English Furniture

This alabaster lamp is stunning, with its irregular veining and exquisite carving. It is antique Regency style hand carved alabaster from the late 19th Century. The baluster form is surmounted by a carved drum...

An English convex mirror from the 19th century, distinguished by its bold neoclassical design and original giltwood frame. This round mirror measures 35.25 inches in diameter and fea...

A fine rare example of an 18 inch diameter terrestrial globe on mahogany stand with brass meridian and paper horizon ring depicting months and zodiac signs, The round title cartouche...

Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this stunning original Arts & Crafts Shapland & Petter Hall stand with hand hammered Copper panels over a Walnut frame with inset sheild mirror Please note the delivery fee listed is just a guide, it covers within the M25 only for the UK and local Europe only for international, if you would like an accurate quote please send me your postcode and I’ll provide you with the exact price A very good looking well made and decorative hat glove coat and scarf rack, this one is rare as it has the central mirror and its an earlier than usual example circa 1900 Made by Shapland & Petter, a full blub on their life and works can be found below In terms of the condition it is straight and solid, the piece sits well in any setting and looks decorative and very English country house, we have cleaned waxed and polished the timber, there is one hook slightly bent, otherwise its in fine order Dimensions Height:- 205cm Width:- 113cm Depth:- 40cm Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point, if you would like any additional or specific measurements please ask Shapland and Petter of Barnstaple Introduction This Barnstaple based company manufactured some of the finest pieces of furniture in Arts and Crafts style but very little has been written about the company or the pieces they produced. It a great shame that whilst Shapland and Petter pieces have been illustrated in books and auction catalogues they are invariably attributed to other makers such as Liberty and Co in London or Wylie and Lochhead in Glasgow. With this feature, we intend to inspire a more thorough appreciation of the work of the company; readers are invited to help with the task by sending photographs and information. Collectors and auction houses are now showing significantly more interest in Shapland and Petter pieces. The company, based in Barnstaple, England produced a very wide range of furniture in several different styles including many pieces in period reproduction and municipal style for town halls and commercial premises alongside their superb Arts and Crafts range Distinctive features of their superb Arts and Crafts style are the use of heart shaped piercing, geometric shapes with angled arches and the application of repousse copper panels. Decoration with marquetry, metal inlay, mounting of ceramic and enamel cabochons were techniques which they mastered with a combination of state of the art technology and traditional craftsmanship. Most distinctively, the pieces were extremely well made, with care and very best quality materials The growing interest in Shapland and Petter has raised many questions about the origins of the firm, and the sources of influence on their designs, some of which resemble designs by Ashbee, Ballie Scott, Voysey and Talwin Morris. Links have been assumed with Liberty and Co with the supposition Shapland and Petter worked on commissions for Liberty. There appears to be little evidence to support many of the assumptions which have developed around the company and this article is intended to help to start the discussion and to stimulate research The History of Shapland and Petter The Museum of North Devon in Barnstaple have an archive of Shapland and Petter which includes some company records and a small display of furniture and related items. The following text gives history of the company and is reproduced from the display boards in the museum with kind permission of North Devon Museums For over 100 years the Shapland and Petter factory has stood at the end of Barnstaple Long Bridge. Manufacturers of doors, door sets, and custom wood interiors, NT Shapland and Petter Ltd are still one of the towns largest employers. The company was established by Henry Shapland (b. 1823), a cabinet maker by trade. He embarked on a voyage to America in 1848, where he was inspired by an invention for a wave-moulding machine. He was only allowed to see it if he left the country immediately. Returning home with only rough notes, he reproduced the machine and in 1854 began a cabinet making business in one room at the Raleigh woolen mill in Pilton. Later the firm moved to Bear Street in Barnstaple. Henry Petter was an accountant who entered into partnership with Mr Shapland. The business progressed and in 1864 they bought the Raleigh Factory where Shapland first began his work. Success was rapid, but in 1888 the building burnt down. Immediately work began on a bigger and better factory - their present site by the Long Bridge - which included many modern inventions The two Henrys died within two years of each other - Petter in 1907 and Shapland in 1909. In 1924 Shapland and Petter merged with the Barnstaple Cabinet Company, producing North Devon's biggest industry. During the First World War Shapland and Petter's skilled craftsmen turned their hands to wooden propellers for the aircraft of the Royal Flying Corps. After the war, public tastes changed, and hand carved furniture was too expensive for many. Shapland and Petter's output now included elegant veneered pieces with smooth Art Deco lines. The company fitted out Pullman carriages and ocean liners and made hand-carved church furniture. The famous England Rugby Captain W. W. Wakefield was appointed Company Director in 1927. Throughout the depression of the late 1920's and early 1930's the company still managed to produce high quality work Furniture manufacturing continued until the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939. Many workers left to fight, while the factory worked on Air Ministry contracts