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.

That was the year King Gustav III came to the throne and signalled the debut of gustavian style,a unique blend of Swedish and French sensibilities.

An interesting journey inspiring Gustavian Antique Furniture

Gustav loved French literature and was an ardent follower of French protagonists of the Enlightenment. In 1771 he travelled to Paris, and returned deeply influenced by everything he experienced and saw – not least the furniture.

It was the start of the fabulous era of gustavian furniture – the stunning marriage of Swedish neoclassicism and French Louis XVI styling. The wonderful designs which resulted have never been as sought after as they are today, when their combination of simplicity, sophistication and high impact makes them look so good in today’s fashionable interiors – and equally in town or country.

Recognising this style of antique furniture

At Brownrigg@Home we are proud to be able to find wonderful examples of the genre, and right now we have an exceptional range of Swedish pieces in stock.

Our charming late 18th/early 19th century commode has that beautiful pale painted look,a fabulous shape thanks to its fluted columns and feet and lovely greco-roman motif handles. You can see this here

From the same era our very smart Swedish bureau bookcase has that delightful old soft grey colour but plenty of presence and impact. A really stunning piece to have in any room.

The key neoclassical look is equally evident in our elegant Swedish bench, and the exceptional pair of gustation stools in their original paint.

For impact look at this 118 inch long gustavian sofa with its original paint and horse hair seat – a piece that King Gustav himself would have looked on with favour.

Between them, and the many other pieces in stock, not least our range of clocks, they show off everything we love about gustavian and Scandinavian pieces.

A beautiful piece of furniture has a kind of integrity and honesty that comes from its maker.

The design, choice of wood and the way furniture is made come together to produce a harmonious result – and nothing exemplifies this better than country furniture.

Sophisticated city designers have usually led the way in creating new styles and fashions, and country furniture makers have traditionally interpreted the best by paring down the forms to express the true essence of a look. You can see how in by viewing this 18th century bleached oak bureau

Simple elegance, whether French, English or Scandinavian, Country Antique Furniture has it ..

They have also simplified the way furniture is made. Veneers, ormolu trimmings or exaggerated detailing are replaced by solid woods, pure lines and straightforward construction, and the result is a heritage of wonderfully simple yet elegant country furniture that is ideal for our modern lifestyles. You can see this in this timeless classic 18th century French fruitwood buffet a deux corps

Modern Contemporary Living Space – It can really benefit from Country Furniture and Antiques

Country tables, as well, are fabulous in contemporary rooms, where their pared down lines, say in a fruitwood piece in the Louis XV or XVI stles, look exceptional.

Country furniture makers have always used the best of locally available wood, so oak was favoured in England, pine in Scandinavia and fruitwoods in many parts of the Continent. Often Swedish pieces were painted in stunning light colours to give a lift to dark interiors. See this 18th century corner cupboard.

In France, furniture makers would travel from village to village making armoires, chests of drawers or tables by commission before moving on. The lustrous woods they selected were ideal for the task and equally perfect in their capacity to improve with age.

Great British Country Furniture – in favour and taking centre stage

In Great Britain, simple yet outstanding pieces were also created to play a part in the management of estates – tables, cupboards and grand kitchen furniture.

The sheer practicality of country furniture ensured that it was rarely discarded, and although many pieces were sidelined during the 20th century they are totally back in favour now, deservedly centre of stage again.

Can we help you?

If you would like to know more about which furniture would be right for you, please contact us. All our details can be viewed here. We look forward to hearing from you.

One is the designer who translates inspired ideas into sketches and then finished perspectives and working drawings.

The other is the furniture maker who takes the drawings and makes them a reality by forming, shaping and assembling the various materials to create the designer’s vision.

Of course, the “parents” are always equally important. But it is only as a result of the maker’s workmanship that the finished piece will be a true object of beauty and function, like our 1930’s, 40’s French bleached centre table.

That’s why insisting on top quality workmanship is my fourth rule when buying antiques.

What I consider makes for top quality workmanship

A good cabinet maker starts with various marking instruments that are not really tools – pencils, marking knives, set squares, rulers, straight edges and gauges. These are used to “set out” the furniture, to mark the materials and to show where they should be cut. This is the thoughtful part of the job, especially difficult when the form in complicated.

Then each part needs to be skilfully worked and finished before being gracefully brought together to realise the designer’s original concept. Beautifully turned legs, artistic carving, fine veneering, perfect dovetailing, well crafted hinges, locks and catches, fine leather for upholstery. The original leather on our 1950’s sofa illustrates the point.

All will help make a piece special. But the finished furniture must do more than look good. It must also be capable of doing its job efficiently, and the strength and quality of the joining will be vital, as in our 19th century bleached oak bookcase.

Interesting history about “antique” quality workmanship

Interestingly, all the methods used in Europe to make furniture by hand from the ninth century onwards were known to the ancient Romans, Greeks, Egyptians and Chinese, but lost for centuries before being rediscovered.

