RECOGNIZING A COUNTRY CLASSIC: Scraped-Pine Swedish Antiques

We enjoyed visiting with Maine antiques dealer Patricia Healy Mitchell of Avolli (www.avolli.com), at the Boston Antiques Weekend (www.bostonantiquesweekend.com) recently. Her booth was a show-stopping arrangement of Swedish antiques, many with a country look that passersby clearly found delightful.

“Swedish antiques are a wonderful alternative to more formal and expensive French antiques,” says Mitchell, who focuses on Swedish antiques from the late 18th century up until the early 20th century. “I primarily have Gustavian-style pieces,” says Mitchell, who was an interior designer for many years before pursuing her passion for antiques.

Elements of the Gustavian style include reeding detail, dentil molding, and clean lines, she says. The country look of Swedish antiques comes from the finish. “The scraped finish is highly sought after,” says Mitchell, describing painted pine furniture whose later coats of paint have been scraped off to reveal earlier layers, which are then protected with a wash. “The scraped finish and wash give the furniture its less formal component,” says Mitchell.

The Gustavian-style scraped pieces she had at the show included an 1824 Swedish secretary, an early 19th-century table, a set of four early 19th-century chairs, and a 19th-century tall case clock.

Photos courtesy of www.avolli.com