| cting antique furniture can be a very expensive hobby, | | | | Renaissance period, so this would have been around |
| however if you love the finer things in life and have | | | | 1602-1649, another style would emerge. This style |
| money to spend, there is no reason why you should | | | | would be known as Jacobean. |
| prevent yourself from buying antique furniture for your | | | | This marked yet another subtle change in design as |
| personal use. | | | | furniture became simpler and restrained in comparison |
| If you are an investor, antique furniture, when carefully | | | | to how it was during the Elizabethan period. In the |
| preserved and cared for, can also be a good | | | | United States, this type of furniture is often referred to |
| investment, especially if the items you have are | | | | as Pilgrim furniture. |
| extremely rare. | | | | After the Elizabethan period where tapestries and fine |
| Whatever your purpose for collecting and buying | | | | linen were the eye catching items, during the early part |
| antique furniture, it is important that you have some | | | | of the Jacobean era, wood would once again |
| knowledge, or at least access to knowledge through | | | | dominate the furniture scene. Oak antique furniture as |
| an expert, of the pieces that you are interested in. If | | | | well as walnut were once again popular. During the |
| you are a new collector, it is often advisable to visit a | | | | time of Charles I however, padded upholstery and |
| dealer or furniture maker so that you can seek some | | | | more intricate embroidery did become more en vogue. |
| appropriate advice and guidance, which most experts | | | | Some experts also believe that the Moorish influence |
| would be more than willing to do. | | | | can also be seen in furniture styles during this period. |
| It is widely believed that English antique furniture was | | | | Pieces of antique furniture that were made during the |
| largely influenced by European furniture design, | | | | renaissance period are nowadays very rare, valuable |
| although you will still see subtle differences between | | | | and often very sought after. In fact many pieces of |
| the two styles. This article will cover English furniture | | | | furniture that were made during this period are |
| styles and designs starting from the Renaissance | | | | preserved and can only be seen in museums. |
| period, up until the Baroque period. | | | | The Baroque Period |
| The Renaissance Period | | | | The style of furniture during the early part of the |
| Arguably the most popular style of furniture during this | | | | Baroque period was called Restoration or Carolean |
| era was Tudor furniture, which was influenced by | | | | and was the period when Charles II regained the |
| European style. Tudor pieces were generally made | | | | throne. This also signalled a change in preference as |
| from oak and were greatly influenced by both | | | | instead of the ever popular oak, people tended to |
| Medieval and Gothic designs. Most pieces of antique | | | | prefer mahogany and walnut for their furniture. |
| furniture produced during this period tended to be beds, | | | | During this interesting period both French and Dutch art |
| chests, dining tables, stools, benches and chairs. | | | | greatly influenced the style of pieces of furniture. This |
| Carvings that are found on pieces of Tudor furniture | | | | meant that canned seats, twisted legs, veneering and |
| are usually Gothic-inspired designs. | | | | engraved scrolls were all evident in the furniture pieces |
| Another style of furniture that emerged during this | | | | during this time. |
| particular era was the Elizabethan style. Many believe | | | | The latter part of the Baroque period was considered |
| that furniture makers in England during the time of | | | | by some as the golden era of English antique furniture. |
| Queen Elizabeth were greatly influenced by their Italian | | | | During this period England was under the rule of William |
| counterparts. Apart from using the ever popular oak, | | | | and Mary, and Queen Anne. This lead to ebony and |
| another type of wood that was favoured and | | | | walnut veneers, as well as fine cabinetmaking |
| commonly used during this period was walnut. | | | | becoming very popular. Detail and designs such as |
| The furniture during this period was almost unadorned | | | | trumpet-shaped legs also emerged for the first time. |
| and somewhat bare in appearance. Instead of having | | | | This is widely considered to be quite an interesting time |
| really ornate chairs and tables with pretty designs and | | | | in the history of English antique furniture, as it was also |
| great detail, people preferred to show their opulence | | | | the time when English craftsmen who had studied |
| and extravagance through their tapestries and carpets. | | | | foreign styles intensely, began to experiment with their |
| This meant that fine linen, needlework, embroidered | | | | own individual styles and design. |
| cushions and silk hangings were more of a focal point, | | | | The next style of antique furniture that would emerge |
| as were brass and pewter cups too. | | | | was the Rococo style, and this will be covered in the |
| Fast forwarding through to the latter part of the | | | | second part of this article. |