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Victorian antique furniture refers to pieces made during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901), and includes both mass produced pieces and those hand crafted in small shops by designers such as Herter Brothers, Allen and Brother, Merklen Brothers, John Henry Belter, Alexander Roux and R.J. Horner.
Although some designers like George Hunzinger put labels or stamps on all their furniture, many did not, so attributing a Victorian piece conclusively can require lots of research. In terms of wood, walnut is generally inferior to rosewood, which was used on higher end pieces.
There are many, and very different, Victorian furniture styles. In fact, famous Victorian designer Charles Eastlake himself hated Rococo, which is mid 1850s Victorian. Here are s...
1) Gothic Revival (circa 1830-1860). Think churches and you have a good feel for this furniture style - design elements such as arches, quatrefoils, trefoils, spires, and crockets.
2) Rococo Revival (c. 1840-1865). High-style furniture of French influence marked by use of naturalistic flora (flowers, shells) and fruit as well as C-scrolls and S-scrolls, and highly sinewy curved lines.. Early pieces may have used mahogany, but common Rococo often used Walnut, while the top-end leveraged Rosewood.
3) Renaissance Revival (c. 1860-1890). Reverses the feminine elegance of Rococo around the time of the Civil War by espousing masculine arches, cartouches, animal and human figures, inlaid panels, burl panels, gilt incising, and ormulu mounts. Subgenres include Egyptian Revival, Modern Gothic, and Neo-Grec.
4) Eastlake and Aesthetic Movement (c. 1880-1900). Moving away from the showy complicated designs of prior eras, this furniture has stylized natural elements (flowers, leaves), rectangular forms and severe lines, shallow incisings and turnings. On finer pieces, marquetry, inlay and veneering can also be found.
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Interviews & Articles
John Werry Explains How To Appreciate Victorian Furniture
How did I get started collecting Victorian Furniture? Antiques is in my genes, my mother's family were longtime antiquers and live… [more]
Victorian Furniture
"Why do writers on antique furniture leave off right where my interest begins," protests a man who has acquired an attractively si… [more]
American Cast-Iron Furniture
In the broadside political caricatures which were produced and circulated quite freely in America from the beginning of the Jackso… [more]
The International Influences of Buffalo Furniture
About 11 years ago, my wife and I went on some architectural tours. We joined the organization that sponsored the tours, and I vol… [more]
Eames, Nelson, and the Mid-Century Modern Aesthetic
As a teenager, I collected everything from vintage bicycles to Coca-Cola to Victorian stuff. Once I realized some of this stuff co… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Rare Victorian
John Werry's in-depth blog on rare Victorian Furniture, with detailed, informative and often humorous posts on doze… [read review or visit site]
George Hunzinger Furniture
Scott Geyer's blog on the innovative Victorian furniture designs of George Jacob Hunzinger, who began manufacturing… [read review or visit site]
Index of American Design
The Index of American Design project (1935-1942) was an effort to catalog American decorative arts objects from the… [read review or visit site]
Buffalo Architecture and History
Chuck LaChiusa's wonderful guide to the architecture and history of Buffalo, NY, also happens to host an impressive… [read review or visit site]
The Scrap Album
Attention paper collectors: don't miss Malcolm Warrington's exquisitely designed tribute to Victorian scraps (stamp… [read review or visit site]
Chipstone
This beautiful site showcases the collection of Stanley and Polly Stone of Fox Point, Wisconsin, consisting of earl… [read review or visit site]
Stevengraphs Bookmarks and Postcards
Malcolm Roebuck's tribute to the ornate silk picture bookmarks and postcards ('Stevengraphs') produced by Thomas St… [read review or visit site]
Kentucky Online Arts Resource
This huge online database from the Speed Art Museum is a rich trove of beautiful photos and reference information o… [read review or visit site]
Other Great Reference Sites: Furniture
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Recent News: Victorian Furniture
Source: Google News
Frick announces several important loans on view from collector Horace Wood ...
Art Daily, May 14thConversely, disorder and/or incoherence often correspond to a complex theme and a complex set of transformations (as seen in Victorian furniture and twentieth-century atonal music). According to Dr. Brock, “the highest degree of satisfaction typically...Read more
State funds likely for Kelkar museum's project in Bavdhan
Times of India, May 9thDeshmukh was speaking at a function organised in the museum to inaugurate the gallery displaying the Victorian furniture including sofas, chairs, cupboards and half-rounded tables sourced from the city and Goa. The function was attended by Shobita...Read more
Main Street's newest drinkery mixes creative whimsy and serious cocktailing ...
Las Vegas CityLife, May 9thThe room's trompe-l'oeil walls and randomly upholstered, vaguely Victorian furniture suit the shabby-chic style of downtown bars, while light-pattern art and mildly creepy/kinda cartoonish paintings pick up the gallery vibe from the surrounding blocks...Read more
Use 'Great Gatsby'-inspired Art Deco accents for home decor
azcentral, May 9th“The difference between Art Deco and Victorian furniture is like a big goblet of whiskey and a very sophisticated martini. It's not subtle.” Joe Weaver, owner of Stuff antiques in central Phoenix, is another Art Deco fan. He says Art Deco didn't get...Read more
Decorating Diary: Half-moon sconces go well with mirror
Reading Eagle, May 8thDoes this mean I must use Victorian furniture? A: Your door is merely the first step into welcoming people into your home. Furniture styles can be combined. The biggest difference might be in the colors. For example, if you have a Victorian door, it...Read more
Frys' vast collection 50 years in making
Cincinnati.com, May 3rdAlthough Cowan's Auctions furniture specialist Diane Wachs said the Frys' dark, heavily-carved Victorian furniture doesn't match many homes these days, “it all works” in their home. “I love that packed space with those grand pieces.” The Frys...Read more
Screen-printed Canvas Chairs Function as Art, Furniture
woodworkingnetwork.com, April 26thThe duo debuted their “Canvas” series as the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan last week, presenting a set of flat, stretched canvases depicted screen-printed images of pieces of Victorian furniture. Leaning against the wall at an acute angle...Read more
Victorian satinwood cabinet displayed at Blenheim Palace fair
Christian Davies Antiques (blog), April 25thThe star attraction drawing large numbers of admirers to the stand was a superb cabinet from one of the most important Victorian furniture makers, Wright & Mansfield. The breakfront Victorian cabinet was made of satinwood with gilt applied to receded...Read more