for ammunition boxes. After the war came radio cabinets and laboratory and contract furniture, until eventually large quantities of doors were being produced for hospitals, hotels, schools, offices and other buildings. Examples of Shapland and Petter's work can be seen all over North Devon. In Barnstaple, the shop front at 109 High Street is a good example, and the interior of the old Lloyd's Bank, now Chamber's Brasserie, was also Shapland's work. Examples of carving by Shapland's men can be seen in two chairs and a reading desk in Barnstaple Parish Church As cabinet makers, Shapland and Petter employed up to 350 people at a time. There were designers, carvers, cabinet makers, machinists, polishers, and labourers. The company was one of the first to install American labour-saving devices and was keen to adopt the most up-to-date machinery The fire of 1888 at the Raleigh Cabinet Works was a huge loss for the company. However, it resulted in a new factory which was altogether more modern and better equipped. The new building by the river was arranged into blocks. The production line began with the saw mills and ended with the finishing rooms. There was modern machinery in every department - one of their saws was the first of its kind in Britain. Water sprinklers and electric lights were a necessity - this factory would not burn down As well as the furniture production, Shapland and Petter imported timber by sea and rail. The new factory 's facilities were exceptional Shapland and Petter were renowned for excellent design and workmanship. The carvers were highly skilled, serving seven year apprenticeships and attending classes at the Barnstaple School of Art. Ornately carved furniture required up to a hundred tools The factory produced made to order woodwork for banks, hotels, and shops; mantelpieces, paneling and staircases. They fitted out Pullman railway carriages, the London Guildhall, and Edgar Wallace 's dining room as well as houses like Tapeley Park in North Devon Much of the work involved intricate leaded glass panels, or inlaid fruitwood designs, like the white bedroom suite shown in the exhibition here. This type of work is typical of Art Nouveau 1895 to 1910, inspired by the fluid shapes of plants and flowers Many pieces were made from standard designs. There were hundreds to choose from, and a selection could be seen in local and London showrooms and in catalogues. Although mass-produced, this furniture was well-made by skilled technicians and modern machinery Arts and Crafts designs of Shapland and Petter The development of the Arts and Crafts Movement in the South West of England has not been written up in any detail though we do know of the Art Potters of Barnstaple from the excellent book of this name by Audrey Edgeler. Less is known of the Barnstaple Guild of Metal Workers. We know of the Bath Cabinet Makers and the Newlyn School of Industrial Art in Cornwall but very little has been written about the furniture makers of Barnstaple in Devon The establishment of a large cabinet making firm in Barnstaple is not remarkable in itself; there were several cabinet makers in the area. What is interesting is that this particular Barnstaple firm should become a leading maker of Arts and Crafts furniture, copying the styles of the leading Architect designers and creating their own unique style Critics may point out that as their work was commercially driven and reliant upon machines it therefore does not really qualify as Arts and Crafts. Whilst the company was highly innovative in machine technology, they also employed many craftsmen who worked with their hands in woodcarving, marquetry work, design and application of decorative copperwork and other artistic embellishment in the true Arts and Crafts tradition. Anyone who has experience of Shapland and Petter workmanship knows the level of craftsmanship invested in each piece Sources of inspiration There appears to be no evidence to link any known architect, artist or designer to the Shapland and Petter company. Their designs appear to have been created solely by their own internal design staff none of whom appear to have published or registered their work in any other context C. R. Ashbee who established the Guild of Handicrafts visited Barnstaple in 1893 and provided a twelve week course on the design and decoration of furniture. It is presumed that this visit was hosted by Shapland and Petter, and that their own staff and those from other local furniture makers attended the course. Ashbee appears to have been unimpressed by the commercial attitudes he encountered and apparently disappointed at the lack of interest in his (high minded) lectures. What is interesting however is the similarity between some of his designs and those used by Shapland and Petter, particularly in respect to inlaid floral design. Perhaps he left a lasting influence which has not yet been verified There has been some speculation on the influence of Scottish designers, particularly because of the use of Glasgow rose designs which are typical of the Glasgow School, and particularly of Talwin Morris. There are also several designs which use similar motifs to those used by Baillie Scott, the use of two doves in flight for example. More research is needed to trace possible links here. One thing that is clear is that there was a great deal of copying and selling designs in the furniture industry at the time and a nineteenth century survey on the furniture trade recorded that '' Barnstaple pays the best prices for designs ..'' Collaboration with other companies There is evidence that Shapland and Petter organised a wide network of companies to retail their products and hence many pieces have the labels of retail furnishers added. Little is known of their marketing in Europe and America but it may be that many Arts and Crafts pieces were sold abroad. Shapland and Petter had excellent access to rail and shipping lines for importing timber and presumably for exporting their finished products The extent of their collaboration with other companies is yet to be ascertained but there is evidence that their suppliers included the Della Robbia Pottery, Pilkingtons Tile...

