Baker Furniture Stately Homes Collection Burl Ash Regency Centre Table

George Bullock was a leading London- and Paris-based cabinetmaker who, although he died at age 40, influenced decades of British furniture design in the 19th century. He was a key figure in his day’s Empire and Regency design movements, and his furniture was often described as "Grecian." Bullock's solid wood cabinets, bookcases and dining room chairs were highly ornamental, complete with intricate inlay and marquetry in ivory, ebony and brass.

Bullock was born in 1777 in Birmingham, England, a city known at the time for its skilled artisans and craftspeople. In fact, his father made a living as a toy maker. Bullock first trained as an upholsterer and furniture maker, likely in his father’s workshop.

After moving to London, around 1800, he quickly gained a reputation for his innovative designs and skilled craftsmanship. Bullock worked for several prominent cabinetmakers, including Thomas Seddon and John Gee, before launching his own workshop, where he produced furniture in a variety of styles. With a keen interest in archaeology and natural history, he incorporated into his pieces motifs inspired by ancient Greek and Roman art, as well as naturalistic patterns featuring flora and fauna.

Bullock's work was highly sought by wealthy clients and aristocrats, even the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte. He produced pieces for many important homes and public buildings, including the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and the House of Lords in London. His success in London allowed him to open a second workshop in Paris, where he continued to produce furniture until his untimely death in 1818.

On 1stDibs, find George Bullock case pieces, seating and other historical collectibles.

Owing to the company’s collaborations with many leading designers and artists over time, vintage Baker furniture is consistently sought after today. The heritage brand’s chairs, dining tables, desks and other pieces are widely known to collectors and design enthusiasts for their fine craftsmanship and durability.

Within a few decades of its launch, Baker Furniture Company evolved into one of the largest and most important furniture manufacturers in the United States and became known for its high-quality production standards. Siebe Baker and business partner Henry Cook founded the original iteration of Baker Furniture Company in 1890 in Allegan, Michigan, after immigrating to the United States from the Netherlands. Allegan is a small town west of Grand Rapids, which, at that time was home to Widdicomb Furniture Co. and more and was known as America’s furniture capital. The company manufactured doors and interior moldings and introduced a combination desk and bookcase in 1893. In the early 1900s, Siebe became the sole owner of the business.

Among others, stage designer Joseph Urban and modernist designer Kem Weber contributed designs to Baker in the 1920s. In 1932, under the leadership of Siebe’s son, Hollis, who started at the company as a salesman but took the reins when his father passed in 1925, Baker Furniture introduced bedroom pieces and debuted its Manor House collection, which made reproductions of European furnishings available to the American market. (Hollis was an avid traveler and procured antiques overseas for the company to reproduce in the United States.) Soon, Baker Furniture Company moved to Holland, Michigan, and eventually opened showrooms in Grand Rapids and elsewhere.

Pioneering Scandinavian designer Finn Juhl created a Danish modern line for Baker in 1951, and the company produced his award-winning Chieftain chair for a short time. In the late 1950s, Baker introduced the Milling Road label to reach a younger audience with stylish but less costly furnishings like console tables, walnut dining chairs and more, and in 1961, British furniture designer T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings introduced a modern neoclassical line at Baker.

The 1960s and ’70s saw the introduction of historic reproduction furniture lines such as Woburn Abbey and the Historic Charleston collection, which remain very popular to this day. In 1990, Baker was licensed to produce a furniture line from Colonial Williamsburg. That same year, the Smithsonian Museum introduced Baker’s Chippendale chair into its permanent collection and the Grand Rapids Art Museum dedicated an exhibition to Baker’s 100th anniversary, a showcase that included 150 pieces of furniture Siebe Baker had collected as part of a larger assortment that had served as inspiration for his designs.

Today, vintage Baker furniture, such as its elegant mahogany nightstands and teak credenzas — particularly those crafted by Finn Juhl — sees high demand online and elsewhere. The company continues to produce contemporary collections with well-known designers such as Bill Sofield, Barbara Barry and Kara Mann and remains on par with some of the highest quality furniture in the industry.

Browse vintage Baker armchairs, sofas, coffee tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.