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.

Antique George II table

Chelsea dealer sells George II table to Leeds’ Temple Newsam House

16 February 2017

The London dealer Godson and Coles of Fulham Road has concluded the sale of this George II period brass-inlaid mahogany metamorphic table to Temple Newsam House.

blue new

Antique rug dealer updates traditional pieces for a contemporary look

11 February 2017

Antique rug dealer Joshua Lumley has designed a range of star-patterned rugs based on Persian zilu flatweaves.

Long clock

Cotswold School Arts & Crafts furniture up for auction in Cheltenham

03 December 2016

Arts & Crafts furniture from the collection of a former boss of brewing giant Mitchell & Butler will be offered at The Cotswold Auction Company this month.

Bennet and Brown

Landlord agrees to let restorer stay in north London shop after petition

29 November 2016

A north London independent antique restorer who faced eviction has got the go-ahead to stay.

Eiffel Tower staircase at auction

Piece of Eiffel Tower staircase sells for over €500,000 at Paris auction

26 November 2016

Like the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower is symbolic of the skyline of one of the world’s great cities. The ultimate Parisian souvenir, sold in model form to tourists round the world, what would you give to have a piece of the real thing to take home?

Anne Estelle Rice  still life

Anne Estelle Rice painting emerges at Folkestone auction

22 November 2016

A still life by American painter Anne Estelle Rice (1877-1959) and a piece of early English furniture are among the top items on offer at Grand Auctions’ upcoming sale on December 12.

Mallams table

George II tripod table comes to auction

22 November 2016

Did John Channon or Frederick Hintz make this table? This is the question that potential buyers of a George II pewter and brass inlaid tripod table will be asking themselves.

Mirror frame

Dealer helps Fitzwilliam track down trophy mirror in France

21 November 2016

The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge hopes to raise the final £65,000 needed to buy a 17th century gilded mirror frame for its collection.

Ettore Sottsass Tartar centre table from David Bowie auction

Five funky designs drawing serious bidding at Sotheby’s David Bowie auction

15 November 2016

The stand-alone design section at Sotheby’s auction of the David Bowie collection followed in much the same vein as the Modern & Contemporary art. High demand for items from the singer’s collection led to a ‘Bowie premium’ with 13 records posted for individual designers and an overall total of £1.11m from 100 lots.

Coper Sotheby's

Collecting on trend: Sotheby’s capitalises on youth market with second dedicated design auction

14 November 2016

Sotheby’s second dedicated design sale in London is set to appeal to the base of younger buyers whom specialists say have taken an interest in this market.

Glyn Cywarch

Lord Harlech to sell family collection at Bonhams

14 November 2016

The new Lord Harlech, music video-maker Jasset Ormsby Gore, is offering 400 items at auction from his family estate.

Regency facade

Call for bids for Regency-period stonework

08 November 2016

A Regency-style façade from Cirencester that has been in storage for a decade will be up for sale in Guildford later this month.

Rudd Desk

WR Harvey’s book and autumn exhibition celebrate 65 years in the business – and one notorious woman

04 November 2016

This mahogany and inlaid dressing table, which is on offer at WR Harvey Antiques 65th anniversary exhibition opening tomorrow, is remarkable in part because of its infamous original owner, an 18th century society woman whose crimes eventually sent two men to the gallows.

Dali's Mae West lip

Salvador Dalí artworks from West Dean House to go to auction

18 October 2016

A sofa in the form of Mae West’s lips and a lobster telephone are among the surrealist lots from West Dean House to go to auction in December.

Gordon Watson

Gordon Watson sells personal collection at auction

17 October 2016

Art and antiques dealer Gordon Watson sold part of his collection at auction last week, raising £842,939, including premium.

Mahogany commode at Woolley and Wallis

Going, Going, Gomm: mahogany commode bid to £28,000

14 October 2016

This early George III mahogany serpentine dressing commode with distinctive carved decoration forms part of a group thought to have been made by the London cabinet-maker William Gomm (c.1698-1780).

Mandarin Oriental hotel

Pelmets, plinths and pedestals: fixtures from top London hotel go to auction

13 October 2016

Fancy a piece of the opulent Mandarin Oriental hotel in your own living room?

Console tables at Mealy’

Console tables lead O’Reilly lots, selling at €145,000

08 October 2016

A pair of 18th century console tables led a selection of items previously owned by the former billionaire Sir Anthony O'Reilly offered at Irish auctioneers Mealy’s earlier this week.

Livery cupboard at Bonhams auction

Hidden attractions help cupboard to £60,000

07 October 2016

Livery cupboards are a pretty rare species in the oak lexicon but what makes the example shown here particularly unusual is its early date combined with the presence of drawers.

Japanese Meiji period shodhana

Ornate Japanese cabinet from Leicestershire house takes £34,000 at Gildings’ auction

06 October 2016

“It’s a super quality piece, the sort you can stand in front of for hours appreciating the quality and intricacy,” said Will Gilding in the wake of the sale of this Meiji period shodhana for £34,000.

Categories

News