Antique Style Sofa
When you search for an antique style sofa, you find seating that echoes earlier periods through revival designs and classic forms.
Antique Style Sofa
An antique style sofa encompasses pieces built in historical revivals as well as original period seating from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The selections on this page feature forms ranging from Victorian drop arm designs and Edwardian country house seating to French Louis styles and Georgian revivals.
Makers and manufacturers often drew on earlier aesthetics, producing walnut, mahogany, and giltwood frames upholstered in silk, velvet, or leather.
How They Were Made
Timbers such as mahogany, walnut, oak, and satinwood form the structural frames of these pieces, alongside carved giltwood and cast iron.
Upholstery techniques utilise traditional fillings and fabrics, including striped silk, patterned velvet, and leather, supported by hand-tied springs or webbing.
Listings feature woods including mahogany, walnut, oak, satinwood, and pitch pine alongside upholstered finishes in velvet, silk, and leather.
What Varies In Quality
The refinement of the timber carving and the integrity of the frame construction distinguish standard production from exceptional examples.
Original upholstery materials and the fidelity of revival details, such as ball and claw feet or fluted legs, indicate the level of craftsmanship.
Howard and Sons·Whytock and Reid·J. S. Kinsey
The Antique Style Sofa Glossary
- Bergere
- An enclosed upholstered armchair or sofa with wooden frames and cane panelling. This French style gained popularity in various British revival periods.
- Canapé
- A traditional French decorative sofa or settee, frequently featuring exposed carved woodwork and cabriole legs. These pieces often match larger salon suites.
- Drop Arm
- A sofa mechanism allowing one or both armrests to lower into a daybed position. This feature appears on nineteenth-century Victorian seating.
- Settee
- A long upholstered seat with a back and arms, designed for multiple occupants. The term is often used interchangeably with sofa across various centuries.
Antique Style Sofa: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a drop arm sofa?
A drop arm sofa includes a hinged mechanism on one or both sides to lower the armrest. This allows the seating to function as an impromptu daybed.
Such pieces are frequently found in nineteenth-century Victorian designs where adaptability in domestic spaces mattered.
How do I identify a revival style?
Revival pieces borrow decorative motifs, frame shapes, and proportions from earlier centuries like the Georgian or Queen Anne eras. They are usually dated by their construction methods and secondary timbers.
Examining the joinery and interior materials helps distinguish an authentic nineteenth-century revival from a later reproduction.
What is a canape sofa?
A canape is a traditional French-style settee characterised by an exposed wooden frame, often carved and painted or gilded. They typically feature cane panels or fully upholstered backs.
These pieces were designed for formal reception rooms and salons across the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Where were country house sofas used?
Country house sofas were large, deep-seated pieces built for comfort in substantial rural residences. They often utilised heavy upholstery and loose cushions.
Maker workshops like Howard and Sons became renowned for producing these durable and luxurious lounging seats.