original Spanish Consulate Metal sign

At Brownrigg @ Home, with our roots in Spain with all its fine Spanish Antiques it is no wonder that we offer a fine selection of antiques from Spain. Antiques include Spanish Antique furniture, Spanish Antique ceramics and other Spanish Pottery.

Pottery has been an important item in Spain for over 4,000 years. But it was the Moors who took pottery to a finer level when they introduced iridescent luster ware and tin-glazed earthenware using techniques that dazed and amazed. Originally used for decorative tiles and vases, the factories began making bowls, cups and plates when the use of silver was restricted for domestic purposes in 1601, thus changing the history of Spanish ceramic art forevermore.

When in the 15th Century Moorish potters in factories near Valencia changed their designs from traditional Arabic to Christian scenes Spanish ceramics became extremely popular in Europe and competed head on with the French and Italians. The Spanish faience rivalled Paris best. Even the Pope gave his royal seal of approval, marvelling over Spain ability to create such things of elegance from mere clay. With backing from the Pope,Spain soon became the foremost ceramic producer in Europe.

A favourite museum in Spain is the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorative in Madrid with its rooms furnished to recreate different historical and regional styles. Here you can study original museum pieces of Spanish Antique furniture and Spanish Antique ceramics.

The typical Spanish antique furniture is heavily carved and robust with over sized proportions not commonly found today. Of great note is the dark wedding chests in Moorish designs and the Catalan four poster boards. In recent years Spanish antiques have gained international popularity as their rich woods mix beautifully with modern art. At The European Fine Arts Fair 2008 (TEFAF), Spanish antiques stole the show serving power punches of antiquity against stark modern interiors. On the rise in popularity, these pieces, which are typically too large for modern day Spanish homes, are ripe for purchasing.

After Madridand Barcelona, the next best area for Spanish antiques is Seville with its maze of narrow streets. The Alfalfa neighborhood, nearby Cabeza del Rey Don Pedro Street and adjacent streets, contains a large number of antique shops and galleries selling contemporary art. Then there is Valencia with its fine porcelain in the antique shops on the streets of Avellanas, Baja or Purisima or in the Ciutat Vella.

Brownrigg Interiors is a wonderful antique furniture shop selling Spanish antiques as well as English antiques, French antiques, Italian antiques, Swedish antiques. Also we sell decorative antiques collectibles and decorative antique furniture that can give new look to your home living or office. We sell antiques in UK and outside UK. We arrange transport and insurance for any antiques purchase from us regardless of its size, to anywhere in the world. Try us!

New Stock of Spanish antiques, French antiques and European antiques at Brownrigg Interiors

Today another consignment of antiques from France, Spain and Italy and other parts of Europe arrives at Brownrigg Interiors, and highlights the fact that London and Petworth, where our antiques shops are situated, are more firmly established than ever as centres of the international market.

We are often asked how we are able to offer such a wide and select range of European furniture and art, and our answer is always that we work hard sourcing inspirational pieces through our unique network of contacts and suppliers. But there is something else.

Wherever you live in the world, London and Petworth are key destinations if you are looking for an impressive selection to choose from (And websites like Brownrigg’s make the journey much easier). This is partly because the UK has the largest art and antiques market in Europe and is second only to the USA worldwide.

And because, historically, the UK has made itself the hub of change and development in the interior design and fashion world. A glance at the apparently never-ending succession of inspirational homes shown monthly in our leading interiors magazines proves the point.

We are pleased to say that not a few of the European antiques pictured come from Brownrigg. And eventually finding their way into the international media will be many of this week’s new arrivals. You can see them now on our website.