What is ball and Claw style furniture?
Ball- and claw-style feet are typical of 18th-century furniture, particularly Chippendale, although Thomas Chippendale did not create the design. Variations of the ball- and claw-foot design include do- or hairy paw-style feet without balls and the rarely seen hoof-style foot.
What are claw and ball feet made of?
Ball and Claw Foot LACMA/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain. A furniture foot, sometimes referenced as claw-and-ball, fashioned to represent a bird's claw gripping a ball. They are often carved entirely of wood as seen in many Chippendale style furniture pieces.
When did the ball and claw become popular?
The ball and claw was popular in England from 1710 until 1750. Mistakenly, many may attribute the ball and claw design to Thomas Chippendale, when in fact, his Director of 1754 contained no such design since it was already out of fashion in England.
When did ball foot furniture become popular?
Dating from the early 1600s, it was especially prominent towards the end of the century in William and Mary style furniture. The popularity of this foot style continued well into the 1800s in American Federal pieces and "country" styles. The bun foot, onion foot, and turnip foot, as shown below, are variations of the ball foot. 03 of 20
When did ball and claw furniture come out?
The ball and claw was popular in England from 1710 until 1750.
How can you tell how old a piece of furniture is?
Make sure to search for labels, stamps, or manufacturing tags that can tell when and where a piece was made. Furniture companies and makers often listed their names, locations, and year of production This information can be found on the inside of drawers, the backs of bureaus, and on the lower edges of pieces.
Where did ball and claw originate?
ChinaThe ball and claw foot style is thought to originate in China with the ball being a pearl and the claw being a dragon's claw. This sculptural style was first adapted by the English in the early eighteenth century, who changed the dragon claw to an eagle or lions claw.
How can I date furniture?
How to Determine the Age of Antique FurnitureLook Past the Style of a Piece.Examine Bottoms, Insides, and Backs.Check for Perfectly Matching Elements.Try to Figure Out What Tools Were Used.Look at the Wood and Upholstery Fabric.Investigate the Screws and Other Hardware.
How do you date antique furniture by foot?
Another way for how to date antique furniture by feet is comparing it to other pieces you already know the time period of. By evaluating the condition, or identifying the use of similar materials, shapes, patterns and production techniques, the trained eye can work out how to date antique furniture by the feet.
How old does furniture have to be to be considered antique?
at least 100 years oldIn the strictest sense, the difference between an antique and a vintage item is its age. Antiques are items which must be at least 100 years old. That means, as of the date of this posting, an antique item was made on or before April of 1918.
What era is ball and claw foot furniture?
The ball and claw foot, was introduced in the 1700s and is a well known furniture foot in its own right. The design of the ball and claw originated in the Orient and later circulated throughout Europe. Claws holding a stone is a symbol taken from Chinese myths.
What wood is used for ball and claw furniture?
Because of the time required to manufacture this style of furniture, they were typically made from a high grade of timber to justify the effort. In South Africa, imbuia was often used but prior to it being available, Stinkwood pieces were the norm.
What style is ball and claw furniture?
Chippendale style furnitureIn Chippendale style furniture, they are often carved entirely of wood, but can also feature a metal claw and a glass ball. Ball and claw feet are still popular to this day.
How old is furniture with square nuts?
Well into the 1940's-50's. Square head nuts usually point to a vintage piece. You find something like a square nail and you know its even older.
How do I find out how much my furniture is worth?
Contact a major auction house, such as Sotheby's or Christie's, for value lookups on extremely rare or valuable antique furniture. Check websites such as Antique Trader where information of events offering free antique appraisal information is posted.
What do the numbers stamped on the back of furniture mean?
Serial numbers will often reveal the manufacturer, model number, or date that the furniture was made. Finding the serial number might require some hunting.
Is there an app to identify antiques?
Find out how valuable your antiques are with ValueMyStuff. Find out how valuable your antiques are with ValueMyStuff.
How can you tell if furniture is antique wood?
