How do I identify genuine art deco furniture?

Examine the piece for characteristic geometric silhouettes, symmetrical wood veneers, and materials typical of the interwar period such as burr walnut, chromium, and vitrolite. Construction details and stylistic markers from the 1920s and 1930s help distinguish period items from later reproductions. Many pieces also feature maker marks, stamps, or labels from prominent workshops active during the era, providing definitive proof of origin.

Were these pieces used in offices or homes?

Interwar workshops produced items for both domestic settings and professional environments, as evidenced by dedicated office furniture suites, pedestal desks, and filing solutions alongside bedroom and dining pieces. Residential forms ranged from cocktail cabinets and occasional tables for entertaining to practical wardrobes, dressing tables, and bed frames designed for modern households.

What woods were most commonly used?

Walnut and oak appear frequently across British and continental examples, utilised both as solid timber and as decorative veneers. Cabinet makers also turned to rosewood, satin birch, sycamore, and elm to achieve distinct surface colours and grain patterns. Exotic veneers were carefully selected to create symmetrical patterns across large flat surfaces like sideboard doors and chest drawer fronts.

How do British and continental styles differ?

British designs often emphasise solid or oak-veneered construction with practical forms suited to traditional homes, while French and Swedish pieces frequently incorporate exotic woods, mirrored glass, and bolder modernist silhouettes. Continental makers leaned into luxurious finishes like satin birch and rosewood, creating striking statement items such as mirrored chests and klismos dining chairs.