Posts Tagged ‘antique drop-leaf table carved legs’

MID 19TH CENTURY TABLES

AN ABUNDANCE OF table types, each
designed for a specific use, was made in the mid 19th century Many of these were suited to popular pastimes of the period, such as playing cards. The general trend was for smaller, more portable tables in greater numbers.
TABLES FOR EVERY PURPOSE Pier tables, originally used as early as the 16th century, became popular again as householders sought to fill their homes with more furniture than ever before. The card table was another popular addition to many homes; unobtrusive when not in use, when required for playing cards, the top of the table was opened to reveal a baize-lined playing surface. The worktable, designed to store needlework accoutrements or writing utensils, frequently incorporated a hanging bag as was previously the fashion. Despite the introduction of gas and oil lighting,
Scrolling brasswork is inlaid on a red tortoiseshell ground.
the torchere remained a very popular fixture on which to stand candlesticks.
A MIXTURE OF STYLES
Tables of all kinds were produced in a wide range of historical and cultural styles. Tables in the Rococo style were covered with extravagant –C” and “S” scrolls and rested on cabriole legs, whereas fluted, tapering legs were found on Classical- or Renaissance style tables. A softening and rounding of contours was expressed in the West by the use of serpentine shapes and undulating mouldings, but Oriental forms remained steadfastly rectilinear.
French and Italian console tables often had marble tops, a fashion
that was exported to many countries, especially Britain and the United States. Centre and side tables often had tripod legs. Such tables frequently featured foldaway tops so that they could be put away easily when not in use.
Each cabriole leg features a gilt bronze mount at its head.
The serpentine platform base has a red tortoiseshell ground.
Acanthus and scroll mounts Bun feet support the
decorate the base of each leg. shaped undertier.
FRENCH CONSOLE TABLE
This Louis XV-style boullework and ebonized serpentine console table is decorated with gilt-metal mounts, which are similar to the earlier Regence style in appearance. All the surfaces of the table are inlaid with scrolling brasswork
on a red tortoiseshell ground. The table top has a shaped apron and is supported on cabriole legs headed by putti and acanthus leaves. The legs are joined by a shaped undertier, below which are bun feet. The table probably had an elaborate mirror in similar style above it originally. c.1860.
CONSOLE TABLES
This pair of Louis XVI console tables is possibly Italian. Each one is gilded and has a shaped, mottled brown-black a-id white marble top with canted corners and coved sides set above a similarly shaped base. The bowed front of each table is decorated with a frieze hung with leafy
swags on either side of a Classical figural medallion. Each table is supported on Neoclassical-style fluted, tapering legs carved with leaves and drapery. The tables were probably designed to stand in piers – the spaces between two windows – possibly with matching gilded mirrors hung immediately above them.
CHINESE LOW TABLE
This rectangular low table is made of huanghuali wood (rosewood). It has a cleated top, which is positioned above an ornate frieze carved with stylized scroll motifs. The table top is supported on straight legs with angular, scroll-carved terminals. 1880.
CHINESE SIDE TABLE
This beech wood side table originates from the Shuzhou province. It has a rectangular top positioned above three drawers and an apron carved with simple roundels. The table top is raised on square-section legs, with carved bracket supports and terminates in spade feet. The back of the table is left undecorated as the piece is designed to stand against a wall. c.1850.
ENGLISH JARDINIERE
This Victorian amboyna and ebony jardiniere is rectangular in form with rounded ends. The top lifts off to reveal a well for plants. The table top has metal-beaded borders and simulated ivory inlay, with a moulded edge above a frieze set with green jasper type round plaques with Classical figures. The case is supported on fluted, turned, tapering legs with ceramic casters joined by a shaped cross-stretcher centred with a turned finial. 1860.
AMERICAN PIER TABLE
This is one of a pair of Classical, marble-top pier tables. It has a rectangular, ogee-moulded top on a conforming apron above scrolled supports, which are painted with acanthus leaves and ornamented with applied giltwood gadrooning. The
rectangular base has a sloping, gadrooned skirt with a mirror back. It sits on claw feet. Late 19th century.
BRITISH TRIPOD TABLE
The marquetry-decorated circular top of this tripod table has a carved, moulded edge and is raised on a fluted, turned, and carved stem supported on three acanthus decorated legs with scroll toes and original brass casters.
BRITISH TEAPOY
The moulded-edge, hinged lid of this early Victorian rosewood teapot’ has canted corners over a deep, ogee-moulded frieze, and is raised on a baluster upright, with a spiral-turned knop, on double C-scroll supports with brass casters.
ENGLISH WORKTABLE
This Sheraton-revival, painted satinwood worktable has an oval, hinged top decorated with putti, flowers, ribbons, and bows above a drawer on turned, tapering legs, which are joined by a cross-stretcher. 1900.
GERMAN TRIPOD TABLE
This carved walnut and inlaid tripod table is from the Black Forest. The shaped oval top is inlaid with oval panels of stags and is raised on a turned column support, ending in three foliate carved cabriole legs. c.1860.
ITALIAN TORCHERE
This elegant, carved, walnut torch&e stand is one of a pair crafted in Renaissance-revival style. It has a shaped square top resting on a columnar carved support in the shape of a winged caryatid. The torch6re is raised on a carved, scrolling tripod base. 1880. S1 3
This is one of a pair of Venetian torcheres, which were painted some years after they were originally made. The scrolling support of this one incorporates a male Blackamoor torso and is raised on a white overpainted and gilt tripod base.
MONGOLIAN TABLE
This low, Asian-style table is made from wood decorated with polychrome. It has a brightly decorated rectangular top above a moulded and carved apron and two carved end flaps. The table top is supported on four
circular-section legs, which are joined by a straight central stretcher. The table is decorated with a broad geometric border and 18th-century designs. Originally, this piece would probably have been used as a dining or occasional table. Mid 19th century.

