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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Chareau furniture includes chair style selected by famous clients

19 February 2024

An ensemble of modernist rosewood furniture by the designer and architect Pierre Chareau (1883-1950) is to be offered by Valoir Pousse-Cornet auction house.

Gas lamp

Antiques dealers victorious in first step of saving London’s historic gas lamps

16 February 2024

Two dealers have declared a victory in their quest to save historic gas lamps in Westminster.

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LARTA exhibitors report strong sales and new buyers

12 February 2024

Nestled above The Decorative Fair, the London Antique Rug & Textile Art Fair (LARTA) had a successful run with new and returning exhibitors reporting strong sales to trade and private buyers.

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‘Patience and taste personified’: more lots from the outstanding Ann and Gordon Getty collection

12 February 2024

New York auctioneer remembers Ann and Gordon Getty as the latest lots come to market

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Classic Ashbee piano comes with fine provenance

12 February 2024

Heading Sworders’ (25% buyer’s premium) January 16 Design sale in Stansted Mountfitchet was a recently rediscovered version of one of the best-known Guild of Handicraft designs.

2630 NE Hanson Bellerophon Sofa

Bony slept here: Souvenirs from Napoleon's surrender come to auction

09 February 2024

A cache of memorabilia from the descendants of Captain Frederick Lewis Maitland – the officer Napoleon surrendered to aboard HMS Bellerophon on July 15, 1815 – is coming to auction.

Withers TSR Figures

Silver under the floorboards and vinaigrettes in the cooker

08 February 2024

The extraordinary collection of the Bath dealer-collector George Withers (1946-2023) comes for sale across three days and two salerooms later this month.

18th century Anton Walter forte piano

Piano Auctions to sell in Holland after Brexit

05 February 2024

The impact of Brexit on UK overseas trade has led one auction house to open a saleroom in the Netherlands.

Set of six George III giltwood side chairs

Pick of the week: Chippendale’s Brocket Hall suite

05 February 2024

A set of six George III giltwood side chairs made by Thomas Chippendale for Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire sold at Dreweatts on January 31.

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Getting ahead as the year begins

05 February 2024

Mallams (25% buyer’s premium) got off to an early New Year start with a Country House auction.

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Auction house hails ‘incredibly busy and buoyant’ start to the new year

05 February 2024

North Yorkshire saleroom starts 2024 with 2600 lots offered over two weeks in four auctions

Churchill Forbes Collection (4)

Churchill's personal writing desk sold in New York

01 February 2024

Winston Churchill’s desk which he used to write his Second World War memoirs has been sold by Peter Harrington Rare Books at The Winter Show in New York (January 19-28).

Wood and antler chandelier

Last hurrah for the Ann and Gordon Getty collection

31 January 2024

Finding antiques with the wow factor was Ann Getty’s forte and she did it with great dedication, some good advice and an outstanding bank balance.

Jessus on crucifix

Appeal for statues stolen from Salford church

31 January 2024

A group of statues from a church in Salford have been stolen.

Dining table

Interior designers target traditional antiques at Battersea's Decorative Fair

29 January 2024

Traditional antiques are very much still in demand, according to reports from dealers at Battersea’s winter Decorative Fair.

TSR January 26 Turpin Hats

White-gloves and a trilby hat for Dick Turpin sale

26 January 2024

Sworders enjoyed a white-glove sale and a £406,000 total for the personal collection of Maurice Turpin (1928-2005).

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Eye on an object: Victorian stained glass window

22 January 2024

Thousands of items are available to buy from dealers online. Here we pick out one that caught our eye this week.

Doyle Chairs 1

Exceptional George II chairs lead Manolovici collection at Doyle

19 January 2024

Three exceptional George II period chairs lead the line in the upcoming Old Masters, English & Continental Furniture auction at Doyle New York.

Drew Pritchard

Salvage Hunters' TV star Drew Pritchard is selling his personal collection at auction

17 January 2024

TV presenter and antiques dealer Drew Pritchard is to sell items from his personal collection at Dreweatts in March.

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Louis XV table returns home for public display after auction

15 January 2024

A piece of furniture produced for the French king heads back to former repository now open to the public

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