Images Of An Era

Windsor furniture originated in the early 1700s in the English town of Windsor. The bentwood back frames of Windsor chairs are assembled with slender wooden spindles that are plugged into drill holes in the sculpted seat, which was usually made of elm and slightly sunken or dish-shaped for the sitter’s comfort. According to legend, the Windsor gained popularity after King George III took shelter in a cottage and was invited to sit on one. He was so charmed by the humble design that he had copies made for Windsor Castle. With the arrival of the 1730s, Windsor chairs made their way to the American colonies. A handful of Windsor chairs are said to have appeared in Philadelphia by the late 1720s. Find a variety of Windsor furniture on 1stDibs.

What era rattan furniture is from varies. Furniture produced out of woven rattan was popular during the Victorian era as well as the 1970s. However, the ancient Chinese, Romans and Egyptians also produced furniture out of rattan. On 1stDibs, shop a range of antique and vintage rattan furniture.

Tulip tables are from the mid-century modern era. Finnish-American architect and furniture maker Eero Saarinen created the table in 1956 as part of the Pedestal collection of chairs and stools. The Pedestal table and its accompanying Tulip armchairs and armless chairs comprised cast-aluminum bases (“Tulip” became a common descriptor for all of the furnishings in the collection). Each table, stool and chair was crafted with a single, tapered cylindrical leg that descends to a base that flares into a circle, giving the illusion of being one piece. The series was designed for Knoll Inc. On 1stDibs, find vintage Tulip tables from some of the world’s top sellers.

Slip dresses were popular during the 1990s (although slips were commonly worn as undergarments decades prior to this era). In 1993, supermodel Kate Moss made headlines by stepping out in a super-sheer one, and musician Courtney Love introduced slip dresses to the grunge fashion scene. In 2016, Burberry and Saint Laurent included slip dresses in their collections as a nod to the 1990s. Shop a variety of slip dresses on 1stDibs.

The earliest barrel chairs are from is the era of the early 19th century. However, Frank Lloyd Wright created one of the most famous barrel chairs in 1937 as a part of his design for Wingspread, a home in Wind Point, Wisconsin. On 1stDibs, find a collection of barrel chairs.

Beaded purses are from a number of eras. However, they first came into popularity during the late Victorian era at the end of the 19th century. Flappers of the 1920s also frequently carried beaded handbags. Shop a collection of antique and vintage beaded bags on 1stDibs.

To know what era your furniture is, study every part of the piece. Take note of joint construction, materials and decorative elements. Then, use this information as the basis of your research. Alternatively, you can enlist the help of a licensed furniture appraiser. On 1stDibs, find a variety of expertly vetted antique and vintage furniture.

The mid- to late 1980s and early 1990s were a particularly strong era for bamboo earrings, which is a name frequently given to big, bold hoop earrings (they're also called "door knockers"). While Black female recording artists such as Salt-N-Pepa, MC Lyte and Roxanne Shante popularized the trend during those years by donning hoops in music videos and on the red carpet, artist-activists Nina Simone and Angela Davis wore hoops decades earlier. In the Black and Latino communities, hoop earrings have long been associated with strength. Their symbolism as indicators of identity stretches back thousands of years, including to ancient Nubia. On view in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Ancient Near Eastern Art gallery is a pair of simple gold hoops from Mesopotamia dating to 2,600-2,500 B.C. that experts agree is among the oldest known examples. Shop a range of hoop earrings from some of the world's top sellers on 1stDibs.

The era that a chaise longue is from goes back at least as far as the 1500s. A chaise lounge is an upholstered piece of furniture that was made popular in France in the early 16th century. This low reclining seat — a “long chair” in English — boasts an elongated form and low back that extends about half the length of the furnishing, affording the welcome opportunity for a sitter to put their feet up and relax. A comfortable common ground between sofas and daybeds, early iterations of chaise longues were discovered in Ancient Egypt and were later frequently used in both Greece and Rome. Shop a variety of chaise lounges on 1stDibs.

Cranberry glass is from the Victorian era in England. The dates for the era range from 1837 to 1901. During the period, artisans produced the colored glassware by adding gold chloride to molten glass. Shop a range of cranberry glass on 1stDibs.

Secretary desks originated in the early 18th century. They were typically used by secretaries and clerks and featured plenty of compacted drawers for stationary storage. On 1stDibs, find a collection of secretary desks from some of the world’s top sellers.

Tea dresses are primarily from the Victorian era. By the 1880s, they were a popular fashion trend in England and the U.S., and they remained in style through the first two decades of the 20th century. Shop a range of vintage tea dresses on 1stDibs.

Cameo jewelry is usually associated with the Victorian era. However, the jewelry style dates back to ancient times when the Romans wore jewelry that showed faces in bas-relief. During the 19th-century, cameo jewelry saw another surge in popularity due to renewed interest in classical art and architecture. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of cameo jewelry.

The earliest iron beds trace back to 17th-century Italy, where infestations of bed bugs and moths led crafters to produce handmade metal furniture for bedrooms. In the late 1800s, the beds came into fashion again because many people thought they were simpler to clean. You'll find a variety of antique iron beds on 1stDibs.

Architects and artists have incorporated stained glass into their designs for centuries and across many different eras. Stained glass was extremely popular during the Gothic and Renaissance periods, and continues to be used to this day. On 1stDibs, shop a collection of stained glass windows from some of the world’s top sellers.