Tips for Identifying Antique FurnitureCheck for a signature or label from the furniture maker.Make sure the piece is in proportion. ... Check the construction of the joints.Until the late 1600s handmade dowels or pegs held the mortise-and-tenon joints together and were slightly raised above the joints.More items...
What is difference between antique and vintage?
In short, an antique is 100 yearsor older, while vintage is younger,though typically still prior to 1999. It's a relatively simple distinction,but not necessarily as importantas you think it might be.
When were square nails used in furniture?
They were made individually by blacksmiths. Square-head nails were made from the late 1700s until about 1830. Most were machine-cut and finished off by a blacksmith who squared the heads. From 1830 to 1890, cabinetmakers used headless, machine-cut nails that are a tapered, rectangular shape.
Where did the ball and claw come from?
Almost all historical sources believe that the Ball & Claw design was derived from the Chinese: a dragon’s claw grasping a crystal ball, or a pearl, or sometimes a scared, flaming jewel. In Chinese mythology, the dragon (Emperor) would be guarding (with the triple claw foot) the symbol (ball – for wisdom, or purity) from evil forces trying ...
How did the ball and claw come to the attention of Europeans?
The designs of Chinese and Japanese artisans came to the attention of Europeans through trade. Porcelains, chinoiserie, and bronzes would have displayed examples of the ball and claw. The design element first appeared on English silver. Craftsmen in other arts, textiles, furniture, and glass quickly copying this ‘trend’ of consumer interest in exotic, far away lands.
How to identify antique furniture?
Antique furniture experts can often identify the origin of a piece by the character of the ball and claw. For instance, New York cabinetmakers used a large, squared, boxy foot; while Philadelphia preferred the slightly flattened ball. The Goddard and Townsend craftsmen of Newport are well known for their undercut ball and claw with an opening between the talon and ball.
What is the dragon claw?
English cabinetmakers are credited with transforming the dragon’s claw into a bird’s talon or a lion’s paw; the lion representing English authority. The ball and claw was popular in England from 1710 until 1750.
What skill is needed to grasp a ball?
Craft, as fine carving skills are necessary to capture the tension of a claw grasping the ball. And sculpture, because the nature of any good design – whether in a table, chair or chest – requires that the ball and claw gracefully ‘anchors’ the piece.
Why is the Philadelphia piecrust table called that?
One of the first reproductions my company ever made was the Philadelphia Piecrust Table – so named because the top edge raised rim is carved in a series of curves that resemble the outside rim of a pastry crust. (See photo in 2nd slider above). The delicate piecrust edge, a pattern developed by English silversmiths to conform to popular patterns of silver trays in the 1730s, along with the Chinese inspired ball and claw feet on the tray, inspired this table design.
How to identify antique furniture?
When trying to identify a piece of antique furniture, you may begin with the foot. There are over a dozen common furniture foot styles that can help you determine the approximate age and style of a chair, dining table, or chest. When you know the different types of furniture feet and their relation to different period pieces, ...
What is a ball foot?
Ball Foot. Shaped like a ball, this is one of the earliest and most basic styles of furniture feet. It’s often found on heavier cases pieces like chests and sideboards. Ball feet are found on pieces dating back to the early 17 th century and continued in the William and Mary style and American Federal pieces in the 1800s.
What is a Cylindrical Foot?
Cylindrical Foot. Just as it sounds, this is a turned furniture foot style and is separated from the leg by a ring. It usually swells out slightly and tapers to a plain point. This design is usually found in Georgian and Neoclassical style furniture, including Sheraton.
Why did dragon claws take hold in furniture design?
The image of a dragon’s claw gripping a precious stone had been a common symbol in Chinese mythology for centuries, and was usually intended to symbolize the Emperor’s protection of knowledge. As with many Chinese decorative elements imported to Europe at the time, the reason it was used in China was less important to European buyers than its exotic look.
What is a foot in furniture?
