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Design Tips> Guide to Historic Furniture Styles
Throughout the history of wood furniture making, craftsmen in every era have been producing new designs which will define a
the period. Any attempt to cover them all would be a daunting task. People have devoted their lives and entire books have been written to cover this subject. The
goal of The Craftsman's Woodshop is to provide a summary of the main periods from yesteryear and provide insight to those which are currently available
that define today's styles.
Historic Furniture Styles
Jacobean (1603 - 1688)
Jacobean furniture comes from a
period of time from King James I to King James II.
During this time the furniture took on different
styles. The early pieces were less ornate. Colonial
Americans copied the early styles of the furniture
as best as they could since they did not have
skilled furniture makers. They called the furniture
Early American. The Jacobean style was noted for
the three-dimensional fullness of design. Wood was
deeply carved. Particular elements were accentuated,
such as table legs and banister posts, which became
very bulbous.
Main Furniture Features
- Primarily made of
Oak
-
Ash and maple were used for accents,
turnings and carvings
- Strong use of mortise and tenon joinery
- Heavy iron hinges and locks plates
fastened by wrought iron nails
- Turning techniques were used for
balusters, spindles, melon-bulbs and bun
feet
- Ionic influenced capitals
- Weak acanthus leaves
- Guilloche and interlaced circles
- Palmettes were used for accents
- Use of
Bosses
America
In America, Jacobean style furniture is
synonymous with Pilgrim Style because the early
English settlements in America took place
during
the Jacobean era. For example, in America, the
Jamestown settlement on the James River are both
named after James I who gave royal approval to
the emigration.
"... the first furniture that was brought over
to this country, and the first furniture that
was made in this country, was in the style of
this period.... Very little American furniture
of the earlier part of the Jacobean period is
still surviving; but later pieces, from about
1670, are more numerous. The amateur collector,
however, may never see any examples of either
the earlier or the later dates except in
museums; and he will perhaps never have the
opportunity of buying a genuine piece." - Edgar
G. Miller, Jr., American Antique Furniture,
1937, Vol. 1, p. 37.
Early American
Furniture Styles
Based largely on English, French,
Scandinavian and Spanish styles, Early American
furniture in this period was built from readily
available local wood and built more for rugged
comfort and utilitarian use rather than refined
elegance. The development of American
furniture design in the eighteenth century was
predominately directed by Europe, and even after
achieving independence, English and French tastes in
furniture still prevailed.
If there are
to be any distinguishable differences, it would be
that early American furniture was made with the
practical concerns at the forefront with less
attention to the fine details.
Colonial:
Pilgrim Style 1640 - 1700
Most of the
early American furniture was handmade during this
period by the settlers themselves. Furniture
from this period tends to mimic that of the Jacobean
style in England. Heavy and solid in stature
these pieces were made from necessity and were very
functional in everyday use. For the most part
these pieces were made from the indigenous woods
from the local area. These woods commonly
included cherry, maple, oak and walnut.
Hover your mouse on the images to enlarge these
examples of Colonial Style furniture.
Main Furniture Features
- Jacobean style influence
- Primarily made of indigenous
hardwoods such as oak, cherry, maple and
walnut
- Utilitarian look and feel
- Strong use of
mortise and tenon joinery
- Incorporated turnings for legs,
spindles, balusters
- Less ornate than the pure Jacobean
style
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Examples of Colonial Style Furniture |
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Colonial: William and Mary (1690 - 1725)
During the short reign of William and Mary
(1688-1702) a transformation took place in the
overall design of furniture in England. William,
being Dutch, brought with him Dutch craftsmen to
England. A tribute to the royals William and Mary
of England, furniture crafted in this style used
ornately turned legs with a ball or Spanish foot at
the end of each leg, as well as caned seats and
beautiful Oriental lacquers.
This was the birth time of the highboy and
lowboy, these were new forms introduced in this
period and had new elements such as elaborately
turned slender legs to elevate the piece above
the floor. This was in sharp contrast to
it's squat and blockish Colonial and Jacobean
predecessors.
Once this style arrived at the colonies, a
profound transformation took place in furniture
design. Craftsmen began to create pieces
that were much more elegant and graceful with
distinguishable lines and curves. The use
of oak as the primary lumber turned to walnut,
maple and cherry. Veneer also became an
mainstay in this period, especially with highly
figured wood and ornate wood.
Main Furniture Features
-
Walnut,
cherry and
maple hardwood construction
- Raised cabinets
- Curved slender legs
-
Lacquer finishes and
japanning
- Use of
veneer
- Legs were turned in trumpet or
spiral shapes
- Bulbous ball, bun or turnip feet
- Decorative brass hardware rather
than wood
Links
with more information on the William and Mary Furniture Style:
Colonial: Queen Anne (1725 - 1755)
Queen Anne styles are an
evolution of the William and Mary period furniture.
The Queen Anne period produced moderately
proportioned furniture, often constructed from
Walnut, and is characterized by the use ornate feet,
including claw and ball, scroll, spade and square
feet, as well as wing back and fiddle-back chairs.
