Chippendale Furniture

American Furniture Of The 18th Century bridges the gap between the art of period furniture and the craft of furniture making. Jeffrey Greene's meticulous research of styles, makers and period methods produces a rare combination of history and technique that is bursting with information and insight. Green first provides a comprehensive survey of design and construction based on the historical influences and tastes of the period. He then examines and explains authentic joinery, construction and furniture making methods. Throughout, he provides drawings, illustrations and photographs. And in a separate, full-color section, he treats readers to a close-up look at 18 important examples with a discussion of their design, construction and artistic merit. American Furniture Of The 18th Century captures the spirit of an age that boasted William and Mary, Queen Anne, Chippendale, Hepplewhite, Sheraton, Neoclassical and other enduring makers and styles. It successfully links the history, craft and construction of these classic masterworks in a beautiful volume of elegance and timeless designs. Highly recommended reading for antiquarians, collectors of 18th Century furniture, and students of 18th Century Americana. -- Midwest Book Review

Before his death in 1954, Joseph Downs was director of the Winterthur Museum, in Delaware, and curator of the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York for nearly twenty years.

The many admirers of eighteenth-century English furniture will find this volume a concise, yet informative guide to the "why" of the work of Hallett, Vile, Hepplewhite, Sheraton, Chippendale, Cobb, and their fellow craftsmen.
It is ironic that out of the excitement and turbulence of this era came a kind of furniture that now epitomizes a timeless elegance, a body of furniture so superb that it has consistently interested students, collectors, connoisseurs, and all those who love antiques. Makers of modern furniture pay it the compliment of frequent imitation so that its details of style are constantly being further disseminated.
The popularity of this furniture increases steadily and for good reason. Its beauty, its almost unbelievable variety, its usefulness and versatility, the tendency of the originals and even good reproductions to increase in value - all these factors contribute to its continuing appeal. Perhaps most important, the best work of this period provides testimony that craftsmen working in a viable tradition can successfully fuse form with function, giving us something that is both practical and aesthetically satisfying.
It would be easy to view this triumph as a happy accident; yet, as this book illustrates, it was not. It was the product of many diverse influences. Philosophy, travel, social custom, literature, education, business practice, economics, even politics affected furniture design and manufacture.
Chippendale and All the Rest looks at these influences, giving the reader an Insight into the opulence, the energy, the self-indulgence, the restlessness, and the activity of a world of two hundred years ago. The magnificent furniture that was both a result of this world's needs and resources and a part of its furnishing is pictured in the many original dawings and in the reproductions of designs from contemporary pattern books. There is also a select bibliography along with a listing of many mansions and great houses in England where this furniture may be seen in the environment for which it was intended. All readers who enjoy antique furniture will want to own this book, as will the student of social history.

9 x 12 trim. 482 duotones. LC 96-46794

"Fitzgerald offers a long-overdue portfolio showcasing the Renwick Gallery's entire 84-piece collection of crafted American furniture. This critical resource will serve as a foundation for the study and historic preservation of 20th-century American furniture makers' work. Highly recommended." --"Choice"   Fitzgerald’s statistical analysis of the collection, formulated from detailed interviews with the surviving artists, casts new light on workshop practices,marketing concerns and other aspects of the contemporary studio furniture movement.  A foreword by noted scholar and curator Paul Greenhalgh gives readers a brilliant overview of the studio furniture field and the intimate role furniture plays in daily life. - The Crafts Report   Art, architecture, and design meet function in this stunning book. Studio Furniture documents and celebrates the masters of the craft while offering a historical retrospective of American furniture practice. A terrific resource for the collector, student or layperson. - Scout and Morgan Books for Midwest Booksellers Association   In this beautiful, wide-format soft cover, Oscar Fitzgerald does an admirable job of describing each maker’s importance to the movementFine Woodworking   No student, collector, or furniture enthusiast should be without this coffee-table style book, available in hard or soft-cover that so beautifully illustrates such an important movement in modern craft. -Vic Tesolin, Canadian Woodworking   In all, this is a can't miss text for any collector of American studio furniture. - American Style   If you read this book one hundred years from now, i'm sure it would be as thought provoking as it is today. These are 84 great pieces, and this is one great book. - Canadian Woodworking & Home Improvement

A completely revised edition, covering every period and development to the present, the designers and makers, the woods and other materials, the architecture and decoration. 2,000 photographs. Glossary. Bibliography. Index.

The Furniture Of Gusav Stickley is an in depth selection of the methods, techniques and detailed plans for projects guaranteed to provide the reader with beautiful facsimiles of classic Craftsman furniture. In addition there is a gallery of Craftsman furniture which presents some excellent examples of the Craftsman style. The Furniture Of Gustav Stickley is a unique compendium with over 200 b/w photos and numerous line drawings. -- Midwest Book Review