#Georgian furniture

[mary-maud]

York Castle Museum (I think), autumn 2024

[the-young-georgian]

I've been trying to reorganize my sewing/crafting table recently. I don't have the means to do any woodworking at home, so I bought a little wooden crate and wooden tabletop set of drawers with the intention of painting them. After some debating with myself, I think I'm going to try my hand at recreating 18th and early 19th century Pennsylvanian Dutch motifs. I love the blue that is often used as a background, as well as the common elements of tulips, vines, stars, and hearts. I also love that its a style that does not require perfection in its execution. Symmetry is part of the design, but many examples are clearly handpainted and not every element is 100% identical. Some use stencils, which i might try to make later.

I collected a lot of images on Pinterest and many don't have good references with them, so I'm sorry I can't properly credit some of these, but unlike my day job, I don't need to point to an exact date, place, and collection to like the design and be inspired by it.

So here are some of my favorite pieces that I think are a great look at late Colonial and early Federal painted furniture of Pennsylvania and Virginia:

From the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, dated 1795:

From the Met, dated c. 1780:

From Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, dated 1800-1820:

From the Philadelphia Museum of Art, dated 1776:

From a 2017 auction catalog, early 19th century:

Also from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, dated 1720-1740:

[thakefurniture]

Fine quality Regency mahogany bracket clock by Robert Molyneux. The arched case with ebony and brass inlaywork and enclosing the painted dial, with roman numerals, blue steel hands and signed by the maker.

[vintagehomecollection]

Deck & Patio Styles, 1996

[antiquateduk]

Characteristic Features of Georgian Antiques

Georgian antiques range from the period of 18th century to mid 19th century. These antiques are much lighter and refined as compared to Gothic style furniture.

Since Georgian furniture was highly decorated and accessorized, in the early ages only the very rich and royal families could afford it. It was not intended for the common man.

Later on, these pieces of antiques became smaller and more focused towards the common man. The main focus of Georgian furniture was on fine lines and small petite structures. It usually had neutral colours. Brass was commonly used and there were carvings of egg and dart, shell and lions head patterns. Since Georgian furniture made use of mahogany, it was more durable and lasted much longer than walnut based furniture. Mahogany is also water resistant and highly resistant against pests.

Georgian furniture had a wide range of dressers, card tables, console tables, book cases and much more. They were extremely useful and long lasting, although a little on the higher side when it came to price. This was because of the extensive carving and decoration that marked the whole essence of Georgian antique furniture. Arts, literature, and architecture were all highly depicted by the extremely precise carvings and just the right amount of decoration to make the furniture durable.

Couches and chairs of the era were also made beautifully with the use of mahogany. Antique Georgian furniture is the right choice for those who want different kinds of antiques in their homes. We have some fine examples of Georgian Antiques at our antiques shop West Sussex. Do drop by to have a look at our extensive collection.

[illustratus]

Reading of the Will by Otto Erdmann

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Settee, late 1700s, France.

[artschoolglasses]

Writing Table, made 1774-80 by David Roentgen

From the Victoria & Albert Museum

[kristabella]

Antique Gold Mounted Citrine Desk Seal, Circa 1815

The gold mounted carved citrine desk seal of Charles William Vane, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, who was also the 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (1778-1854), Cavalry General, aide-de-camp to King George III, politician, Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, participated in the French Revolutionary Wars (1794) and Napoleonic Wars, in 1813 Envoy Extraordinary with the allied armies in Germany, Ambassador to Vienna (Austria) between 1814 and 1823, Lord of the Bedchamber to the King, Knight Companion of the Bath, and Knight of the Garter. The tapered faceted citrine handle is embellished with a chased gold floral mount. The swivel three sided seal is finely engraved with two armorials and an inscription in German. The principal coat of arms with two cavalry men is bearing the motto ‘METUENDA COROLLA DRACONIS’ (Fear the Dragon’s Crest) on the ribbon below the crest. Another coat of arms is bearing the motto of the Order of the Bath ‘TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO’ (Three Joined in One) around the crowned shield. The presents of the inscription in German indicates that the seal was commissioned while the owner resided in German speaking countries – Germany or Austria. Total length 84 mm (3 1/4 in.)

[history-bowes]

Secret Compartments!

Did you know that many pieces of Georgian furniture, such as desks and chests, contained hidden compartments?

In the Georgian era access to banks was limited and safety deposits boxes were not invented to the nineteenth century. Consequently, the Georgians needed a safe hiding place for their valuables, such as house deeds, jewellery and cash.

This led to the common practice of building secret compartments into furniture to hide one’s valuables from thieving servants or house guests.

Therefore, if you ever buy any Georgian furniture make sure you check it for secret compartments!

[mcmansionhell]

namesake mcmansion

Howdy folks! Today's McMansion is very special because a) we're returning to Maryland after a long time and b) because the street this McMansion is on is the same as my name. (It was not named after me.) Hence, it is my personal McMansion, which I guess is somewhat like when people used to by the name rights to stars even though it was pretty much a scam. (Shout out btw to my patron Andros who submitted this house to be roasted live on the McMansion Hell Patreon Livestream)

As far as namesake McMansions go, this one is pretty good in the sense that it is high up there on the ol' McMansion scale. Built in 2011, this psuedo-Georgian bad boy boasts 6 bedrooms and 9.5 baths, all totaling around 12,000 square feet. It'll run you 2.5 million which, safe to say, is exponentially larger than its namesake's net worth.

Now, 2011 was an anonymous year for home design, lingering in the dead period between the 2008 black hole and 2013 when the market started to actually, finally, steadily recover. As a result a lot of houses from this time basically look like 2000s McMansions but slightly less outrageous in order to quell recession-era shame.

I'm going to be so serious here and say that the crown molding in this room is a crime against architecture, a crime against what humankind is able to accomplish with mass produced millwork, and also a general affront to common sense. I hate it so much that the more I look at it the more angry I become and that's really not healthy for me so, moving on.

Actually, aside from the fake 2010s distressed polyester rug the rest of this room is literally, basically Windows 98 themed.

I feel like the era of massive, hefty sets of coordinated furniture are over. However, we're the one's actually missing out by not wanting this stuff because we will never see furniture made with real wood instead of various shades of MDF or particleboard ever again.

This is a top 10 on the scale of "least logical kitchen I've ever seen." It's as though the designers engineered this kitchen so that whoever's cooking has to take the most steps humanly possible.

Do you ever see a window configuration so obviously made up by window companies in the 1980s that you almost have to hand it to them? You're literally letting all that warmth from the fire just disappear. But whatever I guess it's fine since we basically just LARP fire now.

Feminism win because women's spaces are prioritized in a shared area or feminism loss because this is basically the bathroom vanity version of women be shopping? (It's the latter.)

I couldn't get to all of this house because there were literally over a hundred photos in the listing but there are so many spaces in here that are basically just half-empty voids, and if not that then actually, literally unfinished. It's giving recession. Anyway, now for the best part:

Not only is this the NBA Backrooms but it's also just a nonsensical basketball court. Tile floors? No lines? Just free balling in the void?

Oh, well I bet the rear exterior is totally normal.

Not to be all sincere about it but much like yours truly who has waited until the literal last second to post this McMansion, this house really is the epitome of hubris all around. Except the house's hubris is specific to this moment in time, a time when gas was like $2/gallon. It's climate hubris. It's a testimony to just how much energy the top 1% of income earners make compared to the rest of us. I have a single window unit. This house has four air conditioning condensers. That's before we get to the monoculture, pesticide-dependent lawn or the three car garage or the asphalt driveway or the roof that'll cost almost as much as the house to replace. We really did think it would all be endless. Oops.

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[thakefurniture]

Fine quality Regency rosewood desk tray, with brass inlay and a shaped carry handle. Circa. 1815

[elizaakatee]

Pockerley Old Hall @ Beamish Living Museum

[antiquesandfineartnet]

Home - Yola Gray Antiques & Interiors | Antique Shop - Cheshire

[crimson-revolt]

Atlanta Patio A mid-sized transitional backyard patio design with a roof addition is an example.