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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Simply the chest at Petworth
06 May 2024Practical campaign furniture is one of the stars as West Sussex event reaches its 10th anniversary
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Horology holds the attention during a four-day sale
06 May 2024Around 200 lots of clocks and watches feature in a strong section as part of a four-day sale
![The Salon, Geneva](/media/102704/the-salon-geneva.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133592057430000000)
Christie’s offers select items from a group of dealers from London, Paris and Geneva
03 May 2024Dubbed Three Dealing Dynasties, the sale features nearly 250 works of art collected by three anonymous families of dealers in the UK, France and Switzerland.
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Ornate mirror has the Thomas Johnson look about it
29 April 2024The furniture highlight of Cheffins’ (25/20/12.5% buyer’s premium) latest Fine sale in Cambridge was the catalogue cover star.
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Davenport displays Irish touch
29 April 2024Irish marquetry furniture is a very distinctive form of decorative technique associated in particular with Killarney.
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Obituary: furniture restorer Michael Barrington
29 April 2024Michael Barrington was the driving force behind the British Antique Furniture Restorers’ Association (BAFRA) since he was elected its chairman in 1994 and then chief executive officer until 2014.
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Light Ponti armchairs carry weighty auction value
29 April 2024Among the starring lots at the Wright (26% buyer’s premium) Design sale on March 28 was a pair of Gio Ponti lacquered wood, upholstery and brass Triennale armchairs, dating to 1951.
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Seat coverings come with Scottish family connection
29 April 2024Pictured here are two lots of seat furniture that impressed bidders in recent auctions in Gloucestershire and Cheshire.
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Furniture loaned to National Trust properties goes under the hammer
29 April 2024Many items from a group on offer in west London had been displayed at National Trust sites
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Short-lived Francis Bacon furniture finds modern-day fans
22 April 2024One of the lesser-known episodes in the long and eventful life of Francis Bacon lasted little more than five years and was later dismissed by the artist as unimportant.
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Top stories this week including a sought-after mahogany table taking 13-times estimate in Dorset
21 April 2024The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of an Edwardian Japanesque Aesthetic table soaring over predictions at Duke’s.
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A breakfront cabinet by George Bullock is among seven lots to watch
15 April 2024With estimates from £200, here are seven previews of items coming up at auction this week.
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Five questions with Bob Aibel of Moderne
15 April 2024Bob Aibel is founder of Moderne, one of the exhibitors at the Philadelphia Show
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Steaming ahead but in safety thanks to lanterns
15 April 2024Although easily mistaken for railway or ship lamps, this pair of brass and iron lanterns were made for a road locomotive: the steam-driven traction engines that were some of the first powered vehicles to travel on Britain’s highways.
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Botanical group features in Battle auction action
15 April 2024Twenty-six lots in the Science, Natural History and Curiosities sale at Burstow & Hewett (20% buyer’s premium) in Battle were previously owned by local botanist and entomologist George West.
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Godwin connection lifts table to 13 times top estimate
08 April 2024The distinctive Anglo-Japanese tables designed by the architect GW Godwin in the later part of the 19th century are known as Smallhythe tables, after the example found in Smallhythe Place in Kent which was the home of the actress Ellen Terry.
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Intelligence officer's Korean screen goes over 100 times above estimate in New Orleans
08 April 2024This Korean 10-panel folding screen made in the late 19th century in the final years of the Joseon period (1392- 1910) was offered on the second day of the recent Unreserved Sale at the Neal Auction Company (25/15% buyer’s premium).
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Sandford Orcas Manor: ‘A lovely sale to preside over’
08 April 2024Country house contents, global interest and a packed room of bidders - what more could an auctioneer wish for?
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Five questions: Mike Sparks of The Light House
08 April 2024Mike Sparks of The Light House sells and restores period and antique lighting
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Chair made for the Vanderbilts brings bidding battle at Bonhams Skinner
08 April 2024This Herter Bros inlaid rosewood and upholstered slipper chair was part of a suite made for the Vanderbilt family c.1881-82.
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