Classic Hardwood

Following on from part 1, we are going to look at how Walnut encroached on the dominance of oak.

When it was at its most fashionable, the houses of those who could afford quality furniture were large and the main room, the hall (as in banqueting hall, not the modern hallway we now have), was quite often gigantic. Tables and cupboards were correspondingly giant, and to find a little and good-looking piece of English oak furniture from the 16th century today is virtually impossible. The existing examples are sought after and command high prices.

Oak furniture was manufactured on mainland Europe as well. Much of it looks very similar to that made in England. A lot of it was imported when it was made.

Oak continued to be used for furniture manufacture long after the wood had gone out of fashion. Oak furniture was manufactured throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many pieces one would expect to be mahogany or walnut, are regularly found to be oak.

This manufacturing was carried out in small market towns and villages, where local joiners used the timber that was easily accessible. Because shipping was both hard and costly, imported timber such as walnut and mahogany would have been available near a ports or a large town only.

Walnut, was employed more and more in the latter part of the seventeenth century.

A massive amount of the Oak furniture produced Europe was brought to London during the course of the nineteenth century. Walnut was grown in England but the more highly patterned French variety was favored in most cases. This is one way to tell true English furniture, as the local forests provided a more plain looking piece.