Easy chairs before 1840
As the Baroque movement swept through Europe during the late 17th century, the design of seat furniture became increasingly luxurious, elaborate, and more importantly comfortable. Caned and leather chairs, which until this time had sufficed, were largely abandoned in favour of richly upholstered easy chairs as stiff upright backs were discarded and were replaced by sloped and subsequently shaped backs. The number of types of chairs also increased enourmously.
ITALY AND FRANCE
It was in Italy, particularly in Venice, Florence, and Rome, during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, that the Baroque style found its clearest expression. The most elaborate open armchairs of this period are usually of either boxwood or giltwood. They are carved with scrolling acanthus, espagnolette masks, and even mythological figures emblematic of the four seasons. Some Venetian examples feature seahorses in deference to the city’s seafaring tradition. Such pieces were usually the work of trained sculptors who had turned their hand to furniture-making; the most celebrated of these was undoubtedly Andreas Brustolon (1662-1732).
In France, under the influence of Cardinal Mazarin, the court of Louis XIV (1643-1715) became increasingly hungry for foreign luxuries and fashions, especially those from Italy. In the mid-17th century French easy chairs became increasingly comfortable and elaborate, owing to their generous proportions, richly turned decoration, and lavish use of velvet upholstery from Genoa or Utrecht.
The Regence period (1715-23) saw significant developments in the design of seat furniture. Although the menuisiers (joiners) were slow to abandon the traditional Louis XIV fauteuil (armchair) form, they were increasingly lavish in their carving. Chairs were decorated with gadroons, shells, and rosettes, and even richly upholstered in velvet or lavish textiles made at the Savonnerie in Paris (est. 1604 in the Louvre for the production of textiles; from 1627 at the Savonnerie). The stretcher became more sinuous, and was abandoned by the 1720s. Further changes in form and design were
dictated by the fashion for wearing hooped dresses, introduced c.1720, which resulted in the arms of easy chairs being set back by a quarter of the length of the side-rail. The introduction of upholstery it    allowed the loose covering to be changed according to the season.
Under Louis XV (1715-74) the fashion
for placing chairs around the sides of the room was abandoned in favour of a more relaxed arrangement that encouraged intimate conversation and gave birth to the fauteuil en cabriolet, with its Rococo form and exuberant carving in the round. Louis XV seat furniture is usually made of either walnut or beech, the latter wood
always either gilded or painted; a
pegged construction was used, and pieces are very often stamped by the menuisier responsible, in accordance with the strict rules of the furniture-
makers’ guild (Corporation des Menuisiers-Ebenistes). During the 1730s numerous styles of informal easy chair emerged, all of them richly carved. The most luxurious was the bergere, which was popular throughout the 18th century and characterized by its deep seat, padded back and sides, and squab cushion. Widely copied throughout Europe, it was to prove inspirational to chair-makers during the Regency period (c.1790-1830) in Britain, and was also much copied in the late 19th and
20th centuries.
BRITAIN AND NORTH AMERICA
The earliest-recorded wing armchairs, known as bergere en confessionnal because the identity of the sitter was hidden by the side wings, are French examples from the early 1670s. Invariably of walnut, this form was rapidly adopted in Britain. The wing armchairs made during the late 17th and very early 18th centuries were usually of walnut or, in more provincial examples, of beech stained to simulate walnut. These armchairs are characterized by the exaggerated scroll of the arms, the high, slanted back flanked by high wings, and the stylized carving of scrolls and foliage on the legs and stretchers.
The most celebrated form of wing armchair was made from the early 18th century until c.1750. Examples are usually of walnut, and are
supported on cabriole legs, which, unlike their 17th-century prototypes, are rarely joined by stretchers. Wing armchairs made in Britain during the reigns of Queen Anne and George I are often carved with trailed husks and scallop shells on the top of the knees and stand on pad feet, although some later examples have hoof or claw-and-ball feet. The most refined wing armchairs of this period were upholstered in gros and petit point needlework, often with figures on the back (but never on the seat) within a flower-strewn border.
Wing armchairs continued to be made throughout the 18th century in mahogany, and were widely copied in walnut in the 19th and 20th centuries. North American early 18th-century wing chairs were generally of walnut or maple, with a high arched crest, and block and vase turned legs joined by a stretcher. During the 1720s short cabriole legs with “Spanish” feet, were used and front stretchers were eliminated. From the mid-18th century mahogany was used. Stretchers continued to be used in New England, while easy chairs made in Philadelphia generally did not have them. In 1760 the serpentine crest design was introduced, modifying the verticality, and it was used along with the rounded profile until the 1780s. Between 1780 and 1800 American chair-makers used George Hepplewhite’s design for a “Saddle Check Chair”, an easy chair with serpentine contoured wings, straight legs, and “H” stretchers, a chair design also associated with Thomas Chippendale (1718-79). There are regional differences in construction and upholstery. Maple was often used for the one-piece rear legs and stiles in New England chairs, stained to match the mahogany of the front legs.

