What Is Queen Anne Furniture
Queen Anne furniture is a style of furniture that was popular during the early 18th century. The style is characterized by its use of straight lines and simple geometry, as well as its focus on comfort and functionality. Queen Anne furniture was influenced by the Dutch and Flemish styles of the 17th century, as well as by the English Restoration style of the late 17th century. The style began to decline in popularity during the mid-18th century, but it has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years. Today, Queen Anne furniture is highly sought-after by collectors and antique enthusiasts.
Is Queen Anne furniture out of style
The Queen Anne style of furniture has been a popular option among English and American furniture collectors for hundreds of years, and it continues to be a popular choice today.
From original period colonial furnishings to modern reproductions, the elegant and articulated designs can present an excellent addition to your interior and your collections of fine antique furniture. Unlike some areas of collecting antiques, there are excellent examples of Queen Anne furniture that come to market for sale. There is never a better time than now to take advantage of this fascinating period of 18th-century furniture.
What year is Queen Anne furniture
Although furniture in the style of the Queen Anne style is still produced today, appraisers believe that Queen Anne furniture was produced during the years of the 1720s and the 1750s.
Queen Anne furniture history
The Queen Anne style of furniture design evolved before, during, and after the reign of Queen Anne, who reigned from 1702 to 1714. The term “Queen Anne” was first used to refer to the style more than a century after it became popular. Queen Anne furniture was popular in England from the 1720s until about 1750. However, Queen Anne furniture continued to be made in the United States until the early 1800s. While the style is primarily associated with pieces from the 18th century, many examples from the 19th and 20th centuries are still being created today.
A Departure From The Style of William and Mary
The style of William and Mary furniture is a style that originated during the 17th century and was characterized by heavy shapes that included rich scrollwork, organic accents, and decorations. Queen Anne furniture sought to introduce functional shapes that were lightweight that could be easily moved around an interior.
In the United States, the emergence of Queen Anne styles in the 1720s and 1730s corresponded to the emergence of new colonial affluence and the growing immigration of trained British artisans to the colonies. In contrast to William and Mary furniture, characterized by straight lines and the use of curves for decoration, Queen Anne furniture incorporates C-scrolls, S-scrolls, and ogee (S-curve) shapes into the structure furniture itself. In addition, Queen Anne furniture is characterized by the use of a curved base. This was in significant contrast to the previous 17th-century and William and Mary styles, which prominently included inlay, figured veneers, paint, and rigid geometric elements.
How do you identify Queen Anne furniture?
Compared to older furniture styles such as pieces from the William and Mary era (1695 through the mid-1720s), Queen Anne furniture is lighter and less bulky in appearance. As a result, it is generally considered minimalist compared to other styles. This was in significant contrast to the previous 17th-century and William and Mary styles, which prominently included inlay, figured veneers, paint, and carving. Compared to a more rigid or blocky design style, Queen Anne furniture implements smooth “s” shaped curves and lines, which is one of the most distinguishing characteristics of Queen Anne furniture.
Smoothly curved and rounded cabriole legs or S-curve chair backs, including yoke-shaped top rail vase-shaped back splats, are the obvious signs of the Queen Anne Style. Although some Queen Anne items are decorated with delicate fan or shell patterns, many examples remain undecorated. The cabriole leg was also one of the most identifiable features of Queen Anne furniture; the use of cabriole legs was influenced by the French cabinetmakers and the Rococo style, which were popular during the reign of Louis XV of France. With its thickly padded chairs and back supports influenced by ergonomics, Queen Anne seating was the ultimate blend of elegance and comfort.
What wood is Queen Anne furniture made of?
Queen Anne furniture is commonly constructed of woods such as maple, cherry, walnut, and mahogany. These woods have primarily supplanted the extensive usage of oak, which had previously been the dominant wood used in previous furniture styles.
Foot Types Used In The Construction of Queen Anne Furniture
While some believe that an additional hallmark of this design is the use of pad feet, many examples of Queen Anne furniture also involve using the claw and ball foot.
The Use of Lacquers and Lacquerware In Queen Anne Furniture
The use of Japanning is an exception to the general Queen Anne trend of modest decoration, which may be seen throughout the period. When it came to japanned decoration, red, green, and gold were the hues that were most frequently used. It is possible to find examples of Chinese export Queen Anne furniture that contain surface decorative inlay with mother of pearl and colored examples with red lacquer that are close to the hue of Chinese cinnabar lacquerware, among other things. These elements heavily contributed to the style of Chinoiserie.
Chinoiserie is a style that has a distinct look that blended the East Asian aesthetic traditions and interpreted and imitated them in the context of European art forms and decorative arts.
An example of a Chippendale Chair
Similarities To Chippendale Furniture
As the later Chippendale style progressively superseded the earlier Queen Anne style, objects from the late Queen Anne and early Chippendale periods are very similar to one another, and the two styles are sometimes confused for one another. Chippendale furniture was typically characterized by molder, more grandiose patterns, as well as sharper or more stiff edges and components.
What Is Queen Anne Furniture Worth
For examples of Queen Anne furniture, as with other antique furniture, collectibles, and home furnishings, individuals seeking to add Queen Anne furniture to their house’s decor could expect to pay anything from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars for such pieces.
An 18th-century era example of Queen Anne furniture may be purchased for $3000-$5000, but notable specimens can fetch upwards of $30,000-$50,000 and hundreds of thousands of dollars for significant pieces.
You may undoubtedly discover bargains when searching for Queen Anne furniture online, including pieces that have had replacements, pieces that have been refinished, and pieces that have been fixed or refinished.
Queen Anne furniture from England is typically less valuable than Queen Anne furniture from the United States, so English examples may be the way to go if you want the appearance. American examples may be of particular interest to other collectors of good American furniture if you are seeking high-quality investments, so keep an eye out for them.
If you are searching for a more customized version of a historical design for your house, modern replicas of that style are also available. D.R. Dimes, Baker, and Stickley are some of the companies that make high-quality examples of these sorts of tables, chairs, cabinets, and dressers. Obtaining an antique appraisal may be necessary if you are unclear of what you have or want to know the worth of a possible acquisition.
Reading And More Information
Author Pamela Wiggins has helpful articles on the subject of arts and antiques and a great article on Chippendale furniture, which is valuable to understanding Queen Anne furniture and opposing styles. The bookQueen Anne Furniture: History, Design, and Construction by Norman Vadal is an excellent book on the subject for more reading.
