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.
$718Sale Price|20% Off
W1v Period Mahogany Circular Adjustable Dressing Mirror
Located in Dereham, GB
W1V Period Mahogany circular adjustable Dressing Mirror William 1V period 1830-1837 Replaced mirror glass, with Circular moulded frame, carved scroll detailed surround, Brass Adjust...
Mahogany
Large W1V Mahogany Dressing Mirror 1830s
Located in Dereham, GB
Large William IV Period Mahogany Dressing Mirror 1830-1837 Swing Mirror, Pair Carved Shaped Supports, Sitting on 2 drawer base, shaped carved feet Recently Polished
Mahogany
George III Mahogany And Painted Dressing Mirror
Located in Essex, MA
Adjustable oval mirror with shaped conforming supports with a serpentine shaped base, painted with central scene of romantic couple and painted with floral swags. With three drawers...
Brass
Buccellati Style Large Silver Ribbon Dressing Mirror
Located in New York, NY
Buccellati style large silver ribbon dressing mirror. Large ribbon banded silver plated mirror with repousse banding with mahogany and metal stand. Italy, 1930's Dimensions: 17.75" ...
Silver Plate
$842Sale Price|34% Off
H 24.75 in W 18 in D 7.75 in
Georgian Mahogany Dressing Mirror with Brass Hardware, Early 1800s
Located in Savannah, GA
19th century Georgian mahogany dressing or shaving mirror featuring original brass hardware, three drawers and ogee bracket feet. A.fancifully carved giltwood frame surrounds the swi...
Brass
French Empire Dressing Mirror, Circa 1830
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia
An antique French Empire mahogany dressing mirror dating to the early 19th century, constructed with a rectangular tilting mirror supported by upright posts on a stepped base. The fr...
Bronze
19th Century French Empire Period Cheval Dressing Mirror
Located in Winter Park, FL
A 19th century French Empire Period cheval, or psyche mirror, crafted from solid walnut with a distinctive wood grain and waxed patina. Classic Neoclassical Empire design elements, featuring sleek columns on each side topped with turned egg...
Mirror, Walnut
$822Sale Price|20% Off
H 25.4 in W 23.04 in D 9.26 in
Antique George III Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror
Located in Suffolk, GB
Antique George III mahogany dressing table mirror having the original mirror plate, three drawers with original brass handles Lovely original colour and condition. Dimensions: He...
Other
Unusual Empire Mahogany Chest with Dressing Mirror, ca. 1810
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Unusual Empire Mahogany Chest with Dressing Mirror, dating from the first quarter of the 19th century and French in origin. The piece ...
Mirror
Victorian Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror, Circa 1860
Located in Antwerp, BE
Victorian Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror – Circa 1860 A beautifully preserved Victorian dressing table mirror, crafted circa 1860 from solid mahogany with a richly figured grain and...
Mirror, Wood, Sapele Wood
Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror
Located in Cheshire, GB
Mahogany shaving/dressing table mirror, with adjustable circular mirror within moulded carved surround over lobed baluster upright, on a circular...
Wood
Serpentine Mahogany Large Georgian Dressing Table Mirror
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A Very Attractive Late 18th Century Mahogany Serpentine Shaped, Georgian Dressing Table Mirror, Of Unusually Large Proportions, Having Elegant Shield Shaped Plate, Over Shaped Base W...
Mahogany
$3,106
H 28 in W 19.75 in D 9 in
George II Mahogany Dressing Table Mirror, Antique, England, Circa 1740
Located in Bedfordshire, GB
A very good quality, 18th century, George II period mahogany dressing table mirror, having old rectangular plate set within gilded slip to elegant moulded frame, over well figured ba...
Mahogany
Mahogany Dressing Mirror
Located in New York, NY
Handpicked by buyers at Ann-Morris.
Sold
H 25.2 in W 33.08 in D 10.24 in
Large Antique Dressing Table Mirror, Flame Mahogany, William IV, Toilet
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a large antique dressing table mirror in flame mahogany. An English, William IV, vanity, platform, toilet mirror dating to circa 1...
Mahogany