Half-mortice, tenon and mortice, scarf joints, tongue and groove and wooden pegging are among the inventions which provide robustness alongside elegance.

Today these timeless techniques, perfectly executed, are still the hallmark of desirable furniture, whether simple country or sophisticated urban pieces, such as this late 18th century French marquetry commode in kingwood, rosewood and boxwood.

And good workmanship in harmony with pleasing design will always delight the eye.

Part of our Five Golden Rules series Click here for the full list

Much of the beauty of wonderful antique furniture lies simply in its wood.
Soft to the touch from a hundred and more years of appreciative use, gently faded due to a lifetime in a sunny country or glowing after years of loving attention, it might be a commode, a bookcase, chairs or even a mirror or picture frame. Whichever it is, the allure of the wood is often what attracts me to it and why I make a great patina or colour the third priority in my list of golden rules for buying an antique.

It makes antique furniture look fabulous in any setting

And the exciting fusion of very old, vintage and contemporary pieces in current interiors means that a spellbinding patina will look fabulous not only in a traditional setting but equally alongside the most modern of architectural materials.

Imagine 18th century Italian walnut juxtaposed with white concrete or brushed steel. It’s a challenging look that succeeds through a contrast which stresses the specific beauty of each of the materials.

What to look for, then?

All the fruitwoods age beautifully. Don’t worry about a bit of old woodworm. It’s not a cliche to say that it adds character. Cherrywood, especially the wild cherry merisier, almond, lemon, mulberry, pear, apple, plum and walnut. All have distinctive and exceptional characters as you can see from this 19th century French commode in cherry and this outstanding French Louis XV walnut serpentine commode.

Of the hard woods, oak can be stunning either darkly polished, bleached or in the honey colour of the 1930s. Check out this lovely, simple, bleached oak bookcase.

Pine furniture comes into its own when it has the translucently soft hue of the Regency period; marvellous, for example, in a bookcase or cupboard with those classic Georgian handles and escutcheons.

Mahogancy also looks amazing when it has faded to a light colour which makes it seem almost like a special variety of fruitwood. Our mahogany English estate cupboard illustrates how good mahogany can look.

Pieces from the 1950s and 60s can also offer visually delightful wood and patinas, especially the extravagantly grained rosewood and walnut furniture from Scandinavia, like this Danish centre or dining table.

Don’t forget that painted furniture, too, will take on a patina after time, often benefiting from wear which has taken off some of the top coat of paint to reveal mellow undercoats, often in different yet complementary colours. The overall effect can shimmer like a pointilliste painting!

I believe the answer should be that there are no hard and fast rules. Over the years certain shapes and sizes have become established for various pieces, and they will help confirm their age and country of origin.

A matter of scale, in the matter of antiques

For example, the classic Louis Philippe French commode is typically not much different from 50 inches wide, 22 inches deep and 35 inches high, and has a marble top slightly larger than that of the commode. Any bigger and the commode would look oddly overscaled. My perfect example can bee seen by clicking here

But you can scale up if you change the proportions, as in this early 19th century French walnut buffet, where the balance of the two doors and the single drawer above is complemented by the extra chunky moonlight marble top.

Yet in country pieces a quirky shape can provide a special charm, or a chest with an unusual configuration of drawers can have an appeal all its own. View here this 19th century bank of drawers.

Searching for “antique furniture” visual perfection

The search for visual perfection has always been fascinating. Many designers have believed that ideal proportions could be mathematically calculated and the world’s greatest architects have often led the quest.

The hugely influential 16th century Italian architect Palladio devoted himself to studies of classical ancient Roman architectural proportions, as did the English architect Sir John Soane (1753-1837), who collected countless examples of antique design so that he could demonstrate to his students the elusive elements of perfect proportion and balance.

I always think that the 19th century French gueridon table is a great instance of design that transcends the centuries. The design is geometrically simple. A round top, usually with a circular piece of marble on it; a single, tapered central stem and three legs, sometimes plain, sometimes claw-footed. But always the diameter of the circular top is slightly greater than that of the feet and the stem is sized to achieve a harmonious overall balance. This gueridon illustrates the point magnificently.

You can also see elegant proportions in this 19th century pine breakfront bookcase, where the central sections steps out, almost architecturally, from the sides in a way that lightens the large piece of furniture and even gives a sense of movement…

…by comparison, the 1930s French bookcase is potentially heavier with its neoclassical styling, but thanks to the use of large sections of glass, subtly brass framed, is pleasingly balanced in appearance.

What of scale and visual perfection! – does the furniture look good where you want to put it?

Finally, what about the best proportions of furniture to use in a room? This is really what it’s all about, and my advice is, don’t be frightened to use large, strong pieces.

Imposing mirrors, in particular, are never risky to use. When you step back you will always be pleased by the way strong mirroring will reflect the room and the pieces in it.

