Irish Furniture

[Paul K. Murphy]

A friend sent me this auction catalog.
The artifacts are Irish and include a lot of furniture. If you haven't seen Irish furniture before, here's your chance.
Page 109 has a nice Mid-Georgian Mahogany cabinet that looks like it's right out of Chippendale's, "Director." Pages 62-69 have some painted satinwood, Neoclassical cabinets, including a Carlton House Desk.
Keep in mind, many of the descriptions are wrong. I've only had a chance to glance in here, but I've found many erroneous descriptions.
https://adams.auctioneersvault.com/catalogues/9052/#71

[Paul K. Murphy]

If you've ever wanted to see the distinction;, wanted to be able to identify Irish furniture, look to page 177. That table is instantly recognizable as Irish. Many of the others look like they could be from England (they're not), but that table could come from one place alone, Ireland.

[Halfathumb]

If you've ever wanted to see the distinction;, wanted to be able to identify Irish furniture, look to page 177. That table is instantly recognizable as Irish. Many of the others look like they could be from England (they're not), but that table could come from one place alone, Ireland.

You apparently know a lot more than I. My first impression would have been Queen Ann. Then again I never even heard Irish furniture.

Live & Learn

[barryvabeach]

Very nice.  I looked through about 100 pages.  Took me a while to realize you have to click on the title, which opens a separate page, then hover over the photo to get it to zoom in.  Some really nice marquetry pieces in there.

[Paul K. Murphy]

Page 177
Looking at this table, my instant impression would be "Irish." Here's why: (The table is in a style commonly referred to as, "Irish Chippendale." It isn't a particularly accurate description, but waddya gonna do?)
Mahogany. Irish cabinetmakers had access to good mahogany, and the clientele demanded Mahogany furniture.
The cabriole legs are rather straight, or flattish. It's as if the curvature of the leg has been pushed in. Long, strait sections from knee to ankle are common.
The feet of a wild animal. I see this a lot on Irish furniture. (The also liked whorl feet) Notice the area of the fetlock and pastern (look up horse anatomy if you don't know those terms). There is a small tuft of hair. Irish carvers paid a bit more attention to this area of the leg, and offered detailed anatomical carvings. In many tables, the ankle has a ring turned around it as well.
The curve of the knee is answered by a curved and carved molding on the rail. This part, the frieze, is often decorated this way in Irish furniture. In many instances the curved molding is of great height; exaggerated. It's very nearly always adorned with low relief carving. The Irish didn't use kneeblocks very much, if at all.
I'm probably forgetting a bunch of stuff, sorry. :-(

[Paul K. Murphy]

Yes, there is marquetry, but there are many painted satinwood examples as well.
Page 67 is a good example. Painted satinwood furniture can be found in Thomas Sheraton's, "Drawing Book." The examples in this auction appear to be later Edwardian Period reproductions. The Edwardian Period was a time of many "revival" styles. I think most items in the catalog are later revival pieces.

[Halfathumb]

Page 177
Looking at this table, my instant impression would be "Irish." Here's why: (The table is in a style commonly referred to as, "Irish Chippendale." It isn't a particularly accurate description, but waddya gonna do?)
Mahogany. Irish cabinetmakers had access to good mahogany, and the clientele demanded Mahogany furniture.
The cabriole legs are rather straight, or flattish. It's as if the curvature of the leg has been pushed in. Long, strait sections from knee to ankle are common.
The feet of a wild animal. I see this a lot on Irish furniture. (The also liked whorl feet) Notice the area of the fetlock and pastern (look up horse anatomy if you don't know those terms). There is a small tuft of hair. Irish carvers paid a bit more attention to this area of the leg, and offered detailed anatomical carvings. In many tables, the ankle has a ring turned around it as well.
The curve of the knee is answered by a curved and carved molding on the rail. This part, the frieze, is often decorated this way in Irish furniture. In many instances the curved molding is of great height; exaggerated. It's very nearly always adorned with low relief carving. The Irish didn't use kneeblocks very much, if at all.
I'm probably forgetting a bunch of stuff, sorry. :-(

Paul;
Thanks for Irish Furniture 101 session. I enjoy learning new things about furniture.

[Steve N]

Huh, long family of Irish ancestry all the way back to some Leprechaun chain, and never heard of Irish furniture, except that something an Irishman could afford. Looks like furniture of the age to me. Whodathunkit.

[Paul K. Murphy]

I knew I'd forget some things. Here are a few other typically Irish features to look for.
Look for swags of vegetation drooping from those curved aprons I talked about. Flowers and leaves, often in pierced work, are often found. Irish table aprons are often very wide, very thick and shapely. The work might look disproportionately large, which is a good indicator of Irish origin.
Look also for masks. Lion masks and satyr masks abound. Look for them on the knees of cabriole legs and the centers of those fat, shapely aprons. If you see lion masks, hairy paw feet are often featured.
Another indicator commonly found is a diagonal, criss-crossed, incised carving. A diagonal lattice, carved into the backgrounds. Called, "diaper-work" you will find these often with a single round punch in the center of each diamond.

[Halfathumb]

I knew I'd forget some things. Here are a few other typically Irish features to look for.
Look for swags of vegetation drooping from those curved aprons I talked about. Flowers and leaves, often in pierced work, are often found. Irish table aprons are often very wide, very thick and shapely. The work might look disproportionately large, which is a good indicator of Irish origin.
Look also for masks. Lion masks and satyr masks abound. Look for them on the knees of cabriole legs and the centers of those fat, shapely aprons. If you see lion masks, hairy paw feet are often featured.
Another indicator commonly found is a diagonal, criss-crossed, incised carving. A diagonal lattice, carved into the backgrounds. Called, "diaper-work" you will find these often with a single round punch in the center of each diamond.

Thanks Paul. That's informative stuff for all of us.

Jim