How can you tell if a Duncan Phyfe sofa is real?
If your piece doesn’t have a signature, there are other ways to confirm you have a Duncan Phyfe original. The most obvious way is with reliable documentation or provenance. Finding a 175-to-215-year-old bill of lading for the piece would be ideal.
What year is Duncan Phyfe furniture?
Duncan Phyfe (1768-1854) was a late 18th Century/early 19th Century craftsman who produced traditional style furniture. While Eastlake furniture was a popular style in the late 19th century, Duncan Phyfe furniture designs are based on what was popular and fashionable in Europe in the late 1700s and early 1800s.
When did they stop making Duncan Phyfe furniture?
In 1847 the business was sold and Duncan retired. Although Phyfe did not originate a new furniture style, he interpreted fashionable European styles in a manner so distinguished by grace and excellent proportions that he became a major spokesman for Neoclassicism in the United States.
When were Duncan Phyfe sofas made?
Duncan Phyfe is an exception. Coming to the U.S. in 1784 from Scotland, he established himself as a talented cabinet and furniture maker in New York, pulling from Neoclassical and Regency styles and developing his own unique characteristics that are still imitated in reproductions today.
What is my Duncan Phyfe table worth?
Duncan Phyfe (1768-1854) was best known for the straight lines and classical look of his furniture carved in rich hard woods like mahogany and walnut. Values for an original Duncan Phyfe table range from $50,000 to $150,000.
How do you date a drop leaf table?
Straight Saw Marks – Like most antique furniture, you can date a piece by its saw marks. Leading up to the early 1800s, saw marks were straight. Anything after was cut with a circular saw. If a drop leaf table has a circular saw cut, it’s not that old, but might still be worth the restoration effort.
What is Duncan Phyfe style furniture?
Duncan Phyfe style furniture exhibits wonderful proportions, symmetry, and clean lines. These Duncan Phyfe reproduction furniture pieces are decorated with typical period ornaments such as harps, lyres, bow knots, and lion accents. Duncan Phyfe reproduction pieces are usually distinguished by Phyfe’s hand carved legs.
Are Duncan Phyfe table worth anything?
Values for an original Duncan Phyfe table range from $50,000 to $150,000. That value is based on actual sales record where somebody actually paid cash, swiped a credit card, or wrote a check for that amount. It is not a price or auction estimate.
What is the Duncan Phyfe style?
The Duncan Phyfe style is characterized by carved or reeded legs and neoclassic motifs. It is named after American cabinetmaker Duncan Phyfe, and is considered by some art historians as more of an adaptation and refinement of Adam, Sheraton, Hepplewhite, and Empire than a style in itself.
How wide is a Duncan Phyfe table?
36″ width
36″ width x 24″ depth x 30″ height when closed.
What are drop leaf tables called?
gateleg table
drop-leaf table, table with one or two hinged leaves supported by articulated legs, arms, or brackets. An early 17th-century form is the gateleg table, which was followed by two later English forms—the Pembroke table and its more elongated version, the sofa table, which dates from about the 1790s.
Is my table antique?
Look for dovetailing. Once you spot dovetailing on a piece, be wary if the lines and edges are perfectly straight. Irregularly-shaped joints reveal work done by hand. Perfect dovetails were probably cut by a machine—meaning the furniture may not be antique.
What is the evolution of Duncan Phyfe furniture?
The evolution of Duncan Phyfe furniture is an American cabinetmaker’s success story. From humble beginnings, Phyfe became known for his contributions to fine American furniture. Duncan Phyfe was born in Scotland in 1768, and he moved to the United States with his family in 1784.
What years did they make couches?
1900 to 1950s: Furniture made in these years is varied. Though Victorian and Edwardian sofas and couches were still being made, the style that became very widespread in the 1950s was first seen in 1925 at the Paris Exposition.
What is a Duncan Phyfe dining table?
Single- or double-pedestal Duncan Phyfe dining tables often feature carved legs with animal-style feet. Table legs frequently showcase reed carvings and acanthus leaves.
What kind of wood did Duncan Phyfe use?
Mahogany Duncan Phyfe furniture pieces are common. Phyfe also used rosewood, black walnut, cherry, and maple woods. Duncan Phyfe frequently embellished his tables with paper-thin veneers.