Probably the most well-known type of furniture foot is the “ball-and-claw.”. As the name suggests, the foot looks like the talons or claws of a large animal or bird gripping a ball. The talons or claws could be quite detailed and realistic or a bit more stylized.
Why are Queen Anne furniture so popular?
This preference for lighter furnishings in the Queen Anne period also ushered in the beginnings of interest in classical themes, such as ancient Roman and Greek art. Animal feet were featured prominently in classic Roman style, and the legs and feet of a deer just so happened to emulate the graceful, delicate curves that exemplified the Queen Anne style, so it was a perfect match. Pied de biche feet are often found on Queen Anne furnishings in both England and America, but it was raised to a real art form by the French.
What is the animal foot in the Washington House?
Another animal-inspired foot found on furnishings in the Washington house is known as the “pied de biche” (literally translated from the French as “doe’s foot”) or hoof foot. Much like a ball-and-claw, this style can either be an exact replication of a delicate deer’s cloven hoof, or it can be a shape inspired by the graceful curve of a deer leg and foot.
What are the three furniture styles in the Washington House?
There are three furniture styles represented in the Washington house furnishings: William and Mary ( the earliest, dating from the late 17th century to the very early 18th century ), Queen Anne (early to mid-18th century) and a bit of Chippendale (mid-18th century onward). Each of these styles had their own weird feet.
What style of deer had animal feet?
Animal feet were featured prominently in classic Roman style, and the legs and feet of a deer just so happened to emulate the graceful, delicate curves that exemplified the Queen Anne style, so it was a perfect match.
Do Chippendale chairs have claw feet?
In America, however, the ball-and-claw remained a popular decorative feature well into the 19th century. As a result, American Chippendale style chairs will often have ball-and-claw feet, while English Chippendale chairs often do not.
What is antique furniture?
The term "antique" generally refers to furnishing that's 100 years or older. Look closely at the furniture’s joinery. Handmade dovetail joints indicate the piece was made before 1860, when machine-made furniture first was made. Handmade dovetails are fewer in number than machine-made and slightly uneven. Slight imperfections on spindles, rungs, ...
What are the legs on Queen Anne furniture?
Pad- or Dutch-style feet were commonly seen on 18th-century Queen Anne furniture. Cabriole legs are one of the most distinguishable leg styles. Modeled after animal legs, they feature out-curved knees and in-curved ankles and are found on styles such as Queen Anne, Chippendale and French Rococo.
What are the different types of antique furniture?
Well-known furniture styles from the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries include William and Mary, Queen Anne, Early American, Baroque, Rococo and Rococo Revival, Chippendale, Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, Hepplewhite, Sheraton, Shaker, Mission, Victorian, Arts and Crafts and many more. Get to know which styles are very ornate and which styles use straight, clean lines with very little or no ornamentation. Also get to know types of wood and veneers; primer -on-furniture-styles" rel="nofollow noopener">Antique Trader, for example, notes that Willam and Mary period furniture tends to feature maple, walnut and white pine or southern yellow pine, while Sheraton period furniture tends to incorporate mahogany, maple and pine, among others.
What are the signs of handmade furniture?
Handmade dovetails are fewer in number than machine-made and slightly uneven. Slight imperfections on spindles, rungs, slats and other small parts that appear perfectly symmetrical on machine-cut furniture indicate handmade workmanship. Shellac, oil, wax and milk paint finishes are strong indicators of older furniture.
What are the factors that determine the style of furniture?
Furniture styles are categorized by multiple factors, including time periods, country of origin and designers. The type of wood and decorative materials used on the piece can also assist in determining a specific style. Most important, however, is distinguishing true antiques from well-made reproductions, as any alterations can adversely affect ...
How to tell if a piece is antique?
One of the best ways to identify an antique style is by observing the piece’s legs and feet. Early 17th-century furniture typically featured bun- or ball-style feet. Ball- and claw-style feet are typical of 18th-century furniture, particularly Chippendale, although Thomas Chippendale did not create the design.
