English “Brown” Furniture Suffering

Today we witness the decline of the value of traditional English furniture and decorations, once beloved by members of the Western world’s “upper class” until the late 20th century.

I trained at the Victoria & Albert Museum in the Decorative Arts Department doing my British “Honors,” equivalent to an American “Masters Degree,” in London. After graduation I worked on a palatial English country manor donated to the museum I found work in, the Manchester Museum of Art. I restored some of the rooms to former splendor.

I remember my Scottish highborn former mother-in-law, a great admirer of all things 18th century English. Her “hunts” for really fine “British” Georgian furniture. I accompanied her to sales and auctions, learned more than I ever did at the Victoria & Albert, due to her eagle eye. Those were the story days of English antiquity.

Today unless you own a museum quality piece of 18th century British furniture, the market is terrible. If I purchased my former mother-in-law’s furniture today, more than likely I’d pay less than she did in the 1980’s.

The Younger Generation

I formerly collected British 18th century furniture for my son thinking he’d love those pieces of his father’s country’s history. But the younger generation doesn’t like the stuff. Nor do they seem to like the interior design into which traditional classic furniture fits, too “uptight,” not sought after comfortable, easy furniture to live with. The grand 18th–19th century decors are not fun, evoking ancient Greek style geometrical, classic design.

According to Jeff Moran, of John Moran Auctions, bargains in English furniture are snapped up in his “first-timers” discovery auctions. Those of the younger generation who want to furnish a first home, respectably, on the cheap. Not my son, who traded in a Sheraton settee for a Costco brown sectional!

Georgian Chest

EK from Santa Barbara wrote me about a chest of drawers she hopes to sell. This dresser is a George III (reigned 1738-1820) mahogany flat-front chest with pine and oak secondary woods. The chest sports the original round stamped brass bail handled pulls, raised on “French” or Hepplewhite style feet, the drawers with cock-beaded molding, and original 18th century finish. Very good example of the formality of furniture my 26 year old son doesn’t want. In the best case scenarios EK might expect $1,500. I may correct my figure next week when I see it in person to make sure her photographs tell the whole story.

One further note on Georgian furniture:

Not all Georgian furniture looks like EK’s chest. Remember, three Georges ruled England in succession, the first born in 1660. During the Georgian period cabinetmakers became famous and published books on their designs, among them Robert & John Adam, Thomas Chippendale, Thomas Sheraton, and George Hepplewhite. England became an economic powerhouse and people needed to show status with their possessions while styles changed and wealth increased.