A late change of venue turned to our advantage when we went to ‘English and Continental Antiques’ in Eye for an evening talk, instead of meeting at Alburgh with Denton school. The antique shop owner, Steve, last year bought the shop next door, thereby enlarging his showroom, so we were able to look at oak, walnut, mahogany and even a piece of mulberry furniture while we were there. Steve also has a selection of oil paintings, rural scenes, naval themes, portraits with impressive frames – all very desirable!
He had arranged for us to sit in the showroom while he showed us slides of furniture, illustrating the development of furniture design from oak coffers and upright chairs of the Elizabethan era, to the Edwardian chests of drawers from the early twentieth century. He has in the shop a pair of Queen Anne marquetry dining chairs, and a selection of furniture from the seventeenth century onwards, and showed us slides of tables with pedestal feet, ball and claw legs, tapered legs, large refectory tables, and more modest gate leg tables. Throughout his talk he was telling us the background history which influenced the furniture, from the hand made to the introduction of mass production during the mid-Victorian period, how the Battle of Trafalgar and the death of Nelson influenced the design of rope twists on chair backs, and ‘sarcophagus’ tea caddies.
We enjoyed refreshments there, and Steve kindly looked at several ‘treasures’ we had taken along, ranging from a Chinese dish to some silver ware, a pretty French serving dish to a William 1V decorated truncheon. He had printed an information sheet for us, so we all now know, or at least can refer to! periods and styles with dates, such as Jacobean, Restoration, Regency, Gothic, Baroque, etc.
Thank you Jane M. for organising a very interesting evening.