Desk top Mahogany stationary organizer

Circa 1900 period Edwardian English oak drinks cart. The cart has two shelves, both with galleries that have lovely decorative beading along the top edges for added design interest....

19th century neoclassical style grey marble mantel. William Word Fine Antiques: Atlanta's source for antique interiors since 1956.

An extraordinary near pair of oversized Regency astral glazed library bookcases c.1810. Demonstrating a remarkable pair of full-length oval astragal glazed doors to each - with car...

lovely little ice bucket in oak and silver metal from the 19th century from England Lovely object with its porcelain container Very beautiful square model of good quality with its ...

A beautiful, classic 19th century English carved oak storage trunk or coffer. Incised decorative carved patterns in the front. It could be used as a coffee table, at the foot of a be...

English Regency library / bed steps, made in England around 1810. The three steps have gilt banded leather upholstery, the top steps opens to shallow storage, the middle includes de...

Architectural quartersawn English oak & American black walnut pillar end tables or nightstands. Designed and handcrafted in England using traditional furniture...

Make an impression at your front door with this large early 20th century solid brass lion’s head door knocker. Dating from the early 20th century, this large antique door knocker is ...

Great poster of the heavens. Original color. Good condition. Published by Alexander Gross Unframed.

George III mahogany wall mirror complete with its gilded ho ho bird and original plate mirror, surrounded by fretted scrolls. Lovely original ...

English Renaissance-style large iron longsword with cross design and woven handle

An exceptional Victorian folding campaign bed that cleverly doubles as a compact side table or console when not in use. Dating to the late 19th century, this British military piece f...

John and William Cary Updated by George and John Cary Terrestrial Globe London, 1840 lb 22 (kg 10) Slight surface abrasions due to use. A small crack on the horizon circle. The globe rests in its original Dutch style stand with four supporting turned wood columns. It measures 26 in in height x 23.6 in in diameter with the diameter of the sphere measuring 18 in; 66 cm in height x 60 cm in diameter with the diameter of the sphere measuring 45.72 cm. The 18 inch...

A Regency cabinet bookshelf retaining hand-painted lined decoration including faux-curtains to cabinet doors. Desirable narrow proportions with two drawers over double doored cabine...

This exquisite late 19th-century chandelier masterfully blends Victorian and Neoclassical aesthetics, crafted in bronze with eight captivating lights. The etched glass shades are art...

A beautiful original midcentury woven straw laundry basket with seat. The seat has a Bohemian style with exceptional craftsmanship, in fantastic condition. The straw bundles are wrap...

19th Century English Mason’s ironstone imari style deep blue bowl with gilt flower decoration. Superb ironstone bowl hand painted with bold e...