A Library bergere or “Uxbridge” chair
This British armchair is of a style introduced in the early I8th century for use in the library. It has a cane-filled back and sides, and leather-covered cushions, the best examples have reeled or fluted front legs (early 19th century; ht 1.2ml3ft 1 lin; value 1)
Other types of late 18th-century easy chair were based on designs in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book (1791-1802) by Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806) including “conversation” chairs, with deep upholstered seats and padded toprails on which the sitter, facing backward, could rest his or her arms. In Sheraton’s The Cabinet Dictionary (1803) there is a reference to a “curricle” chair, so-called after a tub-shaped carriage, which was popular in libraries at the time. About 1810 to 1820 bergere-type armchairs with deep, upholstered or leather seats and backs, and cane or upholstered sides, were also widely used in libraries.
SCANDINAVIA
Trade between England and Scandinavia was well established by  the mid-17th century, and some English furniture had been exported to Scandinavia by the end of the century. Craftsmen in these countries produced good copies of English furniture; the joiners (although not the cabinet-makers) were very conservative, with the result that early 18th-century styles continued to be produced until c.1800. Around this time, too, mahogany was introduced; before this, walnut was used for expensive pieces. More commonly employed, however, were native light-coloured woods such as birch, ash, and pine; these were left bare, stained, or painted in colours.
By the late 1730s French designs had become increasingly popular at the Swedish and Danish courts and also with the upper classes in these countries; the middle classes did not generally adopt the new fashions until the end of the century. French styles were particularly influential in Sweden, and from the Rococo period court architects were trained in Paris. One of the most influential Swedish designers of the period was Jean Eric Rehn (1717-93). Danish court architects learned their trade in Germany, but this situation changed after the reign of Louis XVI, when both countries adopted the French Neo-
classical style. In Sweden the cabinetmaker Georg Haupt (1741-84), who had trained in both Paris and London is well known for his work in the Louis XVI style. This style developed into the Neo-classical Gustavian style during the I 770S.

