The Edwardian Period covers the reign of Edward VII, from 1901 up until his death in 1910. In the world of art and antiques, it can sometimes also include items produced up until world war one. Typically if refers to worldwide art and antiques rather than just British, but the French period is sometimes called La Belle Époque.
Edward was responsible for driving forward many modernisations at a time when the British class system was still very formal. Only the elite few could afford to purchase the best art and antiques produced during this time. Any surviving antiques tend to be very grand. Furniture would have been made of only the very best wood, often decorative, but more simple and elegant in decoration than what came after, during the Art Deco period. The finest items during this era are typically hand-made by a skilled craftsman, rather than mass-produced.
Style notes:
- Simple
- Elegant
- Fine materials
- Labour intensive to produce
Notable manufacturers and artists:
- Watches and clocks by Vacheron & Constantin
- Furniture by Chippendale, Ince or Mayhew
- Early art produced by LS Lowry & Picasso
Typical objects made during the period:
Furniture, pocket watches, jewellry, grandfather clocks, cutlery, artwork, clothing accessories and also some of the early combustion engine vehicles.