This wonderful 19th century English Apothecary cabinet with 130 ample working drawers was most recently used for categorizing music info. There are pencil written names of various c...

Finest antique English hand engraved sterling silver boat-shaped, Georgian style, rare seven bottle cruet set comprising six original magnificent heavy hand cut crystal cruet bottles retaining their original sterling silver tops (with same hallmarks as stand) and one original sterling and hand cut crystal mustard pot (with same hallmarks as stand) and having a rare "married" Antique American coin silver mustard spoon...

Good 18th century English painted three drawer oak dresser base. 1740. Code: 8852 Dimensions: W: 77" (195.6 cm) H: 31" (78.7 cm) D: 19.5" (49.5 cm)

A pair of circa 1930's English prints with gilt frames. Measurements: Height: 9.5" Width: 7.5" Depth: 1"

A beautiful pair of Edwardian armchairs, reupholstered in hemp. Previously bought from renowned antique dealer Hilary Batstone, London. In good condition, smaller signs of age and ...

Sn4122 Victorian mahogany dressing table, having moulded mirror frame with cresting to top, in carved supports fitted with 2 jewellery drawers with mirror back and turned fluted colu...

18th Century English George III Needlepoint Carpet 13'4" x 19'4" - 405 x 560

Black Alongside Out Hand Crafted Sculpture by Rachael Heritage Each Piece is Unique Dimensions: D 28 x W 24 x H 24 cm Materials: recycled card, fibre-cement, black burnished plaster....

English Chippendale oak welsh dresser with carved reeded cornice, three interior shelves, original wrought iron hooks, three centered drawers supported by turned columns with a lower...

A Very Good Quality George III Hepplewhite Period Mahogany Serpentine Shaped Sideboard Having Well Figured Top Over Three Drawers With Replacement Brass Handles, Unusually With Elega...

Blonde Tortoiseshell Tea Caddy, England 19th Century

Fabulous wall fountain or planter in aluminum. Cast lions Head and Patterson London 1893. Lots of patina on this one, peeling white paint. In excellent vinta...

Wedgwood Flame Fairyland Lustre Covered Vase. The body of the vase is decorated with the three repeating patterns. Fairy Slide depicts a sycamore tree with a slide and various strang...

Fine quality antique Victorian mahogany inlaid display cabinet by Edwards and Roberts having a quality mahogany swan neck pediment with satinwood inlay above an inlaid frieze with sw...

This is a very good and complete board game of Marble Solitaire, with a hand turned hardwood board and 35 agate stone and clay marbles, which we date to t...

Orb finials and three compartment slats over a drawer with wood knobs, raised on turned legs.

An English solid oak timber fireplace mantelpiece carved with Edwardian style carved corbels. Simple classical late Victorian, early Edwardian design.

Origin: England Designer: Victor B. Wilkins Manufacturer: G Plan Era: 1966 Materials: Afromosia Measurements: 21.5" diameter x 18" tall

Fine quality antique Edwardian figured mahogany free standing sofa/side table having a quality mahogany top crossbanded in satinwood with two drop leaves, two drawers to the front wi...

Wonderful set of eight red chinoiserie decorated Georgian dining chairs. The set consists of two armchairs & six side chairs. Newly upholstered seat cushions. Each back splay is hand...

Antique Edwardian quality silver plated biscuit barrel having a quality shaped lift of lid with a shaped finial above a circular barrel ra...

Late English Regency / Early Victorian period, circa 1840, upholstered slipper chair having high back tapering into shaped seat on front tapering spiral twist-turned rosewood legs an...

A well drawn and superb quality English Regency fireplace in Italian Bardiglio marble. The paneled console jambs with anthemion carving to fr...

Designed by English designer Richard Young, this bar cart was made by the company he founded, Merrow Associates, in the 1970s in the UK. Its construction is mainly of two loops of so...

Super stylish English 1930's Art Deco two-tier chrome and Macassar Ebony wood drinks hostess trolley bar cart. This design is a little more unusual in shape than you normally find an...

Inspired by planet-like shapes and textures, the Cosmic collection plays with both metal properties and a selection of patina finishes. Named after the natural dark rock material Regolith, the five lighting components are harmoniously balanced to illuminate a room. This handmade lighting...

