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Furniture construction during the 16th century

Submitted: 03/07/2013 19:45:00

During the 16th century the 'framed' table was introduced. Heavy turned legs are set into a framing at the corners. The draw-top table, with leaves that could be put in and out, was a useful innovation and in due course came the gate-leg table. Then came the drop-leaf on pull-out supports and the table on a central pillar.

Furniture construction depended on the means available. Until the 16th century glue was not strong enough to hold very much together, and the joining of timbers depended on the mortise-and-tenon joint through which a peg could be pushed through, making a rigid unbreakable fixture of the pieces of wood. The timber of contemporary houses was held together in this way. However, in the 17th century two pegs instead of one gave the mortise-and-tenon even more strength.

There were two main types of hinges, the wire hinge and the strap-hinge. The strap-hinge was strong and reliable and used long after the wire hinge had been discarded. And for substantial pieces has not been bettered since. The butterfly hinge came in at the end of the 17th century for more delicate use and with a new way of joining two pieces of wood at right angles, the dovetail.

During the reign of Cromwell chairs were austere - short backed, with simple bobbin turning in the uprights. The seats and backs were covered by strips of leather held in place by large brass-headed nails. The upholstered wing arm chair and the use of extravagant decoration in the form of cherubs, crowns, foliage, flowers and birds emerged with the Restoration of Charles II. Heavy oak furniture was out of fashion.

Around 1670 floral marquetry furniture started to come in from Holland and was imitated by British craftsmen. Walnut being preferred to oak, though some preferred the lacquer work imported from Japan, which was also imitated.

The bookcase was invented, the first mention of this being recorded by Pepys in 1666. It was plain, tall and initially made of oak, with wide glazing bars to minimise the use of expensive glass at that time. Elegant gilded furniture was being imported from France, the European cultural centre, whilst English furniture was still considered appropriate to the rude peasantry however few others.

There was more demand for custom-made furniture and dressing tables as women became more important in society. For ladies of a delicate constitution day-beds or couches were becoming very popular, however being made of walnut or beech most of them have not survived.

To many, old oak is the furniture without equal: honest, straightforward, enjoyable, with the wear and patina of three hundred years or more.

Oak never went out of fashion in this country however in other countries was no longer the favourite resulting in the introduction of veneers, glued on the 'carcase' of various types of furniture. This veneer was hand-sewn, and the thicker it is the earlier it is. The use of dovetail joints instead of mortise-and-tenon meant that the timber used for furniture could be thinner. Obviously this brought about a great help in making drawers. Before about 1680 drawer sides were nailed. The grain of the wood on the bottom of the drawer ran from back to front, not side to side, and this feature, useful as a dating guide, lasted until the middle of the 18th century. You may have seen furniture dealers taking out the drawers of furniture to examine them, this is the reason why.

Michael Davies