| Antique wicker is lovely to behold. The very talented | | | | furniture of an earlier time; blue and white china began |
| designers and craftspeople of this romantic era skillfully | | | | to see a surge; and peacock feathers with bright |
| rendered such artistic creations that are now being | | | | yellow flowers. |
| recognized as having contributed to the antique | | | | When people began collecting the antiques, with |
| American arts. Many pieces of this period are still | | | | antique wicker among the items being collected, it |
| useful, and can be used for investment purposes, also | | | | seemed as if a mania had begun for antique items. It |
| possessing certain aesthetic value. Dated from the | | | | has become so popular today that many industries are |
| 1835s to the early 1900s, antique wicker produced | | | | reproducing the look of the antique wicker furniture. |
| before 1930 is an antique at least 100 years old and | | | | The average American family cannot afford the |
| has witnessed a previous era in society, which was a | | | | expensive antique wicker, so antique wicker |
| requirement of the antique qualifications. Also, its | | | | reproduction specialists are reproducing these wicker |
| antique value depended upon its authenticity, age, rarity, | | | | pieces at an affordable price. "Yesteryear Wicker" is |
| and condition. Often, anything of value that was | | | | one of these specialist companies that has reproduced |
| collectible could still be found at an antique shop | | | | this antique wicker since 1987. |
| despite whether it was an antique or not. According to | | | | Wicker itself has been around quite awhile, so when |
| the U.S. Customs Service, genuine Victorian antique | | | | we refer to antique wicker we are really referring to |
| wicker is truly an antique. | | | | wicker that has been around for 100 years or more. It |
| The Victorian era in Great Britain was a long period of | | | | just happened to be part of the Victorian era also. As |
| peace, with this period being divided into three, four or | | | | historical as the European eras, wicker has been |
| five Victorian eras when the antique wicker began its | | | | thought to be of Scandinavian origin. It comes from (1) |
| march. The beginning Victorian era showed an interest | | | | the words "wike" which refers to the Swedish word |
| in medieval or Gothic Revival while the middle Victorian | | | | "to bend" and (2) the words "vikker" meaning "willow." |
| era showed the cluttered look we associate with the | | | | Probably the most popular and oldest vine used for |
| phrase "high Victorian art." From the 1880s, there | | | | making the wicker products for the past 150 years is |
| began a reaction to this Victorian era. Furniture that | | | | the rattan vine. They are found in South and Central |
| was heavily carved and ponderous began to be | | | | America, Africa, and in the rain forests of Southeast |
| replaced by lighter designs. Ornaments began to show | | | | and East Asia. Good quality rattan-made products |
| a change and growth in a different direction: | | | | should last 100 years or more with normal usage. The |
| fashionable was the look of flimsy bamboo furniture or | | | | antique wicker products that are rattan-made during |
| antique wicker as compared to the dark heavy | | | | the Victorian era are still in use today. |