Mechanical vesta matches box designed by Asprey & Company. This is a very rare and unusual mechanical vesta-box for matches, created in London England by Asprey & Company Limited, back in the 1925. The pocket vesta-box was crafted during the art deco period in solid .925/.999 sterling silver with yellow gold accents and decorated with engine turned guilloche patterns. It is fitted with two lids connected by an eight-barrels hinge and a concealed mechanical sliding lock. This box show excellent craftsmanship and is in great condition. A highly collectable piece. Country: London, England. Period: Art Deco, 1925-1926. Materials: Sterling silver, yellow gold and iron. Weight: 45.40 Grams, (29.10 Dwt). Measurements: 55 mm by 44 mm by 9 mm (2.17 x 1.74 x 0.35 Inches). Hallmarks Stamped with British crown marks, the lion's face mark for the city of London, the maker's mark A&Co Ltd., the mark for the assay and warranty of the .925 silver, the gothic letter L for the years 1925-1926 and signed in full as follows, "ASPREY LONDON MADE IN ENGLAND A&CO LTD "L" ASPREY'S PATENT NO-21914". Asprey The company was established in England in Mitcham, Surrey, in 1781. Founded as a silk printing business by William Asprey, it soon became a luxury emporium. In 1841, William Asprey's elder son Charles went into partnership with a stationer located on London's Bond Street. In 1847, the family broke with this partner and moved into 167 New Bond Street, the premises Asprey occupies today. From its central London location, Asprey advertised 'articles of exclusive design and high quality, whether for personal adornment or personal accompaniment and to endow with richness and beauty the table and homes of people of refinement and discernment.' An early specialty was dressing cases. Asprey crafted traditional cases and designs, mostly in leather, suitable for the new style of travel ushered in by railways. As the business grew, the company acquired manufacturing facilities and hired silversmith, goldsmith, jewelers and watchmakers. In the 1920's, commissions poured in from around the world, from American millionaire J. P. Morgan to potentates such as the Maharaja of Patiala, who commissioned a huge teak travelling trunk for each of his wives, in which each trunk was fitted with solid silver washing and bathing utensils with waterspouts of ornate tiger head and lined with blue velvet. Asprey cigarette cases...

Wonderful print of St Rosa of Lima Illuminated Chromolithograph Published circa 1880 Unframed. Free shipping The measurement is the paper size

Add vintage charm to your home library with these 19th Century English Oak Library Steps. Featuring elegant spherule finials and a rich patina, these st...

19th century English pine cricket table with painted white legs.

Lovely painted picture frame Great piece of folk art Original paint. Painted on pine. The measurement given below is the outside of the frame Internally it measures 9.75 x 8.25 i...

Outstanding quality antique Victorian rosewood inlaid side cabinet having a fantastic quality rosewood inlaid back with five bevelled edge mirrors,...

This is a truly superb antique Victorian Period burr walnut Dickens pedestal desk, circa 1880 in date. The sunken central superstructure is flanked on either side by columns of five...

A precursor of Benjamin Franklin's famous and popular POOR RICHARD's ALMANAC Rider, Cardanus Rider's (1726) British Merlin; Adorned with many delightful Varieties and Useful Veritie...

High victorian inlaid black marble mantel clock circa 1870. Fine quality mantel clock of large proportions from the period in victorias reign when it was in vogue to commemorate the...

Blue and white Victorian service pieces are always welcome and Johnson Brothers takes the cake in Victorian Chintz from the 19th Century, made in England. These rare pieces will bring a smile to the faces of those who sit down for a meal served on this antique Johnson Brothers...

Good 18th century English painted three drawer cabriole leg oak dresser base. 1780. Code: 8916 Dimensions: W: 70" (177.8 cm) H: 33" (83.8 cm) D: 19.5" (49.5 cm)

KELMSCOTT PRESS Orbeliani, Sulkhan-Saba. Translated by Oliver Wardrop. The Book of Wisdom and Lies; A book of Traditional Stories From Georgia in Asia Hammersmith: Kelmscott Press, ...