This week I'm going to be examining various styles of furniture: some common; others less familiar. One period which remains elusive to American collectors is that of the Jacobean period. Jacobus is the Latin name for James, and James was on the throne in England in the 17th century when this style of furniture was produced.
The Jacobean Style of furniture and architecture spans the entire 17th century and is marked by certain traits. Architectural elements included columns and pilasters, which were reproduced in furniture to include turnings. Furniture also saw bulbous turnings at the "ankles" of furniture, and the wood used was most often oak.
The piece shown is a stool, but it is from what we call the Jacobean Revival. Whenever something is referred to as a "revival", that means that it is out of period, and of a later date when it came into vogue again. However, this Jacobean Revival stool has all of the trademarks of the earlier period: oak wood; spool turning; bulbous ankle turnings. It is gutsy, but has great verticality which is a trait not common among the earlier Jacobean pieces.
St. Andrews from the Cathedral
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