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admin on March 21st, 2009
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In England, china display cabinets they were introduced in the late 1600s and they served the purpose of showing items and collections of china.
Later all sorts of items and collectibles were put on display, china, porcelain, glass, ceramics, silver and so on.
They typically would have a large glass front door or more, and glass to the sides as well, to allow a better view and get more light inside the cabinet.
The shelves were not necessarily very thick, as they weren’t supposed to bear much weight, as for books in bookcases.
There could be a panelled section in the doors to allow for more storage, as pieces would be out of sight and could be stacked.
China display cabinets were important pieces that had to be attractive enough to work as a container for pieces that were to be seen and enjoyed.
That’s why they are often fancy and ornamentally rich, with good woods used and fine design implemented in crafting the pieces in all styles throughout the centuries.
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admin on March 21st, 2009
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Chests of drawers were pieces of furniture designed to keep clothing. They are also known (especially in North America) as dressers or bureaus (bureaux).
They represent the evolution of chests that were not practical when travelling and stacked, since the lid could not be opened easily and access was limited. Drawers were then invented and chests of drawers (literally) started to become popular, even for homes. A transitional piece was a chest (coffer) with a single drawer at the bottom, and still a hinged lid.
They typically have multiple parallel, horizontal drawers stacked one above each other. Some of the drawers could be different in size (height, width or even, although more rarely, depth).
Many, English antique chests of drawers in particular, have a double top drawer, basically 2 drawers instead of just one wide one. Locks became soon increasingly common, for privacy reasons rather than a real antitheft device.
Access to the drawers‘ inside can be accessed by pulling them out at the front side. Chests of drawers were usually positioned with the back side against a wall since access to the back is not necessary. The lateral sides could also be placed against a wall or in a corner, however in modern design, this would be usually discouraged and baseboards would interfere with moulding on the furniture. It’s also suggested to leave a little space between the piece of furniture and the walls or other furniture, a few inches or more depending on the size and contents of the room. Some well made chests of drawers had an incorporated spacer, usually in the form of an extension of the top, to keep the back side away from the wall, to allow air circulation and avoid humidity accumulation behind the furniture and mould.
They were made to accomodate clothes in the bedroom, but since some were extremely stylish, well designed and rich in materials and/or ornaments, today they can be found in any room of the house to store anything that can fit in the drawers, or even traditionally designed business places, offices and stores, to hold documents and else.
As far as height of the chests of drawers, they could be either waist-high, or shoulder high, with very few exceptions.
Both would have a flat top, and some of the waist height ones would have a dressing mirror to the back of the top, often an adjustable one, to allow to dress in front of the clothing container and check the appearance at the same time.
Lampstands, personal and decorative items were often on the chest of drawers‘ top.
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admin on March 21st, 2009
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Occasional tables are pieces of furniture that have a smooth flat top and are supported by a base or one single pedestal leg or more, typically 4, sometimes 3 (tripod), 5, 6 or more vertical supports.
They serve the purpose of supporting household and collectible items in many different areas of a home.
They can be placed against a wall, consol tables (or consolle tables) and side tables, in front of a couch and armchairs, coffee tables, cocktails or sofa tables, or to the side, end tables, or scattered in various areas and corners, corner tables and so on…
Their purpose is often also decorative as they can be made of rare woods and inlaid, carved and ornamented, nicely finished and polished.
Groups of smaller occasional tables that can variously fit in each other and be pulled out for the occasion, are nesting tables (in North America, nests of tables in England) and they usually slide into each other.
Occasional tables in modern times can be found also as a replacement for the traditional bedside cabinet, that is not required for holding a chamber pot any longer.
They can have drawers and compartments, undertiers, and other details.
In brief, occasional tables are the smaller and most versatile tables in a home.
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admin on March 20th, 2009
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English Edwardian display cabinet with dome top.
English Edwardian Mahogany China Display Cabinet with dome top.
