Coalport Clock

It was unexpected that, at the age of 64, William IV was crowned king of England. He had two older brothers, yet the death of Prince Frederick put him in line for the British throne when George IV died in 1830. His reign was brief, as he died on June 20, 1837, but it was a pivotal time of change, with parliamentary reform leading to the present-day constitutional monarchy. Antique William IV–style furniture reflects this period of transition, with forms that bridged the neoclassicism of the preceding Regency style and the more extravagant Victorian style that would follow.

Inspired by ancient Greece and Rome, William IV designs were often more imposing than Regency furniture and featured decorative attributes. There were sofas balanced on lion’s feet and tables with brass fittings. But furnishings of this period were largely marked by straight lines and subdued ornamentation compared to those of the George IV era. William IV had an unassuming way about him and was much more formal, whereas the ruler who preceded him was a king of extravagance. George IV had an affinity for French decor and was heavily invested in overhauling the private residences at Windsor Castle.

Carvings on William IV four-poster beds and cabinets included scrolling shapes, lotus leaves and acanthus, while popular pieces like tilt-top tables and upholstered seating on caster legs provided flexible interiors. Richly toned woods like mahogany and rosewood were used for sideboards, bedposts boasting reeded details and dining chairs with intricate chair backs and turned front legs.

William IV left no legitimate heirs, so his young niece, Victoria, became queen. She would lead an era of taste in which the innovations of the Industrial Revolution allowed for manufacturing showier furniture to fill elaborate interiors. With its comparatively refined forms and restrained designs, William IV style was a pause before a time of radical aesthetic change.

Find a collection of authentic William IV tables, armchairs, decorative objects and other 19th-century furniture and antiques on 1stDibs.

Personal time-telling devices may have migrated from our pockets to our wrists and finally onto our phones, but despite the convenience of a handheld digital timekeeper, nothing can beat well-made vintage, new and antique mantel clocks.

Invented by clockmakers in France and popularized in the 18th and 19th centuries, these practical yet ornate pieces were typically displayed on top of fireplaces or desks. While the most common mantel clocks were created in the traditional tambour style, which features a wide base that flares into an upright drum- or camelback-shaped case, modern clockmakers and furniture designers have experimented with their own ideas for these decorative objects over the years, introducing different forms and working with unconventional materials. A collection of whimsical, monochromatic handmade mantel clocks crafted by Dutch designer Kiki van Eijk, called Floating Frames, for example, features minimalist frames of anodized wire and ceramic clockfaces.

When shopping for an antique, vintage or new mantel clock, don’t be afraid to branch out. Wood mantel clocks of any era will bring a classic, elegant allure to the shelving in your living room or the bookcase in your bedroom, while Empire-style mantel clocks will comparatively boast eye-catching gilt bronze and pronounced sculptural attributes. Some Art Deco mantel clocks will feature an integration of marble or glass and will likely be marked by the decorative embellishments associated with that particular furniture style.

There’s just something about cool clocks, right? Spend your time with an extraordinary collection of mantel clocks on 1stDibs today.