When you hear the words ‘antique furniture’ what comes to mind? Such things could be what one may inherit from a grandmother’s dusty attic or it could be an elaborate creation worthy of The Victoria and Albert Museum in London. In our business we frequently deal with misconceptions and myths. It has often been our task and privilege to dispel these myths and rumors, joyfully enlightening newcomers to bring them into the fold of blissful antique collecting.
Early antique furniture was built for function to support a relatively nomadic lifestyle, and by today’s standards was primitive and simple. Some of the earliest examples of antique furniture were found in Egypt, but even earlier mentions of furniture are in the bible.
Over time creativity and ingenuity became more prevalent, such that now the museums of the world are filled with amazing examples of human expression of art and imagination.
“Imagination rules the world,” said Napoleon Bonaparte ~ and he should know, developing an entire style inspired by Egyptian archeological finds. As time goes on, each new discovery fuels our imagination, ushering in even more new eras of creativity and style.
From early in the 17th century to late in the 19th, the word antique referred to ancient
relics of the Greek and Roman civilizations. In 1838 John Britton, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London, helped to clarify the word, and since then ‘Antique’ is synonymous with “A term used by classical and other writers on the fine arts to imply such works of sculpture and architecture as belongs to the best times of the Greeks; hence it is synonymous with ‘beautiful’, ‘most excellent’, ‘perfect’, etc.…” How perfect was this statement, to usher in one of the most creative and romantic eras in European history!
In the 19th century antique furniture became synonymous with the best expressions of beauty and creation in both design and craft. By the late 1800’s antique furniture was acquired not just by the serious collector, but also by novices seduced by the romance and the allure of classical history.
A hundred years forward we are all just as mesmerized by the amazing works of art that our ancestors produced. John & I like to think we are maintaining this tradition with the ever-vigilant search for antique furniture that inspires our imagination. With every buying trip and every shipment we aim to deliver both the splendor of history and richness of European cultural heritage.
So the hunt continues for all the best antique art, antique design, antique architecture ~ and of course antique furniture! 