Original lock and comes with key, reupholstered interior in a neutral white (can be replaced), solid wood upholstered shelves, glass panel sides, decorated door with 5 separate glass panes.
French polished with shellac rubbed in by hand only. The actual finish is a natural shine, but it can be adjusted to more or less shiny, or even opaque and/or waxed.
No woodworm or other signs of deterioration. Well kept and maintained.
Secret compartment present…
The max dimensions are:
Width: 24″
Depth: 12″
Height: 62″
Code: 22B309
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admin on March 20th, 2009
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If you have small collectibles to store and show, for yourself or your guests to enjoy, as a conversation starter or as pure entertainment, antique china display cabinets are the type of furniture that you should consider.
Although made in the past centuries, since becoming popular in antique Georgian England, for the purpose of storing precious china items, they are very versatile and can nicely display any small and fancy item.
Whether china or ceramics, silver or figurines, glass or gold, porcelain or wood, or anything else, china display cabinets were designed for the main purpose of displaying the pieces preserving the items from dust and smoke, pests, from possible breakage and even theft.
They usually were made of glass, to the front and often to the sides in the vertical ones (typical display cabinets and curios), and to the top and sides in the horizontal ones (display cases and showcases).
The glass would allow the pieces to be viewed better and let in more light than bookcases, for example.
Appropriate upholstery and sometimes glass shelves and mirror backs would allow the contents to stand out more and be better enjoyable, from all angles.
Display cabinets are usually placed in well lit places where homeowners and guests can easily see them and the contents. Think about extra spotlights and modern and efficient lighting to make a showpiece out of it.
The items stored and displayed should fit in the environment, even more than the display cabinet itself, with external pieces in someway connected and associated to what’s inside the cabinet, same period or style or materials for example, Victorian, Edwardian, ivory, silver, rosewood, ebony, and so on.
The display cabinet itself should stand out attract attention. However, it should not conflict with the rest of the room design and colours. If the wall is dark, use a light coloured wood cabinet, like oak, if it’s light, you want a darker wood cabinet, like mahogany or rosewood.
A formal environment will require a more formal piece, especially as far as finish; go for french polished antique cabinets.
A lockable cabinet could provide a degree of security, from children for example, but don’t rely on them being safe from burglars; a locked cabinet could actually attract more attention and a break-in, with heavy damage to the piece.
That’s why antique cabinets should have a working lock, to preserve value as an antique, but shouldn’t necessarily be locked if frequent access is required.
Pieces inside should be displayed in a way that they are very viewable, so far apart. Don’t fit too many items, think about another cabinet, in a different spot if different, or next to each other with a little space if twins, which are almost impossible to find as genuine antiques.
They should also be spread out in a balanced way, with more smaller items around fewer larger ones, to compensate and balance.
The focal points, the center of any group of items, usually a larger or more important one, should be behind the center of the glass panes of the cabinet, not behind the frame. Think also about balancing the contents of the display cabinet on the various shelves, but at the same time think about lighting and eye-level in the specific situation.
To learn more, get some inspiration by museums, which are often full of neat and tidy display cabinets of all sorts, with appropriate lighting.
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admin on March 19th, 2009
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Antique side tables are tables that are designed to stay against a wall.
They usually have a straight side that can easily lean against the wall, but they can be found in any shape, depending also on period and style.
They serve many different purposes such as: consolle tables, games tables, lamp tables, buffet tables, writing tables, occasional tables and so on.
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admin on March 19th, 2009
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Typically coffee tables are low tables typically designed to be placed in front of a couch, to support beverages, coasters, magazines, books and similar items.
TV remote controls are other items typically found on a coffee table, and that leads to the main reason why these tables are low; so they do not obstruct the view of a TV.
In the old days, when actual antiques were crafted, without any TVs, there was no great need of such low tables, so antique examples that are genuine, are really difficult to find.
Most examples that are actually antique or preantique (just a few years younger than century old pieces), are from the beginning of the 20th century, and many of the Art Deco period.
