Object of the Day: A Gothic Revival Sideboard

Gothic Revival architecture and furnishings began to flourish in the 1740’s in England and enjoyed a prolific life well into the Twentieth Century. As decades passed, Gothic Revival (or Neo-Gothic, or “Victorian Gothic”) became more stylized and simplified in terms of the decorative arts, relying on geometric pattern and sturdiness.


This walnut sideboard dates to the late Nineteenth Century to early Twentieth and features turn-of-the-century Gothic Revival details such as incised ornaments in the shape of Gothic ogival arches and carvings which lean as much toward the Tudor as they do the Gothic. Not as formal as many Gothic Revival pieces, a sideboard such as this one would have found itself put toward more utilitarian use than it did decorative.

I purchased this sideboard many years ago for my dining room, replacing it in time with a much more formal and ornate étagère. For quite a long time, this piece waited patiently in my laundry room, hoping for the day it would be able to be front and center once again. Now, it’s found a new life in the central corridor of the house, proving once again that there’s nothing quite as enduring as the Gothic Revival.