Furniture History and Care
The division of periods from 1500 to 1800 and onwards into the ages of the Carpenter, Cabinet Maker and Designer is convenient because these terms suggest the type of furniture being produced.
In the earliest period, furniture was made by a Carpenter and was somewhat crude as these pieces were made purely for a purpose rather than an object of desire. Soon after 1660 (Restoration of Charles II to the throne) woodworkers began to specialise in furniture and so came the age of the Cabinet Maker. Lastly at about the middle of the eighteenth century, furniture began to be associated with the names of individual designers and craftsman (Chippendale, Adam, Hepplewhite etc), hence the term Age of Designer.
In this section:
The In-depth Story of English Furniture
The key periods in English furniture, from Tudor to Edwardian
Timeline
Periods in relation to the reign of British monarchs, important developments materials used and influential Designers
Furniture Terms Explained
From acanthus to zebrawood
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