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Page 8 The Antique Shoppe July, 2019
the style. The chairs themselves farther below the case of a chest
COMMON SENSE became taller and thinner as so that it was not hidden by the
heavy architectural molding that
did the individual elements of
ANTIQUES the chair. Seats and backs were surrounded the bottom edge of
the cabinet. This little detail gave
caned or rushed and occasionally
upholstered in leather. Some chairs, the chest a visual lift with a slight
By Fred Taylor particularly in the later American hint of “floating” above the feet.
Stretchers had previously been
version of the style, were fitted with
banister backs. (In this application, used between legs or posts, but
WILLIAM AND MARY banister is a corruption of the word the new style put a new twist on
them - they became serpentine and
baluster, the turned upright piece
COMFORT AND STYLE that supports the railing along a usually crossed under the center
flight of stairs.) The banister was of a piece with a finial installed
Everyone knows the basic in another religious dispute. Since split and installed in the chair over the junction. The use of this
antique furniture styles, right? the Huguenots were skilled textile so that the flat portion faced stylistic variation allowed a person
Queen Anne with the rounded chair workers and wood craftsmen, they forward forming a flat backrest. to sit closer to the edge of a table or
shoulders, vase shaped splat and provided much of the skilled labor Crest rails were arched or double console and was conducive to the
cabriole legs, Chippendale with the force that was about to be needed in arched and often highly carved or development of the dressing table,
ball and claw foot and the pierced the coming furniture revolution. decorated and usually supported by one of the earliest “use specific”
splat and of course William and elaborately turned stiles. Chair feet pieces of furniture.
Mary, one of those dark clunky old were often scroll or paintbrush, the One of the longest lasting of
English styles that used to be in so-called Spanish foot, actually a the new the new elements was the
castles in the Middle Ages. It falls Portuguese innovation that came general use of cast brass hardware,
in the same category as those other to England by way of Holland. replacing wooden handles and pulls.
clunky English styles like Jacobean, The castings were thin and irregular
Elizabethan and Tudor. since each was done individually
On the other hand, that is not ←This early 18th century maple and period castings show the imprint
the case at all. We owe more to and walnut highboy shows the of the sand in the mold as well as the
the William and Mary style than slender legs, trumpet turnings, marks left by the scrapers and files.
most people, even knowledgeable and wavy stretchers that help The brass surfaces were decorated
collectors, often realize. Why? And identify the style. (Skinner with chasings, designs punched or
who were William and Mary that we photo) scored on the surface. Originally
should be grateful to them? pieces of hardware were attached
WHO THEY WERE— William III to the wood surface by heavy cotter
(1650-1702), known as William of This chest, circa 1720, shows the pins driven through the thickness
Orange, was the son of the Dutch extended bun feet that let the of the surface and opened from
inside. While clever in theory, the
Prince of Orange and his English case “float” above the ground.
wife Mary. Young William III (MV Auctions photo)↓ impracticality of such a fastener
soon showed, and the post and bail
married another English woman
named Mary, who was his cousin pull, held in the wood by rough,
handmade screws appeared on the
and was the daughter of the King of
England, James II (1633-1701). It WHAT THEY DID— One scene in the early 18th century.
was confusing. of the most important THANKS TO THEM— Remnants
James II was a Catholic and when concepts in furniture of the original style can be seen in
a son was born from his second brought to England by both Colonial Revival and modern
marriage to Mary Modena, the Dutch William and his furniture in the form of slender ball
prospect of another Catholic king cabinetmakers was one that turned legs, serpentine stretchers,
inspired a coup which toppled James had not yet occurred to the butterfly drop leaf tables and chairs
from the throne in 1688 and installed English that of comfort. with upholstered seats and backs.
his Protestant daughter Mary on the English furniture had In short, the William and Mary
throne in 1689, along with her Dutch heretofore been designed to period gave us lighter furniture with
husband, William, whom she had promote the rank, status and pleasant lines, attractive cast brass
married in 1677. power of the owner, not to hardware and above all comfort -
When William arrived by provide comfort. thanks to Bill and his bride.
invitation in England in 1688, along Two other concepts were Send your comments, questions and pictures to
with his army of 14,000 Dutch also prominent in the new me at PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or email
troops, he also brought with him furniture style verticality them to me at info@furnituredetective.com
Visit Fred’s website www.furnituredetective.com
many of his Dutch craftsmen and and slenderness. The new pieces The style brought to the and check out the downloadable “Common Sense
their ideas of furniture making. of furniture tended to be taller and forefront several elements of Antiques” columns in .pdf format. His book “HOW
The Jacobean style, incidentally, slimmer than anything previously construction and decoration, TO BE A FURNITURE DETECTIVE” is now available
for $18.95 plus $3.00 shipping. Send check or
named for James’ father James I, made. They were accentuated with which while not exactly new, money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor, PO Box 215,
(1566-1625), (Jacob is Latin for long straight legs that sported new had never been featured so Crystal River, FL 34423
Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “IDENTIFICATION OF
James), had just about run its course trumpet turnings and new versions prominently. OLDER & ANTIQUE FURNITURE”, ($17.00 + $3.00
in England and the time was ripe of older ideas like ball, baluster Chief among these was the S&H) are also available at the same address. For
for a major change. This timing and ring turnings became smaller round bun - the turnip or Dutch more information call (800) 387-6377 (9AM-4PM
Eastern, M-F only), fax 352-563-2916, or e-mail
happily coincided with the influx of and crisper. Chairs showed the foot. A variation of the bun foot info@furnituredetective.com.
the Huguenots, driven from France most dramatic adaptations of used a dowel to extend the foot All items are also available directly from the
website, www.furnituredetective.com