COUNTRYLIVING.COM / NOVEMBER 2019 ƄƆ
QUEEN ANNE
This style proved to have
far more staying power than
the monarch whose name
it bears—Anne only ruled from
1702 to 1714—while the
furniture remained popular
well into the mid-1700s. Not
to be confused with early-
20 th-century Queen Anne
Revival architecture.Queen Anne designs
focused on curving shapes
such as cabriole legs and
simple, flowing ornamentation
such as chairs with a single,
simple back slat (above).
Secretaries and other desk
forms were popular during this
era, likely as a response to
the letter-writing obsession of
wealthy Brits and Colonists.Most ornamentation was kept
to a minimum, though carved
scrolls, scallops, and shells
did make regular appearances.
Hardware echoed the less-
is-more aesthetic with simple,
unfrilly bail pulls (above).Move over, Liberty Bell.
The Governor’s Council Chamber
at Independence Hall in
Philadelphia features a trove of
Queen Anne furnishings.
REGENCY
Originating in the late 18 th
century but named for the
period in which the reigning
Prince of Wales acted as
regent for Great Britain, this
lavish style differs from
regence (French Regency),
which preceded the English
version by 100 years and was
even more ornate.While many Regency designs,
such as pedestal tables
and chairs with slender back
rails (above), were “open”
in form, the movement also
favored massive pieces
and gave rise to the hulking
sofa table. Legs tended to
be saber (concave like a
curved sword) or X-shaped.A preoccupation with ancient
culture resulted in schemes
like lyres and laurel wreaths.
Accents of brass or ormolu
(a gold-hued metal alloy) also
dominated, as did animal forms
such as lion heads (above).Regency relics,
including Queen Mary’s
grand piano, abound at
the Royal Pavilion
in Brighton, England.SHERATON
British cabinetmaker
Thomas Sheraton published
his The Cabinet-Maker and
Upholsterer’s Drawing-Book
in 1791-94, and the guide
continued to influence
furniture styling through
the 1820 s.Sheraton’s work overlaps
in time and style with that of
Hepplewhite, his being
distinguished by its straighter,
simpler, and, by some
standards, more severe lines
of elements such as chair
backs (above). Straight legs
usually topped simple
spade feet, or, on larger
items, bun feet.Sheraton legs often boasted
reeded edges, mimicking
the grooves of classic columns,
while hardware included
stamped plates and rosettes
on ring pull forms (above).
Marquetry was also central.Among the many masterpieces
in the Metropolitan Museum
of Art’s Gallery 723 are pieces
such as bookcases and sofas
taken straight from plates
in Sheraton’s book.WILLIAM & MARY
In the late 1600 s, King William
imported Dutch designs
and craftsmanship when he
ascended the British
throne from Holland. (His wife,
Mary, an English heir to the
crown, ruled with him.)Referred to as “the age of
the walnut,” this era of English
prosperity embraced the
pricey wood, and its wealthy
consumers flocked to occa-
sional tables (like tea tables)
and card tables for entertaining
and showy dining chairs with
grand high-backs (above). The
highboy is also believed to have
made its debut at this time.William’s Dutch heritage
influenced a craze for floral-motif
marquetry, oyster inlay, and
elements like scroll supports
and turned balusters. Intricate
designs were applied to tear-
drop-style hardware (above).See plenty of prime specimens
at London’s Hampton Court
Palace, once the home of—you
guessed it—William and Mary.Consider this a broad-strokes overview to make your furniture hunt
more fruitful. It is by no means the definitive, comprehensive, or
any other -ive guide to the hundreds of furniture styles that have originated,
evolved, and merged across the globe for the better part of a millennium.*BUT
FIRST,
KNOW
THIS: