The Big Steal (38 page)

America's Centennial in 1876 came at the height of the Victorian era. But once the public saw so many exhibits of Colonial furniture, the old designs once again became popular. As a result, a huge Colonial Revival movement began. Once again Queen Anne, Chippendale, and Federal (Hepplewhite and Sheraton) designs were popular, and by the turn into the twentieth century, classical or Colonial styles dominated the home furnishing market, lasting until the 1950s when Modernism came in. As a result, much of the furniture found for sale today may look as if it were made in the eighteenth century but is actually Colonial Revival and not true
period
furniture.

Some of those later-made pieces were carefully crafted, either by individual craftsmen or small shops that turned out just a few pieces at a time, or by fine manufacturers who copied original pieces line for line. But many of the pieces made between 1910 and the 1930s took several design elements and combined them—the result being a mongrel. The two pieces illustrated below are examples of that era.

Colonial Revival chair circa 1915

Colonial Revival chest of drawers circa 1930

Looking first at the feet and legs of the chair, you see what look like rounded Sheraton legs. Yet the chair's back has a Queen Anne–style center splat, while the top or crest rail is straight, not arched at the sides, though the center has the same design that was present at the top (pediment) of the Queen Anne highboy.

The chest, on the other hand, has Queen Anne cabriole legs, while the drawer section has the heavier, straight lines associated with the Chippendale era, and the mirror perched on top is right out of the Victorian period—plus the bold herring-bone veneer used on the drawers was a popular design element used in the 1920s and 1930s, but never in the eighteenth century. (Eighteenth-century tools couldn't cut pieces of veneer that large to glue onto the drawer fronts.)

When you are trying to date a piece that combines lots of design elements, remember that the piece cannot be any older than the most recent design incorporated in it. This means that, though the chair has some Queen Anne elements (1702 – 1750s), the Sheraton legs didn't come into fashion until the later 1780s. So this couldn't possibly be a Queen Anne chair—even though it was called that by the manufacturer. But could the chair date from the 1780s? No. The whole design is wrong for the eighteenth century.

Though French and Continental furnishings like many of those Sterling sees at Wynderly are not as popular in America as American and English designs, they are glamorous and quite elegant, and you should know that reproductions of eighteenth-century French period pieces have been made since
the nineteenth century. Fine French period pieces usually are very costly.

The three most popular French styles found in shops, malls, and auction houses in America are Louis XV, Louis XVI, and French Provincial. To distinguish between the two very formal and highly decorative Louis periods, once again check out the feet and legs first. The two commodes shown below illustrate the difference perfectly. The curvy lines of the Louis XV legs and base are carried throughout the piece, as are the straighter lines of the Louis XVI commode. Louis XV and XVI pieces are often gilded, have gilt mounts, and are elaborately inlaid with different colors of woods (parquetry—geometric designs; marquetry—floral or scenic designs).

Louis XV commode circa 1750–60

Louis XVI commode circa 1785

French Provincial chest circa1780 – 1810

On the other hand, French Provincial pieces are just what the name implies—a simpler, toned-down rendering of the fancier or “citified” Louis XV and XVI designs. Without the gilding, fancy mounts, and elaborate inlay, the styles are more informal—appropriate for country living. So though the lines of French Provincial furniture can be curvy or straighter, instead of being made from expensive, highly finished woods, these more rustic pieces have a look all their own.

I hope this guide provides a helpful beginning step to understanding more about antique periods and fashions as well as fakes, and will leave you more confident and less timid about asking questions of those who are happy to share their knowledge with you.

Happy antiquing!

E
MYL
J
ENKINS
is a longtime antiques appraiser. She has worked at two auction houses and has written numerous books and articles on antiques, as well as a syndicated column. She is the author of
Emyl Jenkins' Appraisal Book, Emyl Jenkins' Southern Christmas, The Book of American Traditions, From Storebought to Homemade
, and
Stealing with Style
, among others. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

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a novel by Brock Clarke

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Saving the World
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a novel by Julia Alvarez

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and
In the Time of the Butterflies
, Alvarez captures the worlds of two women living two centuries apart but with surprisingly parallel fates.

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Breakfast with Buddha
, a novel by Roland Merullo

When his sister tricks him into taking her guru, a crimson-robed monk, on a trip to their childhood home, Otto Ringling, a confirmed skeptic, is not amused. Six days on the road with an enigmatic holy man who answers every question with a riddle is not what he'd planned. But along the way, Otto is given the remarkable opportunity to see his world—and more important, his life—through someone else's eyes.

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