A Triffid Foot (Original Irish—Trifid; also called a “Drake Foot”) is a term used to describe the three-toed pattern carved into the feet of chairs, cabinets, and tables in the 1700's. The triffid foot was developed by the Irish; however, due to England’s standard as the reigning world power, the style was grouped in the with English’s Queen Anne’s furniture, named for the monarch of England from 1702 to 1714.
The Queen Anne style is a redefining of the William and Mary style. A staple in this line is the cabriole leg, a thinner, more intricately designed leg that ends in a foot carved in the slipper or triffid styles. The cabriole leg is specifically designed to remove the unnecessary weight often found in the heftier legs of the William and Mary style while not compromising on sturdiness and balance.
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The triffid foot migrated to the American Colonies along with many Irish carpenters, where it began to become a familiar staple in the furniture shops of the Rappahannock basin in Virginia. From there, the style became most popular throughout Virginia and Pennsylvania. However, the triffid foot began to fade out of furniture as the styles of the time shifted into the Georgian era.
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