AMERICAN “CHIPPENDALE”
The carvers of the most elaborate American Rococo furniture were immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland, who had served their apprenticeship in London before going to North America. The first of them arrived in the 1740s, but the great wave of craftsmen tsmen was in the 1760s. Philadelphia was the city most hospitable to immigrants, and more Rococo furniture was produced there than in other colonies. The major cities in America developed distinctive furniture styles, due to the taste of the gentry, the mix of native born and immigrant craftsmen, and the availability of imported
furniture and English pattern books. It is known that there were copies of Chippendale’s Director in Philadelphia. The Library Company of Philadelphia acquired a copy between 1764 and 1769, and two cabinet-makers Thomas Affleck (1740-95) and Benjamin Randolph, owned copies. In America furniture was mostly made of solid pieces of primary wood, rather than veneers over a seconday wood carcase as in England.

RUSSIA
Throughout the 18th century Russian furniture was inspired by French and to a lesser degree English designs; by c.1815 German influence is also apparent. Generally the timbers used for Russian furniture were indigenous; during the early 18th century, when designs were dictated by early Georgian furniture from Britain, they included oak, beech, and walnut. By the 1720s Russian armchairs had tall curved backs with a vase splat and cabriole legs. By the mid-18th century, the taste for Rococo and Chinese ornament had spread to Russia due to the publication of such influential pattern-books as The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1754-62) by the English cabinet-maker Thomas Chippendale (1718-79). English-style chairs with pierced splats and sweeping cabriole legs with claw-and-ball feet, usually made in mahogany, were increasingly popular.
However, from the beginning of the 19th century the clearest influence on Russian furniture manufacture was that of France. Particularly favoured was the Empire style of the cabinet-maker Georges Jacob (1739-1814), who was based in Paris. About this time, light-coloured woods also became popular, anticipating the Biedermeier style in Germany and Scandinavia. From c.1815 chairs were executed in indigenous woods such as Karelian birch, maple, and poplar, decorated with restrained stringing.
HALL CHAIRS
Hall chairs (and also hall benches) were introduced in Britain from the late 17th century. They may have been inspired by similar chairs known as sgabelli, which were popular in the great Italian palaces during the 16th century. Hall chairs were designed to be placed in the entrance hall or passageways used by servants and tradesmen waiting to be called into one of the main rooms. Consequently such chairs were never upholstered, and generally they lacked arms; however, they were increasingly made of mahogany, with solid backs and dished or shaped scats. The designs were bold and simple and were frequently embellished with the painted crest or coat of arms of the family who commissioned them. In some cases they were carved with motifs intended to impress guests and to emphasize the social status of the owner. The importance given to hall chairs is suggested by the fact that there are six designs for such chairs in The Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director by Thomas Chippendale, three in The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide (1788-94) by George Hepplewhite (d.1786), and two in The Cabinet Dictionary (1803) by Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806).

THE BIEDERMEIER STYLE
This decorative style was popular in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia between c.1815 and c.1848. The name was invented by two German poets who wrote under the pseudonym Gottlieb Biedermeier, formed from a combination of bieder (meaning conventional or honest) and Meier, a common German surname. The solid, comfortable appearance of Biedermeier pieces was thought to mirror the unpretentious elegance of the German bourgeoisie. The simple, geometic designs, which eschewed ornate decoration, were inspired by French furniture of the Empire period. Function and comfort were of supreme importance to the Biedermeier craftsmen and to achieve this end they used coil-spring upholstery.

