Vintage view: Coat hooks

Every area of the Victorian household was a social stage and when it came to outdoor costume, the host family had to contend with an arsenal of hats, gloves, walking sticks, and visiting cards.

A mute servant for the front hall, the hatstand or more elaborate hallstand was a vital piece of working kit for any respectable household. As the middle class developed, and copied the manners and modes of the gentry, the need for smaller hallstands for modest homes grew.

Vertical stands that thrust up flat against the wall with a small table beneath for gloves were ideal. Coiffed magnificent carving, delicate inlays and up-to-the-minute designs declared the good taste of the homeowner in the manor, or the terraced house.