With the TV making way in every home and in every living room, coffee tables were to be mass produced and seen in almost every home and TV room.
Many were clearly inspired by antique styles and materials, but will never be antiques.
If found they are usually not cheap, and choice is limited, but they are little treasures.
With tall lamps and flower vases, these low tables can decorate many other corners and areas of a home.
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admin on March 15th, 2009
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If it’s an antique, find and use the appropriate wax remover at hardware stores, but not just the build up, all of it.
As an authentic English antique, it should be French Polished, not waxed.
You can use any alternative, oils, polyurethane, wax, but it’s objectively wrong and anyway, not even close to being as nice.
And if value is important to you, and it should otherwise why care for antiques, a nice English antique piece of furniture made after the late 1700s until the 1930s should be French Polished with no doubt at all.
Not only British antiques, also many non English high end pieces were, and therefore should be, french polished.
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admin on March 15th, 2009
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There’s an old rule, as old as collecting antiques, that is that quality is always on demand and always sells.
It’s truly an antiques buyers’ market, with prices lowering as the recession worsens, but that applies to common pieces that will always turn up.
Antiques are not newly manufactured goods that can be made to order, if there’s demand for a piece, it’s irreplaceable and therefore the price has to go up.
With lower end antiques, assuming they really are so, it’s just too easy to wait for better times and/or for lower prices. If a piece sells, chances are that another of the same type, age or quality will be found.
During a recession, there are always people that want rare and/or quality pieces and that can afford them.
These pieces also prove as a valid long term investment, and therefore their value never decreases.
For antiques’ dealers, it’s a matter of focusing and specializing, with experience and knowledge to deal in the right niche, clients will never go missing.
We, at Old England Antiques for example, focus on truly antique furniture, at the very least 100 years old, historically restored by french polishing.
Antique furniture has also many pros that other items don’t; they are decorative, appreciate in value, they are restorable, and they usually serve a practical purpose too, such as storage, support, and so on.
For those reasons English antique furniture appeals to collectors looking for an addition to their collection, private buyers that want to add a piece to their home, and investors, for an almost certain long term return; consequently they appeal to antique dealers, because there’s always a market for English antiques, after all, we regularly see buyers from all over the world compete at auctions and fairs in England and the rest of the British Isles.
It takes a very deep depression to make all antiques lower in value and anyway the higher end ones will always be the last.
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admin on March 13th, 2009
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We prefer to restore and repolish our antiques as we sell them.
The reason is that once sold, we know the requirements of the buyers and can adjust the finish so to have them satisfied to the best possible degree.
We have opened the English antiques’ store less than a year ago, so many of our clients are still first time buyers, and are initially sceptical of French polishing. This technique is often unheard of and many local restorers do not use it, preferring oiling, waxing, spraying, and many antique dealers even suggest that it’s better to leave antiques as they are.
Unfortunately for them, we know that it’s wrong and just convenient, and we have 30 years of experience in the business in Europe, where restorers that are true to the tradition do it the right way, that is, french polishing.
So, with very few restorers use this old technique that was traditionally implemented to higher end antiques for centuries, and to English antique furniture in particular.
That’s why many don’t know what french polishing is about, what is shellac, and confuse the shine of hand rubbed shellac with modern polyurethane sprayed contemporary and reproduction furniture.
However, in ALL cases, the clients that trusted us and our restoration technique were not disappointed, they were ALL impressed and satisfied of the quality of the finish.
Besides, when shellac is applied with a rubbing pad, pieces cannot shine perfectly as if glazed and like pieces that are spray lacquered.
The finish, however accurate, will never be perfect and look vitrified.
We are sorry, but it’s done by hand, it shows and it must!
That’s how pieces were finished originally when made by skilled craftsmen of the past centuries, and that’s how we do it in the 21st century and as it should always be done forever.
There’s no other way to recover the original look and the full value of an antique!