Sensational Scrolled Paper: A Refined Art

A Pair of George III Scroll Paper Tables Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection We continue the ABCs of decorative arts today with a letter that could have been quite tricky - 'Q' - but we are pleased to have the perfect answer: quilling! Quilling has had a variety of names over the years: paper filigree, paper …

Winding Back the Time… A Magnificent Japanned Clock

A Georgian Scarlet Japanned Eight Day Clock by Robert Wood Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection We are delighted to share this magnificent scarlet japanned eight day clock by the London clockmaker Robert Wood. A Georgian Scarlet Japanned Eight Day Clock by Robert Wood Mackinnon Fine Furniture Collection The case is beautifully decorated with scarlet japanning and …

Sensational Scrolled Paper: A Refined Art

We are delighted to share a rare and remarkable pair of George III scroll paper tables - these tables are part of a very small group of furniture that features this decorative technique called scroll paper decoration, also known as quilling or paper filigree.  We will look at the history of this technique and its …

Friday Finds: A Look Back at the Archives

We are delighted to present a new series, Friday Finds, where we will delve into the library and look at publications on art & antiques that are relevant to pieces in our current collection.  Today, we are focusing on the pair of George III giltwood armchairs attributed to John Cobb.  We looked at these chairs …

The Fanciful Designs of Thomas Johnson

Thomas Johnson was one of the most skilled carvers and furniture designers in Georgian England.  He was a champion of both the rococo movement and chinoiserie taste, and his elaborate designs often wove the two styles together. Johnson was born in 1723 as one of twelve children to a London builder and developer, Joel Johnson.  …

Fit for a Princess: A George III Chimneypiece attributed to Robert Adam

Continuing our week of all things royal, today we are highlighting a rare and important George III pine chimneypiece possibly designed by Robert Adam for Harewood House.  The carving throughout is of exceptional quality in the neo-classical taste, with carved laurel wreaths and bell flower swags and classical urns.  The surface would have been gilded or …

The Director Himself: Thomas Chippendale & His Designs for Mirrors

It is impossible to talk about antiques without talking about Thomas Chippendale.  This preeminent cabinetmaker of the eighteenth century has become synonymous for all things Georgian.  There are plenty of biographies of Thomas Chippendale that you can read here and here (PS: The Chippendale Society is a great resource for all furniture enthusiasts.  We are proud to …