Antique Vintage Furniture Guide

A Victorian era antique chair with floral pattern upholstery

Antique furniture is furniture that is at least 100 years old. Furniture that was made in England by Chippendale is highly collectible, and American furniture imitated the style of Chippendale up until the colonial and Victorian era of furniture making.

European

Chippendale furniture was made from walnut, and is well known for their elegant, scrolled table and chair legs and footed bottoms. There is also a distinctive shell shape design on the tops of the chairs. The furniture was different from early European pieces, which was made from heavy and dark oak wood, and more Gothic in style.

Colonial

Colonial furniture was made during the time of the Revolutionary War and produced up until the Victorian era. Colonial furniture imitated European furniture but was more utilitarian in use. Darker woods were replaced by lighter woods such as pine and walnut, and the furniture was made for comfort.

Victorian

Victorian era furniture imitated Chippendale in both design and elegance. Furniture was made with distinctive clawed-foot bottoms, with tables or chairs with scrolled shapes to the legs. The seat or sofa upholstery was generally a floral pattern made from fine silks.

References

• The Antiques Almanac: Chippendale: The Royalty of Antique Furniture