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.
