hmmm… I need to get to work.

Greek revival furniture: 320
Jacobean furniture: 4,400
Rococo furniture: 6,600
Georgian furniture: 9,900
Arts and Crafts furniture: 12,100
Greek revival: 14,800
Queen Anne furniture: 22,200
Jacobean: 60,500
Victorian furniture: 74,000
Queen Anne: 301,000
Edwardian: 368,000
Rococo: 550,000
Arts and Crafts: 673,000
Georgian: 823,000
Victorian: 4,090,000

I didn’t even cover other combinations but I believe these numbers stand for themselves. So, in the online world at least, I believe the overuse of “Victorian” is a continuous reciprocal feedback loop between the consumer and the marketeer.

I think it covers a large group of things and is the best word I can think of to envelope them all. I like (most) Victorian Architecture – not just Gothic Revival, or Greek Revival or Second Empire or Queen Anne or Italianate. Likewise – I like (most) Victorian furniture, not just Gothic Revival or Rococo or Renaissance Revival or Aesthetic, etc. Same with Victorian decorative arts. Yes, it is a bit of a catch all phrase, but I think it does it’s job well. It allows “Rare Victorian” – to discuss (correctly) the many styles that do fall under and fit the broad heading of “Victorian”. woodwright

Dictionary.com states:

Vic⋅to⋅ri⋅an??[vik-tawr-ee-uhn, -tohr-]
–adjective
1.
of or pertaining to Queen Victoria or the period of her reign: Victorian poets.
2.
having the characteristics usually attributed to the Victorians, esp. prudishness and observance of the conventionalities.
3.
Architecture.
a.
noting or pertaining to the architecture, furnishings, and decoration of English-speaking countries between c1840 and c1900, characterized by rapid changes of style as a consequence of aesthetic and philosophical controversy, technological innovations, and changes of fashion, by the frequent presence of ostentatious ornament, and by an overall trend from classicism at the start to romanticism and eclecticism at the middle of the period and thence to classicism again, with attempts at stylistic innovation occurring from time to time.
b.
noting or pertaining to the massive, elaborate work characteristic esp. of the period c1855–80, derived mainly from the Baroque and Gothic styles and characterized by the presence of heavy carved ornament, elaborate moldings, etc., by the use of strong and generally dark colors, by the frequent use of dark varnished woodwork, by the emphasis on geometrical form rather than on textural effects, and frequently by an effect of harshness.

It’s kind of like saying Early American, what is early american exactly? It’s william& mary, queen anne, chippendale, hepplewhite, sheraton, etc. see what i mean?

I say these generic terms are good in that it hopefully draws in people to at least take a look and just maybe have an emotional connection which causes them to pursue their interest further.

The point here is to draw in/include as many people as possible, not to exclude them by using language that hardly anyone understands.

my 2 cents

All: I agree with you guys. I asked Hollie to open up this can of worms so that hopefully this line of thinking can become more prevalent. I don’t see it having been addressed out there anywhere, so might as well be this site.

*(With the small aside that I believe s/he clearly meant to place the Regency period at 1811-1820 rather than 1881-1820.)

Victorian is a period in time. Georgian is a period in time. Edwardian is a period in time. Art Deco is a style. The Renaissance is a period in time. Renaissance Revival is a style. Gothic architecture refers to a style. Gothic Revival architecture refers to a style. Medieval is a period in time. Regency is a nine year period of time now more often used to refer to a style that may or may not fall within the years 1811 – 1820.

“Victorian style” sometimes is used unthinkingly by thinking people, or by people who haven’t a clue about the dates of Victoria’s reign or the styles that fall within that period, to refer to something fussy and ornate and covered with ornament and antimacassars.

The French don’t have a “Victorian” to worry about.