About Antique English Furniture

The styles of antique English furniture are identified by the name of the reigning monarch of the time. While the different styles did have some of the same features, the one part that was different was the legs and they are the way to quickly identify the exact period. Each period kept a bit of the one before it and added a feature of its own.

Time Frame

Tudor from Elizabeth I to James I, 1558 to 1603, the Jacobean period from the rule of James I to Oliver Cromwell, 1603 to 1649, the Cromwellian from 1643 to 1649. The Carolean period, the time of Charles II through James II, 1660 to 1689. William and Mary, 1698 to 1702, Queen Anne 1702 to 1714, Early Georgian 1714 to 1740, Mid Georgian 1740 to 1770, Later Georgian 1770 to 1810, Regency 1800 to 1820, William IV 1820 to 1840. .

Features

The Tudor period used oak woods, had intricate carving and inlays of expensive wood. The Jacobean period used oak and walnut, Cromwell style used oak and walnut accented with inlays of mother-of-pearl, bone or ivory. The Carolean period used mostly walnut. Veneers came into prominence as did marquetry (small pieces of colored wood) inlays, lacquer and silver. The William and Mary period had a Dutch influence. The Queen Anne style featured walnut and walnut veneers as well as lacquer and silk and needlework upholstery.
Early Georgian featured gilded pieces and marble table tops. Mid Georgian was the time of Thomas Chippendale, who used imported woods such as mahogany and Virginia red walnut. The Later Georgian period included three major designers: the Adam brothers, Hepplewhite and Sheraton. The Adam brothers were influenced by Greek and Roman works of art. Their carvings featured honeysuckle, ram's heads and feet and husks. George Hepplewhite's chair backs featured heart or shield shapes. Thomas Sheraton had inlays of an oval shell made of satinwood and had intricate shading.
The Regency Period pieces could have the Greek and Roman gods, lyres and lion's paw foot, Egyptian features like sphinxes, columns and crocodiles, or Chinese patterns and colors with brass inlays and gild bronze. William IV style is very similar to the Regency, but it's much heavier and can actually look clumsy.

Identification

Tudor furniture can be identified by legs that have knobs on the top, middle and bottom. Jacobean had very simple, straight legs. The Cromwell period had decorative columns on the front. The Carolean period had tall chairs decorated with cherubs and the seat and back were caned. During the William and Mary period, the legs had knees and were decorated with carvings of shells. Chippendale can be identified by the ball and claw foot. Hepplewhite's pieces were done on a small scale. Sheraton's furniture was slender and tall with turned legs. Regency legs started out being shaped like a saber, but in the late period, they were straight. William IV style had tapered and carved legs.

Considerations

Genuine antique furniture can be identified by the way it's put together. Joints in the drawers of the earlier periods did not have nails. They were notched and held in place by wooden dowels. The handmade nails of the later periods are obviously irregular in appearance.

Warning

Modern furniture polish can be harmful to old wood, which can reduce the value of an antique. Dust with a soft cloth and use paste wax to preserve the finish.

Resources

• How to Care for Antique Furniture
• English Furniture Styles