Loads of shaker, arts and crafts furniture, an occasional 18th century americal piece but never really any articles or dicsussion on european (rococo, louis xiv or xv, etc.) how come?
Does anyone know of good resources for discussion, articles and/or plans for pieces from these locations and periods?
Replies
Jeff, this topic got kicked around here on Knots just a month or two ago. The Chippendale style...which might be thought of as the 18th century culmination of rococo...was put to print by Chippendale himself in a collection of designs called a Directory. I think the Dover Press republished it sometime back in the 1980s (?). They've also republished Sheraton's Directory, but I think he's better thought of as being in the later, neo-classical school...as was Hepplewhite...and, incidentally, a Directory of his work was also published by his wife after he died.
...So, there's a lot of first hand info out there on the period furniture you're interested in. These ornate styles don't happen to excite me much, but I do have great respect for the craftsmanship of the old masters.
"These ornate styles don't happen to excite me much"
Sigh... the renaissance is truly over.
'frickin conservatives...
Lee
thanks to all that took the time to reply.
Jeez, Jon, I really didn't expect you to let all that slide...
Lee
Here I go out of town for just one day and my reputation gets totally Grindingered.
...Hope your jackknife rusts, Lee. (damn whittlers)
Why no discussion on the more ornate styles? Few people have the skills to execute them.
Shaker and Arts and Crafts are simple designs, much easier for casual woodworkers to build.
There is a forum somewhere on reproductions but I don't know where it is. Perhaps you could google (Yes, it's a verb) for period furniture.
As Jon said, Dover has published Chippendale's drawing book as well as Sheraton's. These are their styles specifically and frankly are not terribly useful save for a bit in techniques. Sheraton was a genius with mechanics but an utter failure as a business man. Also, as far as anyone knows he never lifted a hammer in his life. Chippendale was the tail end of the Queen Ann era, forced into less elaborate styles by Sheraton and the Arnos of the day.
A great reference for style, not working drawings, is Wallace Nutting's Furniture Treasury, all 3 volumes. Since Early American styles were all European in nature the early stuff was a refinement of the Queen Ann era. Taunton has publised a few books on traditional styles but I have not read any of them so I can't comment.
Lee
Jeff,
Try the Society of American Period Furniture Makers (SAPFM)
http://www.sapfm.org
Because you can't build that sort of stuff with a Grizzly tablesaw and a Sears router.
I appreciate your sentiment, I have tools that were purchased when I first started woodworking that feel insufficient and limiting now that I aspire to do more; however, 18th century craftsman certainly did great things with less capable tools.
You're right, they were real woodworkers. They built masterpieces with a tool set that could be packed in a relatively small chest.
The only place I've seen the French styles of Louis XV and XVI being built was in a woodworking shop in LaPaz, Bolivia. About 20 folks bent over work benches with only chisels in hand carving away. The pieces were later shipped to their Japanese customers.
Lar
I thought I may be of help. There is a book by Lester Margon, Masterpieces of European Furniture. This book is out of print. This book of Lesters was compiled of museum pieces from Europe before the start of WW2.After the war most of these classics were destroyed.His collections of these drawings are irreplaceable.Every once in a while a copy or two becomes available from used book dealers.Try Amazon.com or Abebooks.com .Lester Margon's books for me are a must have in my library for inspiration and reference.
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