•    UPHOLSTERY gros and petit point arc very rare and greatly contribute to the value of a wing armchair
•    REGILDING well-executed regilding should not dramatically affect the value of an object; French Louis XV beechwood chairs were usually originally gilded or painted and traces are often found in the crevices
•    HALL CHAIRS these arc usually found in sets of four or more, although it is possible to find single chairs; they are often decorated on the back with a cartouche featuring the armorial of the family who commissioned them; they are generally very good value for money
•    COPIES AND FAKES Brustolon-style chairs were widely copied in the 19th century; Biedermeier chairs have been been widely faked in the 20th century, with many side chairs converted into armchairs – this should be obvious if the proportions seem wrong

Dress Accessories
Style and fashion were an important part of the Deco era. Styles changed drastically for women, reflecting a more practical and carefree or casual attitude toward life. The clothing from the Deco years chronicles that transition. The long, corseted gowns of the late Victorian period changed to the knee length skirt and flat chested “boyish” look of the 1920’s. Padded shoulders, tight skirts and baggy trousers followed in the late 1930’s and 1940’s. Although there were changes in men’s clothing, styles remained conservative compared to the trends which came about with women’s apparel.
Although time has been unkind to old garments, vintage Deco clothing is collectible, and there are dealers who specialize in fine examples salvaged from the period. Markets for this type of clothing are usually commercial or public, sold for store displays, museum exhibits or theatrical production rather than for individual use. But dresses, suits and coats made from the 1920’s through the 1940’s currently attract some of the teen and college age generations who enjoy actually wearing the outfits. Estate sales and thrift shops may yield some amusing examples at nominal prices.
While it may be difficult to find a piece of Deco clothing which one would care to wear, a number of items used to accessorize such clothing can be worn with enjoyment. Purses, compacts, belt buckles, dress clips and all types of jewelry are quite compatible with today’s fashion. Dress accessories offer the collector an intriguing and almost unending source of Deco designs. It is apparent from the items shown, as is true for most surveys of the era, that dress accessories were primarily confined to women’s articles. But cuff links, stickpins and watches, for example, were made in Deco styles for men.
Compacts are a product of the Deco age. These neat items made for checking or repairing one’s make up, slipped easily into a purse or evening bag. While most contained a bit of mirror and a cake of powder, some were made with lipstick cases, change holders and money clips as well. The most expensive are made of gold and silver, but lower priced varieties made of plated or enamelled metals and celluloid or plastic are also available. Although small in size, compacts exhibit striking Deco traits. Notice the Egyptian influence on two examples, one with hierglyphics and one with Egyptian figures.
Mesh evening bags made from enamelled metals by American manufacturers such as Whiting and Davis were in demand during the 1920’s. Small beaded and fringed bags were also popular accessories for the jazz age costume. Evening bags have become a special topic of collector interest and there are few bargains to be found. It is difficult to find one for less than $50. Large beaded
purses, like the one illustrated, made during the latter part of the era do not cost nearly as much.
Collections of compacts and evening bags can be framed or housed in glass cases to add attractive touches to a room. The same can also be done for much less money with buttons or belt and shoe buckles. These little adornments are sometimes overlooked, but they often created the Deco accent for a garment. Such pieces usually outlived the clothing and many have been saved. Rummage through a box of old buttons and buckles, a Deco souvenir may be found—even a pair of fancy garters!
Jewelry is undoubtedly the most fascinating of all dress accessories. Although gold, silver and precious stones were fashioned into Deco designs, costume jewelry was born and thrived during those years. Many pieces were made from glass, enamelled metals, bakelite, celluloid and plastic. Rhinestones, like other good pieces of Deco costume jewelry, are attracting wide interest today. It is obvious that Deco designs have had a great influence on contemporary costume pieces. Reproductions also are surfacing on antique and collectible markets. Buyers should inspectjewelry carefully to determine if an item is new. Prices for authentic “period” period” pieces are often comparable with those of good quality modern costume jewelry.