Regency Mahogany Elbow Chairs with Anthemion Carving

• Regency Period - The Regency period in English furniture design refers to the period when King George III, was declared unfit to rule in 1811, and his son ruled as proxy as Prince Regent, until 1820, and then, after the death of his father as George IV until his death in 1830. The Regency period was preceded by the Georgian period (George I, George II, and George III: 1714 - 1811), and was followed by the William IV period, which only lasted until 1837 when William IV died as was succeeded by Queen Victoria.
• Splat - The central back support between the top rail and the seat in chairs and couches. They may take a variety of forms, and run either horizontally or vertically.
• Sabre Leg - The sabre leg is commonly associated with chairs made in the Regency or classical revival manner of the early 19th century. The form was copied from designs of the ancient Grecian chair known as a klismos found on painted classical vases. The characteristic of the sabre leg is a wide, sweeping backward curve which was frequently reeded, similar to a sabre. The sweep of the front legs was sometimes complemented by a corresponding curve in the back legs of the chair, though on most domestic furniture the sweep of the rear support was not as pronounced. Sabre legs are often encountered in reproductions of the regency style. They are uncommon in Australian furniture where, by and large, colonial craftsmen preferred to use turned legs.
• Rail - A term used by cabinet makers for the horizontal sections of the frame of an item such as a chair or settee which have a front rail, a back rail and two side rails, and also on a door or carcase, where the rails are joined to the vertical framings.
• Mahogany - Mahogany is a dense, close grained red-coloured timber from the West Indies and Central America. It was first imported into Europe in the the early 18th century and its use continued through the 19th century. It was popular for furniture making because of its strength, the wide boards available, the distinctive grain on some boards, termed flame mahogany and the rich warm colour of the timber when it was polished.. The "flame" was produced where a limb grew out from the trunk of the tree, and this timber was usually sliced into veneers for feature panels on doors, backs and cornices.
  
  Some terms used to describe mahogany relate to the country from which it originally came, such as "Cuban" mahogany, "Honduras" mahogany etc. However unless the wood has been tested the names assigned are more a selling feature, rather than a true indication of the timber's origin.
• Cresting - The decorative carving at the top of a piece of furniture, such as a sideboard back, a mirror, or a chair back.
• Anthemion -
  An anthemion is a classical decorative design element based on the acanthus flower that consists of a central circular or oval motif surrounded by radiating petals or leaves. It is often used as a border or frieze in architecture, furniture, and other decorative arts. The anthemion is derived from the palmette, a motif that was popular in ancient Greek and Roman art and architecture. It is often associated with the classical world and with Neoclassical style, and it is often used to add a sense of grandeur and formality to a design. The anthemion is also known as a honeysuckle or honeysuckle ornament. It continues to be used in a variety of contexts today, and it is often admired for its elegant and decorative qualities.
  
  

This item has been included into following indexes:

• chairs, singles / pairs / threes, style or period
  • elbow 191
  • Regency 234
• chairs, singles / pairs / threes, timber - mahogany 1,098