13 Hyper Vintage Pieces of Furniture

Check out the following 13 iconic pieces of furniture from the Stone Age to the American antebellum… so brew up a pot of java, sit back and enjoy!

1. King Arthur’s Round Table

King Arthur and his knights, seated at the Round Table, receive a vision of the Holy Grail


When:
500 A.D. – 600 A.D. (Around 1,400 years ago)
Where: The Great Hall of Camelot
Who: The legendary King Arthur

Let’s make one thing clear from the get go; no one really knows if King Arthur ever trod upon the green grass of England. The legends that surround him are so numerous it’s next to impossible for scholars to separate fact from fiction. There is however one element that all of the legends agree upon; that King Arthur had a big round table.

King Arthur decided upon a round table so that no knight could be held in higher esteem than any other; a round table has no head. Still today, major meetings between politicians of different countries occur around a round table.

A modern roundtable meeting to discuss Lithuania’s budget.

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2. Mohammad’s Curtain

Ottoman soldiers with the Sancak-i Serif, 1915 – The flag of the Prophet

When: 619 – 632 (7th century – 1,400 years ago)
Where: The 2nd wife of Mohammad Aisha’s tent, Arabia
Who: The Prophet Mohammad

Known in Turkish as the Sancak-ı Şerif and in English as the Battle Standard of Mohammed, this piece of cloth is originally thought to have been hung over the entrance of his 2nd wife’s tent. It was acquired in the 1500’s by the powerful Turkish Sultan Selim the 1st, who sent it to aid with the conquest of Hungary.

Golden container of the battle standard within the Topkapi palace.

In 1595 another Turkish sultan, Muhammad the 3rd, had it sewn together with the standard of Umar (one of the first people to convert to Islam), and placed within the golden box seen above. The standard was deployed during the 1st World War to improve the morale of the Ottoman’s armies. Its whereabouts have been unknown since the 1920’s.

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3. Tutankhamen’s Bedside Table

A reconstructed image of the boy Pharaoh

When: 1333–1323 BC (3,400 years ago)
Where: Most likely one of the royal cities of Ancient Egypt
Who: 18th dynasty Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamen,

The opening of Tutankhamen’s tomb revealed furniture that had not been seen by the eyes of man for thousands of years. Preserved in the arid desert climate of the Valley of the Kings, wood had not rotted and paint had not peeled.

Tutankhamen’s Bedside Table

The small table above is made from ebony, and the insert panels from Lebanese cedar. The metal fixtures are made from bronze. The fretwork around the middle of the box incorporates gold-plated ankhs. The entire piece is painted with golden hieroglyphics.

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4. Stone Age Dresser

Stone Age Shelving Unit

When: Around 3000 B.C. (5,000 years ago)
Where: Bay of Skaill, Orkney, Scotland
Who: Grooved Wear Tribe.

Skara Brae is one of the best preserved Stone Age settlements in the entire world, sometimes called the ‘Scottish Pompeii’ due to its excellent condition. The lack of wood on the island meant that nearly all the furnishings of the home were constructed from dry stone, greatly aiding their chances of survival.

Daily life in Skara Brae – notice how everyone seems to be ripped.

Within the houses of Skara Brea there are beds, dressers, cupboards, seats, and storage boxes. Most homes have two beds, a large one for the husband and a small one for the wife. Some of the larger houses even have an indoor toilet and the settlement as a whole has a sewer system that is better than most medieval towns!

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5. Carpet of a Pazyryk Chief

A man riding one of the more magical items of furniture.

When: Around 500 B.C. (1,500 years ago)
Where: Ukok Plateau, Siberia, Central Asia
Who: A wealthy Pazyryk Chief

The history of the carpet is hard to trace. The materials used in their construction are perishable and, until the 20th century, the earliest date they had been produced was thought to have been the 13th century.

Although the colours have faded slightly you can imagine its brilliance.

Russian archaeologist Sergei Ivanovich Rudenko discovered the burial mounds in Siberia in the 1920’s, after 30 years of work and numerous other discoveries (detailed here) he uncovered the carpet.

Detail of Deer Boarder on the carpet.

The carpet measures around 2m x 2m and has three borders, an innermost depicts griffons, the middle shows fallow deer and the outermost has a design composed of stylised work horses and men.

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6. Abraham Lincoln’s Whatnot

The ornate glory of Lincoln’s whatnot

When: 1844 – 1861 (Around 150 years ago)
Where: Springfield Illinois 
Who: 16th president of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln

The Whatnot was exceedingly popular during the first three quarters of the 19th century (1800-1874). It consisted of slender uprights and a series designed to hold ornaments, geegaws, trifles, busts or what-not, its name describes what it holds.

Lincoln, deep in thought, no doubt considering what to place in his what-not.

This fine what-not was owned by Lincoln whilst he was resident in Springfield Illinois; he left it at that home upon becoming president.  The Whitehouse no doubt contained a superior version.

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7. The Bed of Marie Antoinette

Detail of the bed, headboard and canopy.

When: 1770 – 1789 (240 years ago)
Where: Palace of Versailles, Île-de-France, France
Who: Queen of France, Arch Duchess of Austria, Marie Antoinette

Marie A rocking her coronation dress.

Marie Antoinette’s very name is associated with luxury and opulence, it is nice to see that her bed does not disappoint.

Marie A’s summer bed in it’s rather splendid room.

The bed is hand-carved in gold gilt. It is covered in three types of 22k gold thread; green, gold and red. The canopy hangings are hand-woven Lyon silk with matching train and tassels. This bed was only used in the summer. Every season the curtains, wall fabrics and upholstery were changed to match the mood. The French royalty really knew how to live!

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8. The Peacock Throne

Shah Jahan sat upon the Peacock Throne

When: Created sometime in the 1630’s 
Where: Diwan-i-Am, Delhi, India
Who: 5th Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan

The Mugals were a central Asian dynasty, descended from two of the greatest conquerers of all time; Tamerlane and Genghis Khan. The 5th, and greatest, ruler of the Dynasty was Shah Jahan, he commissioned the throne to celebrate his own excellence and the success of his empire.

A replica of the throne from Egypt in the 1890’s

The name of the throne comes from the two massive peacocks that originally stood behind it, their tails forming a back drop further inlaid with rubies, sapphires and emeralds. When the throne was captured in 1738 by the Persians they recorded that it contained over 230kgs of precious stones and 1150kgs of gold. The throne also mounted the Koh-i-noor, the largest diamond in the world and now in the possession of the Queen of England.

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9. The Couch of Co-Emperor Lucius Verus

The Couch of Co-Emperor Lucius Verus

When: 161–169 A.D (around 1840 years ago)
Where: Imperial villa on the Via Cassia, Rome, Italy
Who: Co-Emperor Lucius Verus

Stony Faced Co-Emperor Lucis Verus

The Roman theory of interior design was very different to our own. The Romans liked clear, open rooms with an absolute minimum of furniture and highly decorated walls and ceilings. The few pieces of furniture present in a Roman room would be very expensive well-crafted masterpieces.

Detail of the couch’s bone elements, the head is Ganymede’s.

This couch is decorated with glass and bone inlays. The couch is also decorated with images of hunting, cupids and Greco-Roman gods such as Ganymede and Mars.

10. Ivory Chair of Maximian

 

The Ivory Chair of the Bishop of Ravenna

When: Sometime within the 540’s A.D. (around 1500 years ago)
Where: Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy
Who: Bishop of Ravenna, Maximian

Chairs in the early Christian Church were of great importance. Bishops sat within these chairs and represented the higher echelons of the church to the laity. This chair currently sits in the San Vitale Basilica of Ravenna Italy.

The wonderfully ornate Byzantine mosaics of San Vitale.

Probably made in Constantinople and sent, by sea, to Ravenna, it is made of ivory panels. The surviving panels depict the life of Christ, the story of Joseph, and the four evangelists.

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11. George Washington’s Desk

George Washington’s Desk

When: 1789 – 1790 (220 years ago)
Where: Federal Hall, Wall Street, New York, New York, USA
Who: 1st President of the United States of America, George Washington

This is the desk George Washington used during his time at the Federal hall of New York City; the desk is made of mahogany with brass fittings.

George Washington, not sat at his desk.

The style of this desk is known as Sheraton Style, famous for the simplicity of its outline, graceful proportions and lack of ostentatious ornamentation

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12. Isono Tamba-no-kami’s Stool

Isono Tamba-no-kami’s Stool

When: Sometime in the mid 1500’s (Around 500 years ago)
Where: Sawayama Castle, Omi Province, Japan
Who: Lord of Sawayama Castle, retainer of the Azai Clan, Isono Tamba-no-Kami

The Samurai camp stool was often carried by a Lord’s retainers and would often be used by Samurai generals on campaign and when overseeing more static engagements such as a siege. This example is from the 16th century.

This Ukiyo-e from the 1870’s shows Isono Tamba-no-Kami sat upon his general’s stool; he was famous for accidentally attacking his ally in the midst of battle.

Isono Tamba-no-Kami loving his stool

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13. Oeberg Storage Box

Oeberg Storage Box

When: Sometime in the 800’s (Around 1200 years ago)
Where: In a large burial mound, Slagen, Vestfold, Norway
Who: Two well-fed, high-status females were found within the ship.

The chest comes from the inside of a Viking burial mound; it is the most ornate of three boxes that were also discovered to be hidden inside the boat. It was locked with a simple iron hasp reminiscent of those on footlockers today.

Viking’s Metallurgy was quite advanced.

The chest is decorated with iron bands six inches wide, the structure is held together with wooden pegs and nails that have been plated with tin. The Vikings were not only famous for their skill in battle but also their metal-working; the box contained blacksmiths tools.

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Rovi’s Return

No, this is not an episode of Coronation Street; this is “Rovi”, a new design by Andrea Felice.

Felice is a rarity in the design world as he is both a designer and maker so he has full control of the manufacturing process from concept to completion.


Felice was born in the village of Montegnacco, Italy which borders on the “Triangolo della Sedia” (Triangle of the Chair), an internationally acclaimed furniture producing area which produces 80% of Italian chairs.

He is the grandson of Ricardo Felice, an award-winning Baroque master carver and the son of Enzo Felice, furniture maker and Professor of Cabinet Making.

Andrea originally trained as an Industrial Designer at ITI A Malignani Udine, one of Europe’s leading technical institutes but with such a woodworking heritage ingrained in him, it was not long before he returned to the “family business” in the early 1990s firstly as a carver and then as a furniture maker.

He relocated to London in 1997, initially working for local furniture makers before founding his own studio in 2000.

“Rovi” is now on display in our gallery.

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Lefort in London

Decoratum was privileged to have a visit by Aymeric Lefort, one of our Featured Designers, all the way from France.

Lefort, designer of some of the finest quality furniture we have seen, came to show us his new designs and sketches and talk about the direction he is planning to take with his new pieces. We can’t disclose much more now, but watch this space for information when his new pieces are ready for display!

Decoratum is the sole supplier of Lefort’s designs in the UK.

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Decoratum in Cocorose London

Decoratum’s Peter Blake Diamond Dust “Marilyn” shown as featured in Cocorose London. We have three of his monumental images on display in our galleries.

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Is Decoratum the Best Mid 20th Century Gallery in the Country?

National Antiques Week is holding a competition to find the best antique and vintage shops in the country. Please vote for DECORATUM in the “Best Mid Century/Vintage” category using this link:

http://www.antiquesnews.co.uk/page_5.php

You will need our details: 13-25 & 31-33 Church Street, London NW8 8DT

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All that glitters IS gold!

Pair of rare gold chairs by multi award-winning designer, architect and inventor Jean-Marie Massaud.

Of the five first edition chairs made, two were shipped overseas, one is in a private UK collection and now the last two, in lacquered 24 carat gold, are available at Decoratum.

The chairs were created in 2007, the same year designer Massaud won “Createur de l’Annee” of the 2007 Paris Salon du Meuble. Massaud has won many prestigous awards, including “Designer of the Year” for Elle Deco in 2005, and has show pieces in numerous museums around the world.

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Ancient inspiration for contemporary pieces

Here’s a new word for the vocabulary… introducing a ziggurat – a structure first seen in ancient architecture dating back to the 3rd millennium BC.

This White and Black Lacquered Ziggurat Cube Credenza isn’t quite so old, created in Italy in the 1980s.

Featuring 9 different compartments in a glossy monochrome finish, it’s a great Eighties piece and is now available for purchase or hire from Decoratum Gallery.

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Reviving Chrome in the Home

The 1970s saw the introduction of chrome in a multitude of formats in the home. Chairs, tables, lighting – the sleek chrome finish adorned them all.

Decoratum stocks some excellent vintage 70s pieces, such as this Italian coffee table, and a touch of chrome making them instantly recognisable as of the era.

Gilt Chrome "Comb" Console Table, £2,950

Chrome is also being revamped and reinterpreted in contemporary pieces, such as this stunning sofa, which contrasts smooth chrome arms with worn and distressed leather.

Chrome and Leather sofa, £2,750

View more in store or on our website!

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No.1 Fan Jeff Salmon interview in IDFX Magazine

This month’s idfx Magazine features Decoratum’s owner Jeff Salmon as its No.1 Fan.  The feature profiles designer Stephane Ducatteau’s work and Jeff describes what it is about his sculptural furniture that he loves so much.

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Mono Mania at Decoratum

Scotland’s Homes and Interior’s Magazine features Decoratum’s stunning lacquered Cube Credenza Unit this month, it has to be said this magazine has the best taste.

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