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(Above photo - Sheraton Revival Sideboard - Antique Buffet 1890 )

A Sheraton sideboard is part of a more oversized furniture style that lasted between 1790 and 1820 in England. The style is named after a famous cabinet maker Thomas Sheraton, who lived between 1751 and 1806. He one of the first furniture makers to write elaborate designs and guides, the best being The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book. Therefore, he either made or influenced the pieces of furniture bearing his name. Today, you can find several furniture pieces created by this hardworking craftsman, including sideboards.

The following are the unique characteristics of a Sheraton sideboard:

1. Types of Wood

(Above photo - Sheraton Revival Sideboard - Mahogany Server 1880 )

Sheraton cabinets featured contrasting inlays and veneers, meaning they were made from two or more types of wood. The favorite wood for the base was satinwood, followed by beech and mahogany. Then a furniture maker would decorate the sideboard using rosewood, ash, birch, and tulipwood. In some places, local furniture makers used maple, walnut, cherry, and cedar.

2. Legs and Feet

(Above photo - Sheraton Sideboard Mahogany - Antique Buffet Server c.1910 )

Unlike previous eras when furniture had cabriole legs, Sheraton sideboards mostly have straight legs. However, the legs could be sometimes tapered or splayed, according to the preferences of the cabinetmaker. The legs could also have reeded edges, imitating columns on classical buildings. In some cases, stretchers are used to join the legs.
At the end of the straight legs, you would find a simple, rectangular spadefoot, arrow foot, or cylindrical foot. In the case of a Sheraton sideboard, you are likely to find bun or bracket feet. Even though these features coincide with those of the Chippendale style, they can help you tell if you have a genuine Sheraton sideboard.

3. Additional Features

(Above photo - Stunning Sheraton sideboard in mahogany )

Sheraton sideboards have additional features and not just the simple feet and straight legs. For instance, the pieces of furniture from this era have a light, sophisticated appearance that’s more delicate than Chippendale and Queen Anne styles. While some pieces are painted, others have low-relief carvings used to decorate them. Some pieces have intricate patterns, marquetry, and intricate veneers built using highly contrasting pieces of wood. Other pieces could be japanned, dyed, or painted with contrasting colors.

Some of the most famous motifs on these sideboards include flowers, urns, feathers, fans, ribbons, lyres, swags, and drapery. Hardware such as drawer handles may have figures of urns, rosettes, stamped plates, and lion’s heads.
It is not uncommon to find a Sheraton sideboard with strong, symmetrical geometric shapes such as squares and rectangles. Some sideboards have gathered silk placed behind their glass doors and could even have sliding sections.
Even though the Sheraton style had come earlier in the 19th century, it was later that English cabinetmakers adopted it widely. Thus, the sideboards produced in the 1880s are collectible in their own right.

Conclusion

You can buy a Sheraton sideboard, whether you are a collector, antique dealer, or homeowner. There are many options available in antique shops where you can find what you want. The trick lies in identifying an authentic Sheraton sideboard from the raft of available options.