Relevant categories: Dressers and Sideboards,Tables,Desks
(Above photo - Antique Gothic Desk Writing Table - Irish President Mary Robinson Oireachtas )
Irish antiques come with unique characteristics that distinguish them from others that were made in Great Britain or the Americas. In this article, we shall concentrate on the distinctive features of furniture made in Ireland more than 100 years ago. Compared to English furniture, Irish antiques are thought to have lagged in design and manufacturing methods. As such, they are bound to have unique characteristics, including the following:
Elaborate Carvings
(Above photo - Antique Irish Centre Table - Walnut Circa 1860 ) One of the main characteristics of Irish antiques is the elaborate carvings appearing on various parts of bottle-stands, blanket chests, aprons, and so on. The most common patterns in the carvings of the mid-eighteenth century included scallop shells, bouquets, and foliated details. So, if you get Irish furniture from that period, they are likely to have a combination of those details.
Plain Tables
(Above photo - Irish Centre Table - Antique Rosewood Circa 1860 ) However, some of the Irish furniture pieces were completely plain, without any carvings. For example, the Irish Hunt Table had straight legs and a simple elegance bereft of any detailed carvings. These tables were common in dining rooms in rural farmhouses, agent’s houses, and large landholder houses. Another simplistic piece of furniture is the Irish Silver table with an elegant yet minimalistic design.
Double-Scrolled Legs
(Above photo - Irish Mahogany Sideboard Server Ireland Tables ) Several types of Irish furniture were made during the eighteenth century including tables and chests of drawers. For example, you may find Irish side tables with a unique double-scrolled leg. The legs usually have acanthus carvings and paw feet that were widespread in Ireland but rare in England. Also, the inside led might have a carving of the elongated C-scroll – a triple scroll that was commonly used by Irish furniture designers.
Other Carvings
Prominent Irish antiques also include cabinets with carvings of flanked flower swags, lion masks, and Jupiter’s eagles. In chairs, it wasn’t uncommon to find the “H-shapes serpentine stretcher” as part of the carvings. By that time, furniture makers in England had moved on in terms of furniture design. However, there seemed to be a clear overlap between English and Irish furniture. That’s because Irish furniture makers relied on English pattern books while maintaining the unique Irish carvings.
Killarney Ware
This was another distinctive feature of Irish furniture is the use of Killarney ware, which was an Arbutus wood sourced from Killarney County Kerry. The inlay featured a unique design that came out in mid-19th-century Ireland. As such, Irish furniture remain distinctively unique from the predominant English pieces of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.
Materials
Irish antiques were mostly made from mahogany, walnut, ebony, and so on. Exotic woods became common after the new-found lands became a source of ebony and other types of wood. Therefore, you are likely to find Iris antiques created using different types of materials.
Conclusion
(Above photo - Pair Mahogany Peat Bucket Planters Brass Fittings ) You can find Irish antiques on display in several stores in Ireland and the UK. In their collections, antique sellers have bottle stores, side tables, fold card tables, armchairs, buttoned footstools, and gilt bronze perfume boxes. Besides, you will also find cupboards, beds, kneehole desks, dressers, wine coolers, chairs, refectory dining tables, and bookcases.
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