Furniture

Every piece of furniture has a practical purpose regardless of how simple or grand it is, even if some pieces were built more for display than function. Today, furniture remains one of the largest areas of the antiques market and items are categorised by type and period.

The term brown furniture refers to traditional pieces made from dark woods such as mahogany, while pieces made from native woods like oak and walnut are sometimes referred to as vernacular furniture.

Famous historical makers include Chippendale, Gillows, William Vile and John Cobb. More recent market trends have seen modern vintage pieces appearing in specialist design and ‘Interior’ auctions.

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Exceptional Tunbridge workbox makes £6500

19 April 2019

Meeting all the criteria for Tunbridge ware collectors, this workbox on stand below was one of the top buys at Greenslade Taylor Hunt’s (19.5% buyer’s premium) sale at Taunton on April 4.

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The web shop window: English architectural dog’s house

19 April 2019

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

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Dealer on a high from low oak chairs

19 April 2019

This pair of 19th century Arts & Crafts low oak chairs is available from Elaine Phillips Antiques at the next edition of The Pavilions of Harrogate Decorative Antiques & Fine Art Fair priced at £1150.

Stamford

Five highlights from Golding Young & Mawer’s sale of Stamford dealers' St George’s Collection later this month

18 April 2019

The sale on April 24 of the stock and personal collection of two Stamford dealers features a who’s who of English furniture and object makers. ATG picked five items from more than 800 lots for closer inspection.

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Dorchester saleroom Duke's to hold ‘biggest house contents auction’ in the regions for a decade

15 April 2019

Duke’s of Dorchester has announced what promises to be the biggest house contents sale of the year and the largest by a UK regional auction house for more than a decade.

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Renaissance German casket featuring 3D geometric designs placed under temporary export bar

15 April 2019

A 16th century marquetry casket long in the collection of Scotland’s Newbattle Abbey has been placed under export bar in a bid to keep it in the country.

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Regency furniture sets Guernsey saleroom record

15 April 2019

A fine pair of Regency dwarf bookcases in the manner of George Oakley sold for £58,000 at the Martel Maides saleroom in St Peter Port, Guernsey.

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Mouseman’s homely charm provides comfort

15 April 2019

More homely than the material being produced in Scandinavia and France, the adzed oak furniture first made by Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson in the 1920s-30s was, nevertheless, a distinctive genre.

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Iconic Eames chair in Elstob & Elstob debut sale

15 April 2019

In terms of name recognition in the UK, Alvar Aalto is probably outranked by the American couple Charles Eames (1907-78) and his wife Ray (1912-88). Of their output the lounge chair (670) and ottoman (671) designed in 1956 is the most iconic.

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5 Questions: Toby Jones

15 April 2019

Toby Jones of Jones Antique Lighting specialises in early 20th century decorative antique lighting.

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French Art Deco vase leads South London selection of a wide range of design

15 April 2019

Now a regular fixture for a number of auction houses, specialist Modern Design sales have moved a long way since the days when the title could mean mountains of Moorcroft and Clarice Cliff and not a lot more.

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Ski resort chairs slide into saleroom

15 April 2019

When it comes to 20th century furniture female designers are a rarity. Some folk still think ‘Ray’ Eames – real name Bernice – was a man.

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Caterpillar and cat sum up modern living

15 April 2019

The recent Modern Living sale at Tennants (20% buyer’s premium) was dominated by ‘Mouseman’ furniture, something of a speciality at the Leyburn rooms.

Map

WH Smith archive of rare maps and signs heads to auction in Gloucestershire

12 April 2019

A rare map of Britain and lettering for signage painted by artist Eric Gill (1882-1940) are among the lots coming up at auction from a WH Smith archive.

George I bookcase

“An absolute belter” – ‘Anglo-German’ George I bookcase bid to £120,000

11 April 2019

An extraordinary George I burr walnut bureau bookcase was bought for £120,000 when Duke’s of Dorchester sold the contents of Moigne Combe on April 10.

Cabinet

Export bar issued for 350-year-old £3m Baroque cabinet made by Papal craftsman

09 April 2019

A rare 350-year-old cabinet made by Baroque craftsman Giacomo Herman (1615-85) has been temporarily barred from export by the UK government in the hope it will be bought by a buyer in the UK.

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Signs of the times: Single owner collection stands out at Paris auction

08 April 2019

Pioneer collection of street furniture goes from Parisian flat to the saleroom.

Cabinet attributed to Pierre Gole

Elaborate 17th century cabinet provides star quality to €2m country house collection

08 April 2019

A 17th century tortoiseshell, pewter and brass marquetry cabinet on stand was the star turn in the sale of the contents from a country house in the Ile de France at Drouot in Paris.

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Single-owner sale: Signs that Paris appreciates its streetscapes

08 April 2019

French and foreign bidders flock to white-glove sale of pioneer collection of the city’s heritage

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Room for manoeuvre at Battersea Decorative

08 April 2019

A French Art Nouveau mahogany drop-front writing bureau, c.1925, is among the objects featured in a special exhibition at the spring edition of the Decorative Antiques & Textiles Fair in Battersea.

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