By Anne Gilbert
The look of 16TH to 17th century English oak furniture has decorated many a home since it was first created . Reproductions have been made over the centuries. Perhaps you have one of the many examples, handed down in your family that was popular during the early 20th century ?
What recently fascinated me was the collection of Sara and Bob Hunt coming to a July Skinner auction. The Hunts were avid collectors and their collection included examples of early oak English furniture and accessories from the 16th to early 20th century. The early 20th century reproductions had estimates in the hundreds of dollars. 17th century reproductions were estimated in the low thousands while a 16th century table could sell for as much as $20,000.00.
The category of early English oak furniture of interest to collectors covers 1550 to the 1670s. If you are interested there are plenty of 20th century reproductions. Just be sure you are paying for a reproduction not an authentic piece.
Consider the Gothic style that lasted from 1100 to 1550, when the arches, trefoils and curves were replaced by the Renaissance style. Gothic came into fashion for the second time in England from the late 18th to the last quarter of the 19th century. From the 1870s Gothic furnishings were fashionable in France, the continent and America as well. So did other forms of English oak furniture, such as Jacobean and William and Mary.
CLUES: These days as the Hunt collection proves, it is acceptable to include reproductions in an early English oak furniture collection. It is however, anybody’s guess how prices will fare in the future.
With many homes having smaller room sizes the heavy look of these early oak tables and court cupboards may not fit in. However, the lighter look of William and Mary pieces
Faking was done around the 1870s with Gothic-style cupboards and chests made in Germany in the 1870s. Often the pieces were “married” using old and new parts.
Research the designs before spending too much.
PHOTO CAPTIONS 1: Oak court cupboard, 17th century.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sara and Bob Hunt Collection, Skinner Auctions
PHOTO 2: William & Mary -style oak dressing table. 20th century
PHOTO CREDIT: Sara & Bob Hunt Collection, Skinner Auctions
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