A coat stand is a free-standing piece of furniture designed for hanging coats, hats and other outdoor garments. The simplest form is a tall central pole on a weighted or splayed base with a ring of hooks or pegs near the top, while more elaborate versions include umbrella rings, drip trays, mirrors and small shelves.
Coat stands became a standard feature of the Victorian entrance hall, when greater numbers of middle-class homes needed somewhere to store outerwear. They were made in oak, mahogany, walnut, pine, cast iron and brass, and in every fashionable style, from Gothic Revival to Arts and Crafts. Among the most familiar is the bentwood coat stand produced in huge numbers by Thonet and other Austrian firms from the later nineteenth century, which became a fixture of cafés, offices and homes across Europe. Victorian and Edwardian hall stands, larger pieces often combining a mirror, hooks and storage, served a similar purpose. Collectors look for stability, original hooks and drip trays, and sound joints, since stands are prone to wobbling and breakage. A good antique coat stand is both practical and decorative in a hall, cloakroom or boot room.
