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The Period of WrenHistory of Early American Colonial Furniture

The Cedar Room at No. 31 Old Burlington Street serves as an example of the refinement of the wealth and luxury of the age; but the same collection contains another room more closely identified with the genius of Wren, for its chimney-piece and parts of the panelling were removed from a house at Bow, in which the great architect lived at some period after the Great Fire (probably whilst engaged on the City churches). This apartment, known as the " Wren Room," shown on page 19, is plainer than the Cedar Room, and is typical of the principal chamber in an ordinary house at the latter part of the seventeenth century. It is panelled throughout with fir wood, now generally called deal, or pine, just then beginning to take the place of oak, not altogether as being less expensive, but because it was more suitable for painting or graining, then regarded by many as better decorative treatment than the plain oak which for so long had been in vogue. Today, it would be difficult to convince anyone of its superior merit, but it will be admitted that no more satisfactory background could possibly be found for fine furniture such as this room contains.

In the scheme of interior decoration which Wren adopted, there is no more characteristic feature than the ceiling; the geometrical patterns of Elizabethan and early Tudor times had been superseded by the formal classic style of Inigo Jones, which Wren to some extent adopted, while at the same time introducing that peculiar free elaboration of ornament so characteristic of all his work. The ceilings, both in this and in the Cedar Room, are of consider­able interest and are described in the chapter on Plaster Ornamentation.

Wood carvings of the school of Grinling Gibbons and decorative paintings, both for walls and ceilings, are integral parts of the scheme of embellishment of fine apartments during the Wren period, but each of these subjects is also separately dealt with.

It cannot be claimed that contemporary furniture was influenced by Wren to the same degree as architecture and decorationand furnishing (English and early American Colonial furniture); but, during his period, which may be taken as commencing at the Restoration, when he was twenty-eight years of age, and lasting until the accession of George I, when he was still Surveyor-General, a complete evolution, development and practical abandonment of one particular style occurred. The style referred to is sometimes classified under the " and it is true that such wood was then more largely employed than at any other period, but by no means exclusively, even for the finest examples o furnishing (English and early American Colonial furniture).

English and American mansions contained but little luxurious furniture (early American Colonial furniture ) previous to the reign of Charles II; indeed, in this respell, we ranked far behind Continental countries. The earlier examples of the improved furniture introduced after the Restoration were to some extent developments of preceding cruder models, but the refinements were almost entirely due to influences from Holland, which country, having learned from Portugal, Spain and Italy, had developed her own styles and had become the recognized authority on matters of luxury. The " Farthingale" chairs (shown on page 7) dates from somewhat earlier than the Restoration, but the chairs shown on page 22, and the child's chair, page 2.4, are fine examples illustrating the luxury of the early part of the new reign. Other specimens, also shown on page 23, dating from a few years later are equally interesting.

Table inlaid with Ebony and Boxwood showing Dutch influence

Firedog. Bronse. Enamelled with Coat-of-Arms, etc.

Large Mirror with Vauxhall Glass, Later Part of Seventeenth Century