Little Books About Old Furniture. Volume II. The Period of Queen Anne

In Short

This book provides a concise, illustrated survey of the furniture styles spanning the reigns of William and Mary through George I. By examining specific pieces—from cabriole-legged chairs and tallboy chests to lantern clocks—it documents a period of significant social and artistic change, fueled by Dutch influence and burgeoning trade. Eschewing romanticism, it presents a pragmatic look at the shift from heavy oak to refined walnut, offering readers a historical context for the domestic objects that became the foundation for later English design.

The Story

The narrative begins by clarifying a common misconception: the "Queen Anne" label is a matter of administrative convenience rather than a reflection of the monarch's personal taste. The period essentially functions as a bridge, marking the transition from the rigid, heavy oak traditions of the Stuart era to the more fluid, comfortable, and distinctly Dutch-influenced designs of the early eighteenth century. This shift represents the most significant evolution in English furniture history, one that would eventually pave the way for the later, more celebrated work of masters like Chippendale.

The book maps this evolution through the material realities of the age. As England experienced a surge in commercial activity, the merchant classes demanded more storage and greater domestic comfort. The heavy banqueting-hall furniture of the past vanished, replaced by versatile pieces suited for smaller, more intimate spaces. The author guides the reader through the rise of walnut-wood as the fashionable standard, noting both its beauty and its vulnerability to wood-boring insects. He traces the development of the "knee" in chair and table legs, the refinement of the mirror into a central piece of interior decor, and the necessity of writing desks to accommodate a society increasingly engaged in correspondence and trade.

The arc of the discussion moves from the architectural influences of the day—highlighting figures like Christopher Wren—to the fine details of interior life. The author paints a picture of a society defined by its coffee-houses, its love for Chinese porcelain, and its obsession with ornate periwigs. This cultural context is essential; the furniture was not designed in a vacuum but as a functional background for specific human behaviors, such as the elaborate fashion of the time and the rise of tea-drinking as a social ritual.

As the book approaches its conclusion, it shifts focus toward the specific crafts that flourished during this time, including the intricate art of "japanning" and the precision of clock-making. The author does not shy away from the darker realities of the era, acknowledging the extreme poverty of the laboring classes, who remained largely untouched by these material advancements. By the end, the reader is left with a portrait of a forty-year span that was brief yet dense with change. The story of this furniture is ultimately a story of adapting form to fit the human frame and the changing rhythms of a modernizing nation.

How It Unfolds

The shift in materials The author explains the movement away from traditional oak toward the lighter, more pliable walnut. He provides practical advice on identifying these older pieces and managing the common issue of insect damage.

The influence of foreign styles The narrative examines how the arrival of William of Orange in 1688 introduced Dutch design philosophies to English shores. This transition is framed as a quiet revolution, marked by a gradual move away from severe patterns toward more decorative, curved silhouettes.

The marriage of form and function A significant beat focuses on the chair, which underwent a deliberate transformation to accommodate the human shape rather than forcing the body to adapt to the furniture. This section highlights the emergence of the cabriole leg and the ergonomic shaping of backrests.

The role of specialized trades The latter chapters explore the craftsmanship behind mirrors, clocks, and cabinets. The author highlights the rise of the named artist-craftsman, transitioning from the anonymous joinery of previous centuries to the individual expertise of clockmakers and cabinetmakers.

The culture of the hobbyist The final sections reveal how the elite classes engaged with furniture design, notably through the amateur pursuit of "japanning." This demonstrates how global trade and exotic influences reached directly into the domestic spheres of the English gentry.

The People

While the book focuses on objects, it centers its human narrative on three distinct categories of people. First are the sovereigns and architects, most notably William III and Sir Christopher Wren. The author uses these figures to establish the period's aesthetic tone, framing them as conduits for the continental influences—particularly Dutch and Italian—that reshaped English domestic spaces.

Second are the craftsmen, such as Grinling Gibbon and the clockmaker Anthony Marsh. Through these men, the reader sees the transition from the artisan as a mere laborer to the artisan as an artist. The author treats their work with deep respect, pointing to the "Stoning of St. Stephen" as evidence of Gibbon’s ingenuity, while presenting clockmakers like Marsh as stewards of a tradition defined by individual, hand-wrought precision that factory production would eventually erode.

Finally, there are the merchants and the gentry, the primary consumers of this furniture. The author is careful to contrast their lives with the "paupers" who made up one-fifth of the population. These consumers are depicted as participants in a society obsessed with status, whether through the size of their periwigs or the quantity of their Chinese porcelain. By documenting the "drunkards’ chairs" and the card tables built for these elites, the author reveals a class defined by its pursuit of social display, comfort, and the new, lively rituals of urban life in London’s coffee-houses.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the disconnect between the royal presence and the actual artisans of the era:

"Therefore when we write of the 'Queen Anne period' we do not refer to the influence of the undistinguished lady who for twelve years occupied the throne of England."

Reflecting on the change in chair design that prioritized the sitter's comfort:

"An essential and highly important development is at this period particularly noticeable in the chair, which is now adapted to the human frame instead of, as heretofore, the human frame having to adapt itself to the chair."

On the enduring, if imperfect, legacy of Grinling Gibbon’s decorative wood-carving:

"His fancy is lavish and his finish in this particular work has never been surpassed in this country; but it is doubtful whether his work is not overdone, and as such may not appeal to the purer taste."

What It's Really About

The book is fundamentally an argument for the historical importance of the "Queen Anne" style as the birth of modern English domesticity. It posits that furniture is not merely decorative but a record of social and economic evolution. The central theme is the triumph of convenience and adaptation: the way an age of commerce, coffee-houses, and expanding global trade forced the English home to abandon the rigid, static forms of the past. It asks the reader to look past the superficial beauty of walnut and lacquer to see the underlying necessity of these objects. Ultimately, it argues that our modern standard of comfort finds its direct, material roots in the transitional, pragmatic creativity of these forty years.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in design history or the material culture of the eighteenth century will find this work invaluable. It is written with a refreshing lack of pretension; the author cares deeply about the wood, the joinery, and the provenance of a piece, yet he is entirely honest about the fact that much of this furniture was made to suit the fleeting, and sometimes absurd, fashions of its time.

The experience of reading it feels like a tour through an old, well-kept shop with an expert who is more interested in the mechanics of a drawer than in inflating its market value. You will appreciate the author's grounded perspective on antiques—he frequently reminds the reader that a piece’s value is not solely defined by the price tag, but by its history and the ingenuity of its construction.

Be aware that the book reflects the class-conscious attitudes of its 1911 publication date. The author is forthright about the stark division between the wealthy consumers of fine furniture and the impoverished majority. While the prose is clear and accessible, readers should be prepared for an older, slightly formal British rhythm in the writing. If you enjoy understanding the "how" and "why" behind the items we live with, this book offers a window into a pivotal era that remains strikingly relevant to our own domestic habits.