English Furniture

The story of English furniture really begins in the sixteenth century, when crude medieval tables and stools gave way to more sophisticated, jointed designs. This Tudor furniture is the earliest to survive in any quantity, and it is where John Bly begins his history of English furniture. Changing fashions, influences, materials, and manufacturing techniques have all had an impact on English furniture, causing it to change over the decades, sometimes quite suddenly. Each of these changes is fully explained, as oak gives way to walnut, and then mahogany; as furniture becomes finer and more formal and the great names – Chippendale, Sheraton and Hepplewhite – emerge. This seminal work concludes with a masterclass in detecting the alterations and fakery that can significantly affect the value of a piece of furniture.