Guide to Important 18th- & 19th-Century British Furniture Makers

Sep 1, 2025

How to use this guide

Makers are grouped broadly by period (High Georgian → Regency → Victorian & Arts & Crafts).
Each entry covers who they were, why they matter, typical woods & techniques, and what to look for (labels, stamps, construction traits).

High Georgian (c. 1714–1770s)

Thomas Chippendale (c.1718–1779)

The most famous name in English furniture. His Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director (1754, rev. eds. 1755 & 1762) set the taste: Rococo, Chinoiserie, Gothic and, later, early Neoclassicism.

Hallmarks: Boldly carved mahogany; pierced splats; cabriole legs with acanthus; rococo cartouches; later, cleaner classical lines.
Materials: Mahogany (solid and veneered); giltwood for mirrors/frames; occasionally japanned pieces.
What to look for: Chippendale pieces are rarely stamped; secure attributions rely on documented commissions (e.g., Dumfries House, Harewood-House) or tightly “Director”-pattern carving and proportions. Original surface and toolwork are key.

William & John Linnell (Linnell)

London firm (William, then his son John) supplying aristocratic patrons (e.g., Osterley Park). Transitioned from Rococo to refined Neoclassicism.

Hallmarks: Superb giltwood seat furniture and mirrors; crisp carving; elegant neoclassical ornament.
Materials: Giltwood; mahogany; painted and japanned work.
What to look for: Quality of carving and gilding; designs aligning with surviving Linnell drawings.

William Vile & John Cobb

Royal cabinet-makers to George III (from 1761). Among the most exacting makers of high Georgian state furniture.

Hallmarks: Monumental mahogany case pieces; sumptuous veneering; gilded mounts; meticulous fit and finish.
Materials: Best Cuban/Jamaican mahogany; gilt bronze mounts; richly figured veneers.
What to look for: Royal provenance; exceptional carcass construction; sophisticated drawer linings (oak/mahogany), fine dovetails.

Mayhew & Ince (John Mayhew & William Ince)

Leading London partnership; published The Universal System of Household Furniture (1762).

Hallmarks: Marquetry and parquetry of great finesse; neoclassical ornament; elegant commodes and cabinets.
Materials: Mahogany grounds with satinwood, tulipwood, boxwood, and dyed inlays.
What to look for: Distinctive marquetry drawings mirrored in their pattern book; refined banding and symmetry.

Gillows of Lancaster (and London)

Founded mid-18th century; famed for design discipline and quality across all forms—from dining tables to library furniture.

Hallmarks: Ingenious table mechanisms (telescope/extending tables), robust joinery, restrained but exact detailing.
Materials: Dense mahogany; later, rosewood and oak; fine secondary woods; iron/steel mechanisms.
What to look for: Ink or stencil marks (“GILLOWS LANCASTER” / “GILLOWS LANCASTER & LONDON”), pencil maker’s notations, pattern-book forms (e.g., work tables, sofa tables), impeccable carcass work.

Other key late-Georgian makers/designers to know

Robert Adam (designer): Neoclassical interiors influencing cabinet designs executed by top London firms.
Wright & Elwick (Wakefield): Provincial sophistication; mahogany with fine carving.
Seddon family (later Seddon, Sons & Shackleton): Large London manufactory bridging late Georgian to Regency.
Pierre Langlois (French émigré in London): Exquisite marquetry commodes and tables in the French taste.

Regency & Early 19th Century (c. 1790s–1830s)

Thomas Sheraton (1751–1806)

Designer/theorist of the light neoclassical idiom; published The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing-Book (1791–94).

Hallmarks: Delicate proportions; tapered/reeded legs; satinwood crossbanding; elegant veneered panels.
Materials: Satinwood, mahogany, sycamore; boxwood stringing; ebony line inlay.
What to look for: “Sheraton” denotes style, not necessarily his workshop; crisp inlay and lightness are clues.

George Hepplewhite (d.1786; A. Hepplewhite & Co.)

Published posthumously by his widow as The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide (from 1788).

Hallmarks: Shield-, heart-, and oval-back chairs; swept arms; inlaid panel decoration.
Materials: Mahogany with satinwood/sycamore inlay; painted satinwood on finer examples.
What to look for: Refined, attenuated lines; elegance over mass; Guide-pattern back splats.

Morgan & Sanders

Innovative Regency makers (Catherine Street), famed for transformable furniture.

Hallmarks: Metamorphic pieces—library chairs that convert to steps; extending dining and sofa tables.
Materials: Mahogany and rosewood; brass hinges/catches.
What to look for: Printed paper labels; clever patented mechanisms in original state.

