there antique furniture warehouse you will see a large array of antique tables , antiques chairs , antique bookcases and antique wardrobes all of very good quality and beautifully restored.

Driscolls Antiques is still a family business, with his wife (Rebecca) and mother-in-law Barbara (Heywood) doing much of the admin while father-in-law Michael is one of the four in-house restorers. You can visit them in person at Unit 2, Deanfield Way, Link 59 Business Park, Clitheroe BB7 1QU (Mon-Sat 10-5).. Their regularly updated website, with all prices online, is www.driscollsantiques.co.uk and their telephone number 0845 241 5515.

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Welcome to Driscoll’s Antiques. We specialize in high quality British antique furniture and unique antique collectable’s which we clean and restore using traditional methods of restoration. We are a small family business which has been established over 25 years. My father started the business, which I now run. We started in the small rural town called Todmorden then to a small warehouse in Mytholmroyd. Now we have moved into our new 6500 sq foot antique furniture showroom in Clitheroe, Lancashire. We will be situated on the A59 which is easily located from the M1 and M6 ( from London ) and more convenient for all our customers in Harrogate, York, Preston and North Yorkshire.

We welcome enquiries from dealers, collectors or anyone who appreciates fine quality antique furniture. So please browse and do not hesitate to contact me on my email or phone number, as your business is always welcome.

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