Eastlake Furniture Identification Guide for Beginners

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Eastlake furniture is one of the first types of antique furniture I learned about when I interned at a local antique shop in college. (It was my favorite, so I was a quick learner.) The distinct style was named after Charles Locke Eastlake (1836–1906), who was an architect and furniture designer.

Eastlake embraced minimal decorations and clean lines, but this “minimalism” isn’t all that minimal when compared to mid-century modern designs. Once you see one piece, you should be able to easily identify basic antique Eastlake furniture. After a little research, you will be able to differentiate it from other types of Victorian furniture. 

What Is Eastlake Furniture, Exactly?

Eastlake furniture was popular in the late 19th century from approximately 1870 to 1890. Charles Eastlake introduced the design principles when he wrote Hints on Household Taste in Furniture in 1868. In the early 1870s, these ideas traveled from England to America, where, for better or worse, large furniture manufacturers adopted the style. 

Eastlake emphasized his desire for meticulously crafted, refined, and simple furniture in the book. In many ways, he was directly objecting to the elaborate styles from the Victorian era that were sloppy and unnecessarily showy to him.

The Eastlake style is a direct transition between traditional Victorian furniture and the modern furniture movement that came decades later. Subsequently, Eastlake’s teachings pull direct inspiration from the Arts & Crafts movement.

Common Eastlake Features

People of the time called Eastlake furniture “cottage furniture” because it was more straightforward and less expensive than other furniture styles. Although the overall styling is reminiscent of the Arts & Crafts movement, the Eastlake style was inspired mainly by Gothic Revival, Middle Eastern, and Asian design. 

Below are some characteristics that can help you accurately identify Eastlake furniture. 

Geometric Shapes

Furniture generally has geometric shapes with squares, rectangles, diamonds, and half circles. These shapes are simple and modern, and you won’t see a lot of scrolling, ribbons, or fancy curving motifs. 

Shallow Carvings

Most Eastlake furniture pieces have some carving. These etchings tend to be shallow and nature-inspired. For example, you can find plain renditions of flowers, acorns, or leaves.

Straight Lines

Another iconic characteristic of Eastlake furniture is the horizontal and vertically stacked incised lines. Like the carvings, these lines are shallow and undecorated. 

Natural Materials

Furniture makers manufactured pieces using raw wood, either oak, walnut, or cherry. The furniture is usually lighter-toned than other Victorian furniture because furniture makers used oils instead of stains. Furniture featured a lot of marble and utilitarian fabrics like leather. Many pieces had some brass or copper embellishments with symmetrical geometric motifs. Brackets and handles also usually had some design with a shallow relief. 

Identification Tips

When identifying Eastlake furniture, first look for the abovementioned characteristics. Next, search for a label from the furniture maker. For example, if you find a marking that says Herter Brothers, you’ll know that the antique has some intrinsic value. 

Eastlake Furniture Manufacturers

Several manufacturers are known for producing Eastlake furniture, including:

• Herter Brothers: Known for high-quality craftsmanship and intricate detailing
• Wanamaker’s: Produced affordable, mass-market versions and higher-quality pieces, catering to a broad audience
• Jordan & Moriarty: Their illustrated catalogs from the 1880s show a range of Eastlake styles, from simple designs to more elaborate variations
• Pottier & Stymus: Often considered a competitor to Herter Brothers, they produced Eastlake pieces featuring high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail

Quality Variations

Remember, there was significant variation in the quality of construction and decoration. Charles Eastlake preferred minimal decoration, but he still appreciated minor hand-wrought embellishments.

“I find American tradesmen continually advertising what they are pleased to call Eastlake furniture, the production of which I have had nothing whatever to do, and for the taste of which I should be very sorry to be considered responsible.”

Charles Locke Eastlake

Eastlake spoke against the mass production of furniture and preferred skilled artisans and cabinetry makers to construct pieces with pride. However, since this furniture was more straightforward and cheaper to produce, factories ironically mass-produced the style with varying levels of quality. 

Generally speaking, American companies mass-produced the more elaborately decorated machine-made Eastlake pieces. On the other hand, English furniture makers handcrafted Eastlake furniture with more minimal decoration.

Eastlake Examples