Antique Australian cedar hallstand

Australian cedar, also known as red cedar or Toona ciliata, is a species of tree that is native to eastern Australia. It is known for its high-quality timber, which has a distinctive red color, fine grain, and a pleasant aroma. In the 19th century, Australian cedar was widely used in the manufacture of furniture, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The timber was considered to be a highly desirable material for furniture making due to its strength, durability, and natural resistance to rot and insects. It was also relatively easy to work with and could be finished to more... a high standard and was used to make a wide range of furniture items, including tables, chairs, wardrobes, and chests of drawers.

Australian cedar furniture was particularly popular in the Victorian era and was considered to be of very high quality. However, over-harvesting of the tree led to a decline in the availability of the timber and as a result, the use of Australian cedar in furniture making decreased in the 20th century. Today, Australian cedar furniture is considered to be quite rare and valuable by collectors. less...

A 19th century innovation, the earliest hallstands usually consisted of a straight or shaped upright, sometimes with a drawer and with rounded wooden pegs or hooks on which to hang coats and hats. Some versions also contained umbrella stands, eith in the central section or to each side.

Hallstands became proportionately larger during the course of the century, sometimes being equipped with lift up seats and arms, and later models had brass hooks that tended to replace the wooden knobs. Early versions were usually wooden, although wonderful cast iron hallstands are to be found from the middle of the century, more... richly cast and ornamented.

The best known manufacturer of cast iron hallstands was Coalbrookdale Company of Shropshire England, founded in 1709. In the 1840s the company developed a range of cast iron furniture, which, once the moulds had been created, could be mass produced. Coalbookdale items are marked either with the full name of the company or an abbreviation such as 'C-B-DALE Co'

Cast iron hallstands will often also include the date lozenge, often cast into the base of the drip trays indicating the year in which the design was registered.

Some were made in Australia featuring native plants as their dominant motifs.

Towards the end of the century, hallstands were made in bamboo and lacquer work in the Japanese taste. Hallstands continued in fashion until the 1920s and were sometimes made in the prevailing Jacobean revival fashion or the plainer styles inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement.

A variant on the hallstand is the hall tree, usually made of timber with a central stem and three or so arching branches to each side, fitted with knobs or hooks for coats and jackets.

Another variant is the umbrella or stick stand, usually about waist height or lower, in cast iron, with a loop in the upper section and a drip tray below to hold the walking sticks, canes or umbrellas. The backs are sometimes cast in the form of animals, testifying to their connection to the great outdoors. less...