Solid and substantial Victorian tables and chairs

Really striking matching dining furniture which will impress your guests and clients

The history and style of Victorian tables and chairs

It is quite rare to find complete sets of antique dining furniture from earlier periods such as the 17th or 18th centuries.  The inevitable wear and tear, which particularly affects chairs, means that collectors are more likely to find earlier tables on their own or individual chairs.  However, because Victorian dining sets are more recent (and also generally very robust and well made), the discerning buyer can find some truly beautiful examples of complete Victorian table and chair sets available in really good condition.  Tables are generally rectangular but there are also some exceptional round and oval examples; matching chairs are usually upholstered with or without arms and with ornate carved legs and feet.

The reign of Queen Victoria was a long one (1837 to 1901) and encompassed a period of enormous change in technology, culture, politics and economics both nationally and on a global scale.   There are therefore quite a range of styles within Victorian furniture including earlier Neo Classical pieces which were very historical and looked back romantically to Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, and much later pieces which showed signs of the simpler, more modern, forward looking styles which came into vogue at the beginning of the twentieth century.  This period also saw the change from hand carved furniture to more mass produced, machine made pieces.

The finest examples of Victorian table and chair sets are those built and finished by hand by craftsmen, so a knowledge of the history and provenance of the pieces you are interested in buying is key to getting the best furniture and a sound investment.  Regent Antiques with our particular pedigree and specialist knowledge can give you the expert advice and guidance you might need with purchasing these fabulous pieces.

Much Victorian furniture is characterised by a feeling of heaviness – a combination of predominately dark woods like mahogany with a very substantial construction.  This is especially the case with pieces influenced by the various revivalist fashions mentioned above.  Later pieces which presaged the coming Arts and Crafts and Art Deco movements sometimes used lighter woods such as oak or burr walnut and the previous highly decorative and ornate styles gave way to simpler lines dominated by elegant curves.

The construction of these later pieces retained the solid and robust feel of the earlier Victorian furniture and exceptional quality and durability is a hallmark of a great deal of Victorian tables and chairs.

Popular and sought after designers and makers

There are many beautiful examples available including table and chairs made by designers and manufacturers including – the Herter Brothers (New York based  and specialising in very decorative pieces); John Henry Belter ( a master craftsman making Rococo furniture also in New York); Hugh Baillie Scott (a British architect who also designed early Arts and Crafts furniture); Charles Rennie Mackintosh (the famous Scottish architect who designed fabulous interiors and furniture and influenced many other makers of the time); E.W. Godwin (a British furniture maker who is famous for pieces displaying a Japanese influence which was the height of fashion in the 1870s); Liberty & Co. and many other highly regarded makers of Victorian tables and chairs.

At Regent Antiques we take great pains to source the best stock in various sizes and styles, beautifully restored and presented and guaranteed to wow your guests and clients.