At the end of the day, maybe, probably? – beauty and proportions are in the eye of the beholder!

There’s a timeless quality about the English country house that emanates from the style and appearance of its furniture, mirrors and paintings.
Irish, Scottish and Welsh interiors have their own distinctive characteristics as well, and English country house owners often borrow from them, and from some French influences, to achieve an unsurpassed look. This harmonious combination can only be achieved by the careful selection of pieces with strong inherent qualities which express the outstanding nature of English furnishings.

Is there something special about the English Country House style

So what is so special about the English style? And which pieces most typify the country house and its close relative, the English townhouse?

First, the outstanding cabinetmaking and exceptional materials. Second, great patina on old woods and the colour of painted pieces. Third, wonderful proportions, especially in classically influenced furniture. And lastly, the apparently effortless combination of pieces from different eras, in particular the 18th and 19th centuries alongside the stylish 1920s and 30s.

Achieving the Country House look

1. In choosing the key pieces to achieve this highly desirable look, start by remembering that a large English upholstered sofa or two lends that relaxed feel that is so typical of the English house, and the ideal choice is often a classic chesterfield. beautifully piped and buttoned. This 19th century chesterfield is a great example of the look.

2. The sought after Howard style armchairs with their deep comfortable seats and clubby looks introduce that other important element of the English traditional look – the 1920s and 30s feel of fashionable living.

3. Old estate furniture, originally used for estate management, filing and storage, has now moved centre stage, and looks fabulous in living rooms, kitchens and bedrooms. You can find exceptional quality examples of this style of furniture juts have a look at this estate cupboard. Would work well anywhere!

4. There is the quintessential country house piece, that looks equally at home in town. It’s the simple painted cupboard and when you find a wonderfully proportioned, clean lined with classical architecture references, it has an aura that manages to be both relaxed and imposing at the same time.

5. Books are central to the English look and a stylish bookcase is always a good investment. This fine quality 19th century (around 1840) bookcase in pine should give you a good idea of what you could do.

6. Good mirrors are crucial to achieving the English mood, especially in a townhouse. They don’t need to be over restored or have a new plate, they just require good proportions and the charm that comes from gentle maturing. This rectangular mirror demonstrates how attractive an aged mirror can look. It will catch and reflect the light without being ostentatious.

7. And finally, paintings. They provide a key opportunity to bring character and individuality to a home because of their personal nature and the way they demonstrate your individual taste. Forget some of the established English artists and look at the exciting unknown painters who produced exceptional work, particularly in the 1930s, 40s ans 50s. Our original portrait of a young woman by Harry Young, signed and dated 1932, is finely executed (ref.4485).

Find inspiration from all around, The English Country Style certainly did.

And don’t forget that the inclusion of continental European or Scandinavian pieces in an English style room is a well-established tradition and can certainly add to the overall feel.

You can’t go far wrong. Unlike most new furniture, antiques will hold their value in both the short and long terms and will give you the added bonus of visual pleasure if you keep them at home.

But investing successfully in antiques is not so simple. And you can go badly wrong if you don’t follow some basic guidelines.

1. Do your homework. Talk to successul antiques dealers and read appropriate magazines and publications. You will start to become aware of patterns in supply and demand, as well as refining your own taste.

2. Trust your instincts. An antique can pack an emotional punch and if it connects with you it probably has something special about it. But don’t be afraid to get a second opinion.

3. Consider the relationships between the pieces you buy. For example, highly successful investment properties have been created in the past by enthusiasts for 17th century English oak and walnut. There’s no need to be so specialist, but a cohesive grouping will have more value than an overly eclectic combination, and a good collection sale can yield higher returns than a series of individual sales.

4. Age confers value, and the oldest pieces will always be the most sought after. In the 1920s people could still buy William and Mary or Queen Anne English pieces. Now they are almost out of reach. The supply of antiques is finite, so buy early antiques if you can.

5. Quality is a key factor. Outstanding craftsmanship and fine materials like beautifully aged walnut, oak and elm will enhance value. Signature pieces by renowned 18th and 19th century French and English cabinetmakers are few and far between, but never stop looking for them.

6. Think simple. Classic lines tend to avoid the vagaries of fashion more successfully than exotic creations.

7. But remember, eccentric rarities can occasionally have an unexpectedly high value. Again, trust your instincts and don’t be afraid of antiques with unusual character.

8. Don’t make low price a determining factor. Always buy the best you can afford. It will pay off in the end.

9. Buy from people whose taste and judgement you respect.

10. Keep your investments at home. Sit on them, eat off them, look at them. The pleasure is an immediate and ongoing reward. And if you have too many investments, just keep rotating them!

“Author” Robin Ruddy is a journalist, public relations consultant and now an antiques dealer who writes on antiques and French biodynamic wine. His French Provincial Furniture is the best selling book on the subject.