| Like many things, furniture themes seem to come and | | | | reflected in the materials used. Wood was almost |
| go frequently. Victorian theme furniture, however, | | | | exclusively used with very little metal. The darkest |
| definitely has shown staying power through the years. | | | | woods available were usually the first choice. Dark |
| The Victorian period in England was named for Queen | | | | mahogany with a reddish tint added was the favorite. |
| Victoria who enjoyed the longest reign in English | | | | Rosewood, black walnut, and bog oak were alternate |
| history. The period extends for sixty four years, from | | | | choices. Cabinets were large and solid, as were tables |
| 1837-1901, and was a time of major changes in | | | | and beds. |
| England. When the period began, England was mostly | | | | The theme spread across Europe during the period, |
| an agrarian society, and when it ended it was almost | | | | and also to America. Although it made some inroads in |
| totally industrialized. Victorian came to be the name | | | | the United States prior to the Civil War and influenced |
| given to many things in this time frame. It referred to | | | | some of the more native themes, it never really took |
| architecture and art, but also to the social and moral | | | | hold as it did in England. One of the biggest influences |
| changes that took place during this period. It is said that | | | | that Victorian theme furniture had was in its rejection |
| this was a time of as rapid social changes as our era | | | | by many furniture makers who searched for |
| is of rapid technological change. | | | | replacement themes. This search led to the |
| What is the most surprising thing about the period is | | | | introduction of the Art-Nouveau theme, and a revival |
| that despite the great variety of ground breaking social | | | | of Gothic theme. It was almost as if furniture makers |
| ideas and scientific advances of the time, the people | | | | were looking for anything to replace Victorian. |
| became very stuffy and proper. The furniture theme | | | | Today, the Victorian era is viewed as a period where |
| followed this trend rather than the free thinking trend. | | | | feelings were repressed, and its furniture is seen as a |
| Victorian furniture, in a word, was stuffy. This was | | | | reflection of this. It is very much a theme of the past. In |
| best illustrated with chairs of the time that actually had | | | | fact, Victorian theme furniture is often what one thinks |
| large puffy cushions that were stuffed. The theme is | | | | of when they hear the word antique. Despite this |
| marked by a rather out of control sense of what is | | | | reproduction Victorian furniture continues to be made, |
| ornate. Carvings and thematic carvings were typical, | | | | and collectors avidly search for rare original pieces in |
| but it tended to be willy nilly rather than following the | | | | high price auctions or flea markets. Usually, these |
| motifs that marked earlier and even later themes. | | | | pieces will be used in home decoration as an |
| It was a time of denial and repression and this was | | | | interesting accessory rather than a theme. |