How antique, oak furniture and 18th century design have become important interior trends of 2021 and what we have coming up in our Oak and Country Sale.
Coming up in our Oak and Country Sale we have lots of wonderful and unique pieces of furniture for auction, from
18th century oak dressers and chairs to coffers and much more.
With many of us wanting to approach life in a more sustainable way, it is unsurprising that vintage and antique furniture is having a welcome resurgence in the world of interior design.
The growing focus in design on products made from organic materials is not just to do with a revival of interest in craft; in a world increasingly dominated by synthetic materials and technology, natural materials add a human dimension to our environment that may have beneficial effects on our wellbeing. As most of us have spent more time in our homes over the past year through lockdown, these elements of our interior world have become even more prominent.
Looking back through 18th century design it had an incredibly dynamic range of interior styles from William and Mary through to George the III. These furniture designs are now integrated into interior trends of the 21st century, finding their way into rustic vogue, cottagecore, classic traditionalism, contemporary and multi-functional interior styles that are fashionable today and offer a sustainable solution to styling our homes.
The Georgian period saw English furniture design reach its peak with the celebrated designers Thomas Chippendale, George Hepplewhite and Thomas Sheraton creating some of the finest pieces of English antique furniture. Furniture was extremely well built and many pieces have remained in excellent condition and can still command a high price today.
Lot 2 in our Oak and Country Sale is this stunning George III oak dresser from North/Mid Wales, the rack with a moulded cornice above two shelves, the lower part with three frieze drawers above a pair or arched fielded panel doors flanking a fixed central panel, on stile feet, height 181cm, width 139cm, depth 51cm.
Lot 5 is this detailed George III oak box settle, the panel back with lozenge carved decoration, acanthus carved and scroll end
arms, with a rising seat and further carved panels to the front, height 134cm, width 141cm, depth 51cm.
Lot 25 is a handsome George III oak dresser, the rack with three shelves, the lower part with three drawers on ring turned
front legs, joined by a platform stretcher, height 201.5cm, width 186cm, depth 45cm.
Lot 26 is a beautiful George III oak bureau bookcase, with a pair of arched panelled doors opening to reveal shelves and compartments, above a pair of candle slides, the lower part with a fall front enclosing a fitted interior above four long drawers on bracket feet, height 210cm, width 93cm, depth 54cm.
Lot 30 in our Oak and Country Sale is an 18th century, William and Mary style oyster veneered cabinet. The William and Mary style furniture design was influenced by new colonists in America who brought their English furniture traditions with them and tried to translate these styles using native woods. This is a particularly interesting piece, on the chest the pair of doors open to reveal a mirrored niche and gilt pillars, with bone and ebony chequered floor, sliding forward to reveal six secret drawers, all enclosed by a pair of doors and surrounded by ten small drawers, above two short drawers. The lower part with three long graduated drawers on bracket feet, complete with restorers receipt dated 1922, height 149cm, width 100cm, depth 45cm.
This sale also has a range of fabulous chairs, The top two show a near pair of American oak armchairs, circa 1900, with a spindle filled splat above solid arms and seat, on circular tapering legs joined by stretcher. The bottom right an ash and elm Windsor armchair, circa 1860, with hoop back and pierced vase splat on turned front legs and finally the bottom left image shows lot 22, a lovely late 18th Century Thames Valley Fruitwood Armchair, the comb shaped top rail above a solid vase shaped splat and elm moulded seat, on turned front legs joined by an H stretcher.
Lot 22 was owned by Michael Trethewey, a gentleman of great taste and an unerring eye for quality. He was a frequent visitor to these auction rooms, an elegantly dressed, unassuming man who bought well and had a singular passion for old school antiques.
Our Oak and Country Sale will be going live on the 1st of July at 10:00am.
The news, history and stories behind our art and antiques