Antique Armoires
A 19th century English antique armoire.
An excellent quality English 19th century Armoire in Satinwood with finely detailed carving. The drawers of the armoire are line in cedar, the piece is original throughout, the carved details and overall quality of this piece are as good as any piece of furniture made at this time in the 19th ... Find out more
An English early 19th Century 2 door antique Gothic Revival Armoire with a fitted interior.
An English early 19th Century 2 door antique Gothic Revival Armoire with a fitted interior.The armoire is finely grained in a mahogany that is often used in Scottish 19th Century ... Find out more
An overview of antique English wardrobes and French armoires
Armoires or wardrobes as they are known in England, were widely used almost to the degree of one armoire in every bedroom since rooms were typically not built with closets. Is is thought that homes with closets in the bedrooms were taxed at a higher rate because they had more rooms. Often antique armoires come in different designs the smaller ones having a single door, then double door and triple door, the largest being an armoire with a door at each end and finished in the center with an arrangement of doors and drawers. Antique English armoires were made in a wide variety of woods mahogany, walnut ,satinwood, pollard oak to name a few. The armoire really came into its own in the Victorian period and large numbers were produced in the later 19th century. In the Georgian and early Regency periods, linen and clothes presses were more prevalent than armoires for storage of wardrobe items.
In 19th century regional France, armoires were also widely used, and were often quite elaborately carved and very grand pieces of furniture, made in a variety of woods such as cherrywood, oak, ash and mahogany. French armoires can be identified stylistically with the different regions, which often had their own distinctive design features such as the shape of the feet, the apron, the doors, the types of carving, etc.