Furniture History (Part 2) : William and Mary style furniture 1689 - 1702

William III and Mary II reigned over England, Ireland and Scotland from 1689. Mary died in 1694, William in 1702.

William and Mary style has Flemish, Dutch, French and Chinese influences. Huguenot refugees from France worked in the cabinetmakers’.

It is characterized by trumpet turned legs, terminating in a hoof, claw, ball, or bun feet, padded or caned chair seats, and Oriental lacquer-work.

The chair backs were high, and rounded at the top with carving, shaped slightly to fit the shape of your back. The banisterback chair, with and without arms, replaced the cane back chair. The back legs of the chairs were splayed out at the bottom. Settees, upholstered or with loose cushions came in the main room.

Highboys and lowboys, with six high elaborated trumpet-shaped legs or spiral-turned legs, appeared and rapidly became a favorite of the Colonial furniture craftsmen.

Some of the furniture was made of oak , but the Colonial workmen were finding walnut, maple, pine, apple wood, sycamore, and other native woods much easier to use.

Marquetry became an important feature of decoration often the form of elaborate floral patterns, cockle shell and acanthus leaf, or  seaweed.

Some of the furniture was painted and gilded.

Hardware, made of cast brass, became decorative as well as functional.

 Bed

Chair

Desk

Armoire

Mirror

 

Table

Furnitue History (Part 1) : Tudor style furniture 1457 – 1509

This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII. The term is often used more broadly to include Elizabeth I reign (1558 – 1603)

Characteristic of this style is the enrichment of every surface with flamboyant carved, turned, inlaid, and painted decoration in the spirit of the English Renaissance.

The Tudor period was one of beautiful woodwork, though it was still heavy and sparse by modern standards. Sideboards became fashionable as a way to display plate. The feather bed made an appearance, replacing the straw mattress.

Elaborate four poster beds were the mode.

Tudor furniture was made of oak or wood which was obtained locally, highly ornate, carved and heavy.

Chair

 

Bed

Chest

 

Table