William IV Folk Art
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.
1830s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Yew
1840s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Leather, Paint
1850s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Brass
20th Century Chinese William IV Folk Art
Jade
1830s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Wood
1950s English Vintage William IV Folk Art
Brass
19th Century British Antique William IV Folk Art
Glass, Wood
20th Century American William IV Folk Art
Linen, Paper
Early 20th Century Danish William IV Folk Art
Brass
19th Century Antique William IV Folk Art
Oak
1880s Bajan Antique William IV Folk Art
Shell
1860s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Canvas, Wood, Giltwood, Paint
Mid-20th Century French William IV Folk Art
Porcelain
Mid-19th Century European Antique William IV Folk Art
Oak
1950s British Vintage William IV Folk Art
Wood
1830s Caribbean Antique William IV Folk Art
Shell, Mahogany
1840s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Brass, Nickel
1840s English Antique William IV Folk Art
Iron
