86 
House & Garden 
An armchair of the peri¬ 
od, showing the profile 
and the curved and 
crossed underbracing with 
its pnial reminiscent of 
Italian Renaissance models 
A cabinet of rectangular construction with 
panels and moldings. Note the pointed arched 
cutting of the apron, the shape of which is 
repeated below in the flat underbracing 
Some of the armchairs 
have finely carved “mir¬ 
ror backs", so called be¬ 
cause they are framed like 
a mirror with exquisite, 
deep carving of leaf motifs 
THE CHARACTERISTICS of 
WILLIAM and. MARY FURNITURE 
Another back 
shows turned and 
slat m e m b etr s 
W ITH William and 
Mary furniture in 
England we feel a domestic 
quality well named by this 
royal husband, William III., 
and Mary his docile and 
beautiful wife. The furni¬ 
ture is typical of the more 
homelike and modern way 
of living brought to England from the older 
nations of the world at the close of the 17th 
Century. Because of this change in the home 
and the house, which was built with higher 
ceilings, the 18th Century in England opens an 
era of furniture making unrivalled for its pecu¬ 
liar quality and suitability. We are to-day striv¬ 
ing to recall and equal it. The dates of the 
period are 1689 to 1702. 
One point, constantly brought to our attention, 
is that the more elaborate William and Mary 
pieces take their inspiration from the Italian 
Renaissance, albeit qualified in its transportation 
through Flanders and Holland via France. 
The simple pieces 
however are the special 
accomplishment of this 
period. Whether in 
plain little tables, in 
chairs or benches, in cabinets and beds, the beau¬ 
tiful surface of plain wood in nature’s wonderful 
markings competes successfully with carving from 
the hand of man. The designing of what we 
would call practical furniture, light enough to be 
easily moved and simple enough to be easily 
cleaned and cared for, is a quality of William 
and Mary furniture for which the housewife is 
grateful. 
Interior decoration as an art had its beginnings 
in England at this time. William and Mary were 
A chair arm with 
carving and up¬ 
holstery as 
well 
(Right) A 
c h a racteristic 
hinge mount 
(Below) Design 
of a painted 
cabinet panel 
A typical handle 
and drawer pull 
of this period 
(Right) A table 
leg showing the 
interested in making palaces 
and gardens into attractive 
homes. 
These are the marked 
characteristics of William 
and Mary furniture: 
Construction: Rectangu¬ 
lar forms, but lighter and 
also higher than earlier 
styles. Underbracing variously curved, crossed 
and ornamented, often decidedly Renaissance in 
character. 
Ornament: Dutch designs, often harking back 
to Italian Renaissance motifs, especially in mar¬ 
quetry which becomes exquisite. The typical 
cockleshell motif is traceable also to Italy. Chi¬ 
nese decoration comes to England with the in¬ 
comparable China teas and porcelains. Veneer, 
marquetry, inlay, carving, coloring, gilding and 
lacquer. Upholstery of cross-stitch embroidery, 
damask, velvet, leather and caning. Vase-forms 
supported by curved, crossed underbracing of 
Italian Renaissance type very characteristic. 
Tops-. Arched hood 
and double hood; crest¬ 
ed ; double chair topped 
settees; straight 
( Cont. on page 114) 
mm 
A Spanish scroll 
foot of the 
same period 
© 
A turned and 
fl n e l y carved 
chair leg 
Profile of a typ¬ 
ical chair arm 
of the period 
