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Classical Reproduction Furniture

Furniture during the Middle Ages was usually heavy, oak, decorated with designs carved into the wood, in fact, in Britain, a wardrobe was often referred to as an "oakley," because of the oak wood used in the construction. The Italian Renaissance of the fourteenth and fifteenth century saw a change in designs, largely inspired by Greco-Roman influences. During the seventeenth century, in both Southern and Northern Europe, designs became far more extravagant and opulent, often with gilt Baroque designs incorporating flowers and scrolled ornamentation. In the eighteenth century, designs began to develop more quickly, although there were some styles that belonged primarily to one area such as the Neoclassicism dominant throughout Western Europe.

As heavy oak became more expensive, and more importantly, harder to obtain, reproduction makers began experimenting with other forms of wood such a Yew and Walnut. As Asia and other parts of the world were discovered, more exotic woods such as Mahogany began to be used.

Cabinet makers have been producing reproduction almost since the first piece of was built. Thomas Chippendale, for instance, the famous British cabinet maker, has his designs copied to this day. Even as far back as the 1700s his designs were widely reproduced, to the point where there were a great many instances of the use of his name, and dealers still refer to Gothic, Chinese or even Irish Chippendales. A great deal of these later designs with his name on bear little relationship to his original designs and certainly no relation to his company or family, although many of these copies have since become sought-after antiques in their own right and in some cases the copiers have managed to surpass the originals in style and quality. Buying a copy is more often than not a far less expensive way of obtaining the quality and style you prefer and in any case,

a genuine Chippendale is likely to be difficult to obtain.

During colonial times, one famous American cabinet-maker Anthony Hay made reproduction in Colonial Williamsburg, and in Fredericksburg alone, more than a dozen manufacturers made European-style furniture, mostly in the British style, including Chippendale, until German and Scandinavian immigrants began bringing more varied designs to the country.

As labor costs have risen, much of this reproduction is now built in Asia and the far East rather than Europe or America using a variety of woods ranging from bamboo and pine to cherry and teak woods. China is starting to break into this market also, with many factories being created in Beijing and other major cities, although there remain a few more traditional manufacturers in Europe and the United States still offering bespoke services ranging from upholstery and leather and using traditional cabinet making techniques as well as the more mass produced types of furniture. Some popular woods used in China include elm, beech cypress and fir. There is also a type of oak grown in Korea used which is commonly referred to as Korean wood or "Goall mu."

Advances in wood working equipment such as lathes and off center turning have also seen changes in the way reproduction is created and much furniture-making nowadays is done by automated machines that can copy original designs down to the millimeter, whereas in the early days of cabinet making, it was made exclusively by hand.

There are many types of reproduction available: English antique, American, French, and traditional designs, alongside more modern styles, and a growing variety of Asian styles including traditional Japanese and Chinese designs. Beds, cabinets, Computer Desks, tables, dining room sets, almost any piece or style imaginable are created round the world using modern tools.

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