Antique Clothes and Towel Stands
CLOTHES AND TOWEL STANDS (HORSES)
About 1750 onwards
A light wooden framework over which clothes or towels could be spread to dry, Seldom seen before the late 18thC, but common in the 19thC, when it often formed part of a bedroom suite.
STYLE AND APPEARANCE
In the 18thC could be simply two or three narrow horizontal bars tenoned into two straight uprights supported on shaped feet (commonly ogee or claw); or with two leaves hinged together and feet one side of each leaf only.
In the 19thC, bars and uprights were usually turned with three, four or five horizontals. Folding types became less common. A four-bar type had uprights branching at top to support parallel bars. Five-bar type had double uprights joined by arched top, single bar at highest point and two pairs of parallel bars below. Ends could also be of cruciform shape.
MATERIALS
Mahogany, beech or deal.
Simple folding horse.
Horse with five-bar, double-arched uprights.
Horse with cruciform end”
CONSTRUCTION
Horizontals glued into holes bored in uprights or set right through and screwed from outside. Screw-heads covered with small knob.
DECORATION
Very little. Sometimes fancy turning and occasionally carved feet and ends.
FINISH
Polish on mahogany; typically stain and paint on beech, pine. A few may now be stripped.
RELATIVE VALUES
Genuine antique clothes horses unusual, but nevertheless not of great value.
VICTORIAN REPRODUCTIONS
The popularity of clothes horses has revived in recent years and Victorian reproductions abound. These can usually be identified by a generally more robust look, thicker and straighter horizontal bars – those on originals have often warped and by their natural (waxed or varnished) finish, and lack of traces of former paint or stain around the joints.
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Tags: Antique, bedroom suite, CLOTHES, Mahogany, relative values, towels, two pairs, value, VALUES, Victoria, VICTORIAN, victorian reproductions, wooden framework