George Bullock (c.1782–1818)

Visionary designer-maker; Liverpool then London; furnished notable Romantic interiors.

Hallmarks: Architectural casework; bold brass inlay; ebonised beadings; distinctive naturalistic mounts; use of native timbers.
Materials: Oak, mahogany, ash; brass inlay; ebony lines.
What to look for: Paper labels and chalk inventory numbers on large suites; associations with Abbotsford (Sir Walter Scott).

John McLean & Son

Highly regarded Regency firm.

Hallmarks: Sleek mahogany and rosewood furniture with fine brass line inlay; elegant sofa and card tables.
Materials: Rosewood/mahogany; brass mounts/inlay.
What to look for: Occasional stamps/labels; very crisp brass lines and slender proportions.

Morel & Seddon

Appointed for George IV’s refurbishments (notably Windsor Castle, late 1820s).

Hallmarks: Opulent late-Regency classicism; rich mounts; large suites for royal/state rooms.
Materials: Rosewood, mahogany; parcel-gilt; elaborate upholstery.
What to look for: Documented provenance; exceptional scale and quality.

Tatham, Bailey & Saunders (earlier Marsh & Tatham)

Regency purveyors of the fashionable Grecian style.

Hallmarks: Bronze mounts, reeded details, klismos influences.
What to look for: Robust Grecian profiles; superior bronze work.

Thomas Hope (designer & tastemaker)

His 1807 book codified the archaeologically informed Grecian look.

Hallmarks: Klismos chairs, x-frames, heavy classical ornament.
What to look for: Maker collaborations; Hope-influenced silhouettes.

George Smith (author/maker)

Published 1808 pattern book; practical Regency designs widely adopted.

Hallmarks: Well-proportioned Grecian and English Empire forms.

Victorian to Arts & Crafts & Aesthetic Movement (c. 1837–1900)

Holland & Sons

Pre-eminent Victorian firm; major royal and government commissions.

Hallmarks: Flawless cabinetmaking; revival styles (Renaissance, Gothic, Louis XV/XVI); later Aesthetic movement work.
Materials: First-rate rosewood, walnut, mahogany; gilt mounts.
What to look for: Stamped rails and printed/ink labels; documented royal provenance (Osborne, Sandringham, House of Lords).

Jackson & Graham

Elite London firm; collaborated with leading designers.

Hallmarks: Exhibition-quality marquetry; exotic timbers; Middle Eastern/“Moresque” and Renaissance Revival motifs.
Design links: Owen Jones among collaborators.
What to look for: Paper labels; exhibition history; absorbed by Maple & Co. in the 1880s.

Edwards & Roberts (est. 1845)

Wardour Street specialists; superb late-Victorian marquetry and high-grade 18th-century revival.

Hallmarks: Exquisite inlay; careful copying/restoration of Georgian forms.
What to look for: Clear paper/ink labels; be mindful that some pieces are later-19th-century recreations of 18th-century styles (still highly collected).

Collinson & Lock (from 1870)

Leaders of the Aesthetic Movement.

Hallmarks: Ebonised and inlaid furniture; Anglo-Japanese forms; refined brass hardware.
Design links: E. W. Godwin designed for them.
What to look for: Paper labels; ebonised finishes with asymmetric shelving and geometric grills.

J. A. Shoolbred & Co.

Tottenham Court Road furnishers; quality Aesthetic and late-Victorian suites.

Hallmarks: Japonisme and simpler classical lines; crisp construction.
What to look for: Round medallion labels; stamped hardware.

Liberty & Co. (est. 1875)

From Aesthetic Japonisme to Art Nouveau/Arts & Crafts.

Hallmarks: Early ebonised, bamboo, and Japanese-influenced pieces; later Arts & Crafts oak; sometimes pewter/metal accents on case pieces.
Design links: Leonard Wyburd (Furniture & Decoration Studio); (metalwork: Knox).
What to look for: Liberty & Co. printed labels; retailers’ marks; characteristic proportions and fittings.

William Morris & Co. (Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co.; later Morris & Co.)

Arts & Crafts pioneers emphasising handwork, honest construction, medieval/vernacular inspiration.

Hallmarks: Sussex ebonised rush-seat chairs; settles; refectory tables; restrained ornament; visible pins and pegged joints.
Materials: Oak and other native timbers.
What to look for: Stamps/labels; association with Philip Webb designs; original finishes and rush seats prized.

Lamb of Manchester (James Lamb)

Northern powerhouse of refined Victorian design; prize-winning exhibits.

Hallmarks: High-quality case furniture; often marquetry or ebonised highlights; crisp joinery.
What to look for: Brass or printed Lamb of Manchester labels; exhibition provenance.

Jennens & Bettridge

Birmingham and London specialists in papier-mâché and japanned wares.

Hallmarks: Black japanned grounds; mother-of-pearl inlay; gilded decoration; trays, tea tables, work tables.
What to look for: Impressed or gilt stamps; original gilding and shell intact.

Gillow → Waring & Gillow (from 1897)

Gillows continue through the century; merge to form Waring & Gillow.

Hallmarks: Consistent build quality; grand late-Victorian and Edwardian interiors; ocean-liner and hotel commissions.
What to look for: Later Waring & Gillow labels and stamps; model numbers.

Howard & Sons

The gold standard in Victorian upholstery—famous for comfort.

Hallmarks: Deep-seated armchairs and sofas; down-filled cushions; distinctive arm profiles.
What to look for: Stamped rear legs/frames, Howard castors (often stamped), paper labels; original horsehair and webbing patterns.

Maple & Co.

International retailer/manufacturer of broad quality range.

Hallmarks: Competent to excellent cabinet work; revival styles; export focus.
What to look for: Maple & Co. labels; often strong wardrobes, bedroom suites, and tables.

Charles Hindley & Sons

Tottenham Court Road furnishers; quality mid-late Victorian work.

What to look for: Paper labels; solid cabinetmaking with tasteful veneers.

Town & Emanuel

Earlier-Victorian Bond Street firm; fine 18th-century revival furniture and mirrors.

What to look for: Engraved or printed labels; fine gilt and marquetry.

Bridgens (Richard Bridgens, 1785–1846)

Designer, draughtsman, and maker; published influential pattern book (1838).

Hallmarks: Exotic revival mix; inventive detail; occasional collaboration with leading firms.
What to look for: Drawings link; pieces with unusual, well-drawn ornament.

Quick Reference: Identifying Marks & Traits

Stamps & labels:
- Gillows: ink/stencil “GILLOWS LANCASTER (AND LONDON)”.
- Holland & Sons: stamped seat rails/frames; printed labels.
- Jackson & Graham, Edwards & Roberts, Collinson & Lock, Shoolbred, Liberty, Lamb, Maple: paper or engraved labels—often inside drawers/under tops.
- Howard & Sons: stamped numbers on frames; castors stamped “Howard & Sons”.
Construction hints:
- Georgian: oak/mahogany linings; thin, fine dovetails; hand-planed drawer bottoms running front-to-back (earlier) or side-to-side (later).
- Regency: refined veneers; brass inlay; rosewood fashion; reeded legs; quality brassware.
- Victorian: machine-cut elements appear from mid-century; wider use of plywood by late century (veneering substrate); consistent factory labels.
Woods by period:
- Early 18th c.: walnut (burr/oyster); then mahogany dominates.
- Late 18th–Regency: satinwood, rosewood, ebony/calamander accents; inventive brass inlay.
- Victorian: walnut revival, rosewood, pollard oak, amboyna, thuya; papier-mâché and japanning for decorative wares.

Additional Makers You’ll Encounter (worthy of inclusion)

Ince & Mayhew (already covered above as Mayhew & Ince).
Morel & Seddon, Tatham, Bailey & Saunders (Regency grand furnishers).
Holland & Sons, Jackson & Graham, Maple & Co., Howard & Sons (Victorian powerhouses).
Crace & Co. (A.W.N. Pugin’s collaborators on Gothic Revival interiors).
William Watt (worked with E. W. Godwin on Anglo-Japanese designs).
Marsh & Jones / Charles Bevan (High-style Gothic & Aesthetic furniture; Leeds, 1860s–70s).
Shapland & Petter (Barnstaple; late-Victorian to Edwardian Arts & Crafts).
Helmuth, Heal & Son tip into 20th c., but for completeness on Arts & Crafts trajectory you might reference early Heal’s (optional, if you extend the date range).

Collecting & Connoisseurship Tips

Provenance matters: Bills, inventories, house provenance (royal/aristocratic) are gold—especially for Chippendale/Linnell/Vile & Cobb/Mayhew & Ince.
Condition vs. conservation: Sensitive restoration that preserves original surfaces, veneers and mounts is preferred over over-polishing or replacement.
Labels aren’t everything: 19th-century firms label frequently; 18th-century masters often did not. Judge design quality, timber, construction, and carving.
Beware “improved” pieces: Late-Victorian firms (e.g., Edwards & Roberts) sometimes re-veneered or re-inlaid earlier carcasses to 18th-century patterns—excellent objects, but different from wholly 18th-century manufacture.
Timber tells a story: Period-correct woods and secondary timbers, oxidation patterns, and tool marks support dating and attribution.