Thakeham Furniture Ltd.
Golden Square Petworth West Sussex
UK GU28 0AP 01798 342 333
Welcome to our shop, Thakeham Furniture in Petworth, West Sussex, UK.
Established in 1989, a small family firm of antique dealers specialising in fine English antique furniture.
18th and 19th century antique furniture with an emphasis on originality, good colour and patina.
Pollarding is a pruning system in which the upper branches of a tree are removed, promoting a dense head of foliage and branches. It has been common in Europe since medieval times and is practised today in urban areas worldwide, primarily to maintain trees at a predetermined height. The bole of the tree, constantly cut back over a period of years, will eventually form a lump, or ‘burr’, which when sawn for veneer, gives a lovely grained, swirling figure.
The effect is similar to that of burr walnut with its distinctive speckled grain. Burrs, or ‘burls’, are growths which appear on the side of tree trunks, resulting from a tree undergoing some form of stress. They may be caused by an injury, virus or fungus.
During the 19th century great strides were made in the mechanisation of cabinet making. Marc Isambard Brunel [Isambard Kingdom’s father] built the first steam driven saw mill, and invented a circular saw that could be used to cut veneers thinly and evenly for the first time. He also developed the first hydraulic veneer press. The figured wood cut from burrs and pollards is notoriously difficult to cut and lay: the wild grain which makes it so attractive results in a very delicate, brittle veneer. The new machines enabled the Victorian craftsmen to make the most of these beautiful timbers.
The quality of this pollard oak bookcase, dating from about 1850, is exceptional. The proportions are lovely, and the intricately grained veneers are beautifully selected and matched. It is oak lined throughout, and with its original patina, faded to a ‘honey’ colour.
We stock fine quality antique furniture from the 18th century & 19th century. We sell traditional Georgian furniture, Regency furniture, Victorian furniture and Edwardian furniture. Browse our online antique furniture store or come and visit our large friendly showrooms to view a fine collection of rare and important items along with practical and useful pieces. We have a big range of furniture including pieces for formal settings to more country house antiques, through to individual pieces to fit in with decorative interiors.
Thakeham Furniture was established by Tim and Belinda Chavasse in 1989, prior to which we were both trained and worked as antique restorers. We still have our own antiques workshop on the premises at Petworth, and all pieces are thoroughly checked over before being offered for sale in the showroom. Thakeham Furniture are members of LAPADA [The London and Provincial Antique Dealers Association], so you can purchase with confidence, as we follow a strict code of practise. Petworth has become, in recent years, the biggest antiques town in the South of England. It is a small, pretty market town boasting over thirty antique shops, all within easy walking distance. Petworth is only one hour from London.
We sell Dining room furniture, including antique dining tables and sets of antique dining chairs, for the living room, we stock sofas and armchairs, many useful small antique lamp tables, also perhaps for the office or study we supply antique desks and antique mahogany bookcases. For upstairs amongst our varied stock we have pairs of small washstands or commodes perfect as antique bedside tables or cupboards, or larger items such as Georgian mahogany chest of drawers of antique wardrobes. You will also find in our shop, antique clocks, mirrors and decorative items. In addition to mahogany antique furniture we also have rosewood antique furniture, satinwood antique furniture, and people looking for a range of antique country furniture will find antique oak furniture, walnut and fruitwood.