Every piece of early oak furniture is different,' says Sid Wilkinson, director of Wilkinson's Auctioneers, which holds E several specialist oak sales each year. 'It was all made by hand, bespoke for a specific customer, so no two pieces were exactly alike.' The period 1500 to 1660 is sometimes referred to as the Age of Oak. At that time, the British Isles were heavily forested, and oak was used not just for furniture, but also for building houses and ships. Until the late 17th century, walnut trees - probably first introduced to the British Isles by the Romans - were valued for their nuts, rather than timber. Oak was the material of choice.
Sid believes the story of early oak furniture provides a window into English history. Certain styles are associated with specific regions, and these regional differences in the way the furniture was made can tell us something about its connections to a place. 'Furniture made in Yorkshire, where I am from, is more flamboyant, with inlaid wood and lots of carving - a 'more is more' approach,' he says. In contrast, East Anglian furniture tends to be more restrained and 'you can see the Dutch influence from the workers who came over to drain the fens and build other infrastructure,' he explains.
Four hundred or so years later, the reason we still have furniture from this period is because it's incredibly well made, portable and very useful, continues Sid. That's why it has been passed down through the generations. Today, a 17th-century stool works really well as a nice coffee table or lampstand, and a coffer can still be used for storing bedding or blankets. They fit remarkably well with modern interiors.
Early oak furniture can also give us surprising insights into
how our ancestors once lived.
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Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place
Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE
In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton
The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain
European HERITAGE B&Bs
Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...
STAR SALES
A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots
Textile designs by artists
Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s
Period DRAMA
A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life
An artist's RESIDENCE
Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery
Carefully Curated LIVING
This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques