The short reign of Britain's King William IV (1830-1837) saw some very important changes. Child labour was restricted, a number of actions were taken to cease poverty, and slavery was abolished in almost all the British colonies (although he himself was not initially in favour of it).
I note these not merely just as interesting facts, but also because, as Queen Victoria's predecessor, history tends to attach less importance to these few years than they might otherwise deserve.
Before the eclecticism of the Victorian era that followed him, most furniture from this period was made with cabriole legs (cabriolet), which resembled outwardly curved knees. The heavy brass fittings were also typical in this period, the lion paw-shaped legs as well, and the carved back resembling a twisted rope, too. Aside from the lion paw-shaped legs, the furniture below is a prime example of it, and even in its pre-restoration state it has an elusive majestic elegance. The furniture was dismantled and the feathers, seagrass and cotton wool was replaced with new materials, the linen strapping was replaced and, of course, we applied varnishing. It is decorated with upholstery chosen with infinite taste by the client. It is a wonderful experience to work on such a piece of furniture, it would be so nice to know who the original owners were, where it was made, what upholstery was used for the first time and I have a thousand more questions, but unfortunately noone knows the answers. So I’ll settle for the fact that it will now be in the hands of a collector, where it will surely be appreciated.
