By George...

This 1753 cabinet-on-chest or "Lady's Closet" in mahogany and mahogany veneer with cypress, is attributed to cabinetmaker Robert Dean, with carving attributed to Henry Burnett.

The term Georgian became synonymous with the era between 1714 and 1830, when four successive British monarchs named- you guessed it, George, occupied the throne. 

Westover Plantation on the James River in Virginia

The British throne.

Dome of St. Paul's Cathedral, London 1710, Christopher Wren

What we recognize as Georgian style was actually comprised of several different artistic movements that promoted proportion, symmetry and balance, arising after the English Baroque designs of Christopher Wren and others.  

Symmetry was so important, that false doors would often be created to visually balance another functioning door.  Had I lived then, I would have spent a considerable amount of time fumbling around for the doorknob.

This bell jar lantern is from England, c. 1815 from our dear friends at Spurgeon-Lewis antiques in Old Town Alexandria.  See it here.  In amethyst, it would be beautiful in a gray room, sparkle in a green garden conservatory, and can you imagine how it would pop in a yellow room?

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia

The Palladian movement referenced the Italian Andrea Palladio's interpretation of classical Roman and Greek proportions.  

The 136 ft. long "Long Gallery" at Scion House in England.  Redesigned by Robert Adam as a ladies' withdrawing room in 1761.

Other movements included Neo-classicism, 

and the Regency style greatly associated with John Nash among others, 

Oatlands Plantation, Leesburg, Virginia

as well as Greek Revival, whose great proponents were William Wilkins and Robert Smirke.

Federal style doorway at Winterthur

Wythe house, Williamsburg, Virginia

In America, Colonial architecture blended with the neo-classical style to become widely known as "Federal" style.  

The style, both in architecture and furniture, was brought to America largely through pattern books, and was enthusiastically embraced by wealthy Americans as a way to emulate the aristocratic style of the British gentry. 

The Wythe house (pronounced like "Smith) when constructed in 1755, was a model of Georgian architecture.  The footprint is rectangular, and each floor contains four, more or less square rooms, one in each of the four corners and divided by a central passage.

This is the Wythe house floor plan as drawn by the Colonial Williamsburg restoration department.  The placement of the fireplaces allows the typical Georgian double chimneys.

This is the wallpaper from the hallway at the Wythe house.  Wide Georgian center hallways performed at least three functions.  They transported occupants from place to place within the house, and acted as a breezeway for air flow, but the less obvious function was to provide a social barrier. 

Mount Vernon, VA floorplan

Georgian entry halls were relatively plain by current standards.  Today we have equal-opportunity foyers, but social status was extremely important in the 18th century.  While a socially inferior visitor might gain access to the hall, he or she might not be permitted to access the private rooms on either side, where the finest furniture and accessories were displayed.

American furniture was made to mimic the complicated curves and swirls of furniture built by Thomas Chippendale.  This chest is in the Philadelphia Museum and was made in London, circa 1755-60, and is attributed to Thomas Chippendale himself.

This Chippendale style side chair was manufactured in Boston between 1760 and 1780, by an unknown craftsman.  

The renowned Israel Sack once said, when asked how you tell the difference between an English made antique and an American made antique, "That's easy.  By its accent."  He meant that English furniture tended to stress the horizontal elements and American furniture tended to emphasize the vertical.

This mahogany and cherry Chippendale style tea table was owned by Charles Carter from Virginia and attributed to Robert Walker c. 1750

Osterley Park, London

Americans also loved the delicate, classical proportions of architects Robert and James Adam.  Note the Bell Jar lantern.

Adam style is seen in the large dining room at Mount Vernon, in Virginia.  Robert Adam's emphasis on Greek and Roman decorative elements was enthusiastically embraced by the new republic.

Hepplewhite sideboard in mahogany with satinwood veneer

1810 Hepplewhite chair, Winterthur

1785 Hepplewhite bookcase in a home designed by Matthew Patrick Smythe

The clean lines of George Hepplewhite, 

and Thomas Sheraton were coveted then, and add grace to interiors today.

Faith vase by William Yeoward

Georgian designs add sober richness to traditional or contemporary interiors.  William Yeoward crystal is inspired by designs from 18th and early 19th century England.  The Georgian style flat cuts sweep up from a square base. 

I have noticed that people generally fall into one of two camps when it comes to crystal.  Some prefer their crystal to feel heavy and substantial in the hand, or light as air.  If you are of the former persuasion, you'll love this gorgeous chunk of Georgian style stemware from Waterford.  The Bolton/Grafton Street pattern has been just recently retired, but is still available in stores.

Elvdon, William Yeoward

Georgian silver was often simple

and always graceful.  These George III antique sterling candlesticks are from 1791.

  

If you are anywhere near Deerfield, MA from November 11-13th, 2011, the Deerfield Museum of New England history and decorative arts is holding a forum called, "Balance and Beauty:  Georgian Design in Early America."  Get information by clicking here.

Jennings is a landscape architect, so he has a love of all things outdoors.  This is a fantastic Bob Villa video of the restoration of a one acre Georgian style garden at the William Gibbs house, built in 1772 in Charleston, SC.  The William Gibbs house is considered one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in America.

Great Reading:

I don't normally go on about the books we recommend from our library, but I must make a note on the book, The New Fine Points of Furniture: Early American: The Good, Better, Best, Superior, Masterpiece by Albert Sack.  

If you could only ever buy one book on collecting antiques, this is the one.  

The brilliant Albert Sack wrote the first version of this book in 1950, and it was a landmark.  It is a marvelous book for beginners, and the definitive "bible" for antique dealers and collectors, showing each example of furniture in the format of "Good" "Better" "Best" "Superior" and "Masterpiece."  

You don't have to be an expert to understand clearly why a curator raves about a certain antique piecrust table, and passes another by- and it really will change how you respond to antique furniture forever.  Mr. Sack died in May this year, and the book is now out of print, so I expect it will just get more expensive as copies disappear.  If you can find one for a reasonable price, grab it.   

                         


Images: 1.Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, Winston-Salem, NC 2.3.4.5. 6.Spurgeon-Lewis Antiques 7. Monticello.org 8.9.10.11. Winterthur 12.-14 Colonial Williamsburg digital library 15. Philadelphia Museum 16. Philadephia Museum 17. Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts18.Osterly Park 19.Bob Villa 20. MountVernon.org 21. Mount Vernon.org 22. Winterthur 23. Matthew Patrick Smythe 24.25. William Yeoward 26. Waterford 27. William Yeoward 28.www.davidshure.com 29. Deerfield Museum