Victorian furniture is known for its elaborate design.
Victorian furniture is known to be intricate and heavily decorated, but there were many things that made this type of furniture unique. Victorian furniture is a perfect choice for someone who loves detail and natural wood, and learning more about this type of furniture can help you decide if it is for you. Does this Spark an idea?
Features
While there were several different looks and trends that were in style during the Victorian era, traditional Victorian furniture had many notable features. It tended to be made of heavy wood that was often highly carved. The upholstery was often decorated or secured with cloth or leather buttons, and the chairs featured spoon or balloon backs. Chairs for women were constructed without arms to allow for wide skirts.
History
One of the things that distinguished the Victorian era was the emergence of the middle class. Queen Victoria of England, who gave the era its name, identified strongly with the middle class, and the popular furniture of the era was made to cater to the people who increasingly had money to spend on fine home ornamentation. Furniture was seen as a status symbol, and many homes were quite crowded with chairs, tables and cabinets.
Time Frame
To be traditional Victorian furniture, the furniture must have been made during the reign of England's Queen Victoria, which stretched from 1837 to 1901. This designation includes both pieces that were produced by small designers and exclusive shops as well as mass-produced pieces. It can encompass a wide variety of styles and quality.
Types
The Victorian era lasted more than 60 years, and there were many styles of furniture that came into fashion and went back out again during its span. The Gothic Revival style featured trefoils, spires and arches in its furniture design, while the Renaissance Revival had furniture that used inlaid panels, burl panels, gilt incising and many human and animal features. The Rococo Revival showed a great deal of French influence and utilized natural motifs like flowers and shells. These are three of the main styles, but there were many more that were similarly popular.
Production
Early Victorian furniture was all made by hand, but hand-crafted pieces were quickly outnumbered by machine-made furniture. The designers were no longer in direct contact with the customer and due to the high demand and the increased production ability, many pieces started becoming standardized for speed of manufacture.
Identification
While some designers put labels or stamps on all of their furniture pieces, there were many more who did not. Identifying the creator and manufacturer of a piece of Victorian furniture can take time and an attention to detail, but identifying furniture from the Victorian era is less complicated.
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