The Old Furniture Book, with a Sketch of Past Days and WaysMoore, N. Hudson
History
The Old Furniture Book, with a Sketch of Past Days and Ways
Moore, N. Hudson
Furniture
Of later manufacture were pieces of rich marquetry in vari-coloured
exotic woods upon mahogany. The heavy foot was replaced by others,
still turning out, to be sure, in the Flemish fashion, but very ornate
and beautiful, and still further embellished with ornaments in gilt.
Such a piece, massive in shape, but enriched with much ornament, is
shown in the desk depicted in Figure 17. It was never made for any of
the humbler houses of the Dutch settlers, but such a piece was worthy
to stand in the study of a wealthy patroon or to belong to some "lord
of the manor." This particular desk, a very perfect example of its
class, belongs to the Waring Galleries, London.
CHAPTER III.
CHIPPENDALE.
In studying the various periods into which different makes of furniture
may be divided, the accentuating of one point, say of ornaments or the
structural peculiarities, is noted, not as being sharply defined, but
as being a gradual growth. Chippendale did not originate at first.
Indeed, he hardly adapted, for the East India trade had brought to
market Chinese designs which he used, and French furniture was so
popular that he copied bodily in his book such designs as pleased him,
although the term "French chairs," as employed at this time, referred
to their being upholstered and not to the style or decoration. Thomas
Johnson published a book about the middle of the eighteenth century, in
which was a medley of French, Gothic and Chinese designs, many of which
have a strong family likeness to Chippendale's. There was also Matthias
Lock, who began to publish his books as early as 1740, dedicated to
such "nobility as would stand for him." These books included one on
Pier Frames, Girandoles, Tables, etc., also, one on Ornaments and
Sconces, all of which were characteristic of what was considered
desirable at this time, and which style Chippendale followed too. Ince
& Mayhew published what they called a "Universal System of Household
Furnishing." They made many designs, over three hundred, and not
only set forth the fine taste in which they were conceived, but gave
the workmen directions for executing them. They positively ran wild on
"Chinese taste," their fretwork and combination of Chinese and Gothic
being perfectly extravagant. Like Chippendale they designed terms, or
as we should call them pedestals, for busts, toilet-tables, bookcases,
many mirror-frames, and chairs most intricate in their carved backs,
with ribbon-work, scrolls, and elaborate patterns in brass nails.
[Illustration: Figure 18. KITCHEN, WAYSIDE INN, SUDBURY, MASS. ]
What were known as "overdoors" were very carefully designed by
Chippendale, Ince & Mayhew, Robert Manwaring, and later by the Adam
Brothers. These overdoors were the wood or leadwork into which glass
was set, to go above front doors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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