Regency is the name given to the style of British architecture, furniture and decorative arts associated with the period when the future George IV acted as Prince Regent, strictly 1811 to 1820. In the antiques trade the term is used more loosely to cover roughly 1795 to 1837, embracing the late reign of George III, the reign of George IV and that of William IV.
Regency design drew on a more archaeological reading of the ancient world than earlier Neoclassicism, borrowing forms from Greek, Roman and Egyptian sources, alongside an enthusiasm for chinoiserie seen most famously at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton. Influential figures included Henry Holland, Thomas Hope and the architect John Nash, while pattern books by Thomas Sheraton and George Smith spread the style widely. Furniture is typically elegant and restrained, made in mahogany or richly figured rosewood, with brass inlay, gilt mounts, sabre legs, lion paw feet and reeded detail. Characteristic pieces include sofa tables, convex mirrors, chiffoniers, library tables and klismos-inspired chairs. Its clean lines suit contemporary interiors particularly well, and fine Regency furniture remains a cornerstone of the British trade.