Over time, the Queen Anne period evolved from the
very ornate and decorative, appealing to the elite
society, to refined and comfortable, yet delicate:
equally appealing to a much broader base of society.
Georgian furniture (1714-1760) also appeared during
this time, and is considered a more ornate version
of the Queen Anne style.
This style was dependant upon beautifully
figured woods and simple curves and contours
with the major emphasis being muted dignity with
no specialties such as carvings or turnings.
This period is the birth time of the cabriole
leg, a new style of leg that was to mimic that
of an animals leg. This style of leg
provides the furniture with more of an animate
quality over its earlier William and Mary
ancestor.
Main Furniture Features
Chippendale (1750 - 1780)
It was Thomas Chippendale, due to his
Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director,
that gave him an almost exclusive sway over
furnishings fashion in America. The
designs of Chippendale, a simplified version of
the French rococo Louis XV styles were quickly
taken up by American craftsmen and the Queen
Anne style faded into antiquity. The main
difference between the American style from that
of the English was a greater emphasis on
proportion and symmetry.
Due to the originality of the furniture designs,
many new furniture forms were developed.
This is the birth time of the breakfront
bookcases, kneehole chests of drawers,
serpentine back sofas, kettle stands and
drop-leaf Pembroke tables.
The major highlight of the Chippendale period
are the further development of the Queen Anne
style highboy. Chippendale introduced
richly decorated and carved elements to these
pieces in addition to vines and tendrils in both
the upper and lower halves.
The Chippendale style stayed in popularity
throughout America until the the late 1770's
when the English styles fell out of desire and
were replaced by French designs in the Federal
period.
Main Furniture Features
Federal (1780 - 1820)
It was during the Federal era, around the birth
of an independent America, when some of the most
beautiful and elegant antique furniture was
produced. Federal era furniture in America was often
constructed of cherry and sometimes red-stained
walnut, unlike British Federal furniture, which was
often mahogany. Many American Federal furniture
works incorporated symbols of the new-found American
freedom, like eagles and stars. Some of the
important, influential furniture designers of this
period included Duncan Phyfe, John Shaw, John Dolan
and Samuel McIntire. The styles of English designers
Thomas Sheraton and George Hepplewhite also
influenced American Federal design. Outstanding
examples of American Federal furniture have been
preserved and are on display in museums and historic
homes in many of the historic districts around the
nation’s capital, such as Georgetown, Alexandria,
and Rosslyn, Virginia.
Americans produced some of the most
graceful and elegant heirloom furniture
which have become some of the most sought
after antiques today. At a time when
George Washington was crafting a country,
cabinetmakers were crafting a revolution in
furniture design that is as iconic of the
new found independence from England.
In general, if a piece can be identified
as Chippendale, Hepplewhite or Sheraton
substyle it will be classified as such;
otherwise it is referred to as "Federal"
Main Furniture Features
- Slender and delicate
- Geometric shapes which are flat and
simple such as pateras, bellflowers,
urns of flowers, patriotic symbols and
feathers
- Symbols were executed in low relief,
inlay, veneer or paint
- Tapered legs either round, square or
saber; sometimes spaded
- Spade or arrow feet
- Vase or lyre shaped pedestal bases
on tables
- Primarily made of cherry or walnut
and sometimes mahogany
- Secondary woods used were pine, ash,
beech and others
Shaker (1820 - 1860)
Shaker furniture represents a
substantial contribution of the utilitarian
lifestyle of the religious group, the United Society
of Believers. Living in self-contained communities,
Shaker craftsmen were responsible for creating
“beauty through utility”. Shaker furniture was often
constructed from maple, and sometimes cherry, birch,
and walnut: furniture woods that were readily
available within their communities. Shaker chairs,
including side chairs used at meetings, and rocking
chairs for the elderly, sewing rockers for Shaker
women, made without arms to allow access to the
sewing basket, are all important contributions to
American furniture design. Shaker communities
continue to exist today, where furniture craftsmen
continue to construct beautifully practical,
handmade furniture pieces in small numbers, with
careful attention to detail. Shaker style is
characterized by straight tapered legs (tilted legs
on chairs, with ball and socket construction) and
mushroom shaped wooden knobs.
Victorian (1840 - 1910)
Extending for a period of 70 years
during the reign of Queen Victoria, the Victorian
era in England saw noted changes from its early days
to late Victorian style. During its early years, no
single style emerged as dominant. Instead, furniture
was styled around influences from earlier periods,
including Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, Renaissance,
English Rococo, and Neo Classical. Ornamentation was
extensive, and, in the opinion of some, a bit
overdone. Mahogany and rosewood were often used,
and, to a lesser extent, oak in furniture designed
for the masses. Iron and paper maches were also used
in some pieces. During the latter part of the
Victorian era, the Arts and Crafts and the Aesthetic
or Art Furniture movement were born. A number of
antique styles were also revived. Late Victorian
furniture was known for its straight lines and solid
woods with dark stains and less upholstery than
earlier Victorian pieces. Painted decorations
replaced carvings. The Victorian period was the
first furniture style to be mass produced.