Antique Reproduction Furniture's History and Evolution

Thousands of people enjoy and collect vintage or period furniture styles, and many prefer them over today’s more contemporary or modern designs. If you’ve not been satisfied lately with the newest furniture designs, are remodeling a favorite room, and feel like something is missing—perhaps seeking a touch of timeless elegance, reproduction antique furniture may be perfect.

However, you may also be curious about where reproduction furniture originated. Does antique reproduction furniture have a history, and how has it evolved? Or perhaps you’re new to antique reproductions and want to know more about them? Whether new or interested in the history and evolution of reproduction antique furniture, we’ll look at what reproduction antiques are and where they originated.

What is Antique Reproduction Furniture?

Antique reproduction furniture is a term for furniture that has been made to emulate the construction practices, materials, and styles of vintage and antique furniture created by master cabinetry makers or styles famous from particular eras. Whether you’ve always dreamed of owning a breathtaking Queen Anne Secretary Desk or a French Sophie Sleigh Bed fit for royalty but don’t have the budget for original vintage or antique, reproductions provide these stunning works at far more budget-friendly options.

Why Not Buy The Original Antiques?

While there is no denying antique furniture is exceptionally beautiful, a century or several centuries old pieces can be easily damaged or broken in a home with high traffic areas. Repairing an authentic antique piece can also be highly complicated, as restoration may affect the value of the antique itself.

In addition to being difficult to repair, antiques that are a century or centuries old can be prohibitively expensive, not to mention the steps to maintain an antique can be challenging. An antique reproduction created by hand not only delivers the exact exquisite details and craftsmanship as the original, but it also ensures that the furniture is strong, durable, and can be repaired without worry of losing value.

In addition to being extremely durable, modern carpentry tools and resources are now vastly different than those used to create antique furniture and antique reproductions can combine the beautiful aesthetics of antiques with innovative technology and resources of today to maintain a classic look that will create heirloom quality furniture.

Where Furniture Replication Began

It was roughly the mid-2000s when copyright protection of many massively popular interior designs lapsed or was lost, and replica furniture became a legal means to produce furniture that no longer held valid copyright protection. Many manufacturers and companies began replicating some of the most popular and iconic furniture no longer available from original brands or manufacturers. Most of these companies chose to create replicas of the most iconic pieces of furniture from no-longer-created collections.

The United Kingdom cemented its place as one of the most robust sources of replica furniture and the reproduction furniture industry due to copyright laws being different in the U.K. compared to the rest of Europe.

Most of the replicated furniture pieces were recreated faithfully; however, manufacturers or companies would use differing materials, dimensions, and newer techniques to create replicas that were, in some cases, improved over the original no longer being made.

Which Company Was the First to Offer Reproductions in America?

The first company to provide replica furniture in 1866 in Buffalo, New York, was The Kittinger Company, an American maker of traditional Colonial reproduction furniture. Originally titled, “Thompson, Colie & Co,” it was around 1870 when the company began crafting hand-made upholstered furniture and changed the name to “Colie & Son” after George and Colie took control.

Their furniture business became so successful that in 1885 they built a factory designed explicitly for crafting furniture. In 1904 advertisements, Colie and Son illustrated one of their armchairs that showcased how they were still making Colonial Revival-style furniture, reproductions based closely on the original American 18th-Century pieces.

Irvine J. Kittinger purchased the company in 1913, once again changing the company’s name, and it was not until 1966 that The Kittenger family sold their interests. Today, Kittinger Furniture is among the oldest surviving crafters of built-to-order furniture in the United States.

What Makes Antique Reproductions so Desirable?

The items produced by reputable furniture companies are either precisely the same or highly similar to the original designs of the original products. Occasionally, there are differences in materials or dimensions, but most attempt to faithfully recreate the beloved details from the original antique to ensure exceptional durability and quality.

At Laurel Crown, for example, we not only attempt to use the original materials but recreate the exact building, planning, and carpentry in many of our models that the master cabinet makers used decades and centuries ago. But why would we do that?

Looking at some of the most precious pieces of antique furniture today, many have survived the test of time and, in some cases, survived hundreds of years of constant use in generations of homes. Comparing their strength, durability, and longevity to today’s mass-produced, sometimes questionable material-use furniture pieces, one can see why we at Laurel Crown would want to reproduce our furniture the same way the master artisans created it so long ago.

The Benefits of Antique Reproduction Furniture Today

Timeless Styles

Eras and periods have already proven how enduring their popularity remains, as even now, elements of Thomas Chippendale’s designs are still evident even in contemporary furniture.

Exquisite Craftsmanship and Details

Our reproductions don’t just emulate the style or look of an antique piece but follow the cabinet-making techniques that made them. Many of these original pieces have survived decades or centuries of active use, meaning our pieces are well-constructed and built to last to become heirloom pieces.

Reasonable Price Points

Purchasing an original Mahogany Desk by Chippendale can cost you between $225,000 and $300,000. For many people, that cost is not within their grasp. However, purchasing a Chippendale Drop-Front Secretary desk at Laurel Crown costs roughly $2,500. Not only is that a far more obtainable price, but the look, elegance, and breathtaking beauty of genuine Mahogany wood is well within grasp.

In addition to being far more obtainable, when you browse and shop our reproductions, you take away the hours, weeks, months, and occasionally years of searching for the perfect genuine era piece, as they can be complicated to find in good condition.

With reproductions available in a wide range of styles and finishes, it is infinitely easier to seamlessly blend our reproductions into any existing designs or aesthetics within your home so that everything in your home or a room can be brought together in harmony.

At Laurel Crown, we have enjoyed recreating some of the most iconic, highest-quality reproductions with the highest-quality materials and professional artisans since our inception. Design the interior of your dreams with us.