I. THE QUEEN ANNE PERIOD 1 II. SIR CHRISTOPHER WREN AND GRINLING GIBBON 18 III. MIRRORS, STOOLS, AND SOME NOTES ON A QUEEN ANNE BEDROOM 34 IV. CHAIRS AND TABLES 47 V. CHESTS OF DRAWERS, TALLBOYS, CABINETS AND CHINA CABINETS 65 VI. SECRETAIRES, BUREAUX, AND WRITING-TABLES 76 VII. CLOCKS AND CLOCK-CASES 82 VIII. LACQUERED FURNITURE 95 BIBLIOGRAPHY It is with pleasure we acknowledge our obligations to the following authorities: Percy Macquoid: "The Age of Walnut." (The standard work on the furniture of this period.) J. H. Pollen: "Ancient and Modern Furniture and Woodwork." An admirable little handbook and guide to the furniture and woodwork collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington. F. J. Britten: "Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers." (Exhaustive in its treatment, and fully illustrated. The standard book. A new edition has recently been published.) John Stalker: "Japanning and Varnishing." (The earliest English book on this subject. Published in 1688 during the craze for japanned furniture.) Law: "History of Hampton Court," vol. iii. Ashton: "Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne." Evelyn: "Diary." Macaulay: "History of England." CHAPTER I: THE QUEEN ANNE PERIOD WILLIAM AND MARY, 1689-1702 ANNE, 1702-1714 GEORGE I., 1714-1727 William the Third was a Dutchman and, although he was for thirteen years King of England, he remained a Dutchman until his death. His English was bad, his accent was rough, and his vocabulary limited. He had a Dutch guard, the friends whom he trusted were Dutch, and they were always about him, filling many of the offices of the Royal Household. He came to England as a foreigner and it remained to him a foreign country. His advent to the throne brought about certain changes in the style of furniture which are generally described as "the Dutch influence," which, however, had its origin at least as far back as the reign of Charles II.