Since that time we have grown through six catalogs to our current 217 page issue containing over 3000 items each of which now seems to me to be as basic to the needs of the furniture maker as those first 80. I have a bias in favor of the work produced from the mid 17 th century up to the early part of the 19 th century in England and America. In my opinion the work of American cabinetmakers during the 18 th century represents in some cases the absolute pinnacle of design and constructional virtuosity. Having said this I should also say my tastes have expanded in all directions over the years largely as the result of contact with our customers. Most of the fittings in the Whitechapel Ltd catalog are old fashioned designs and while there are no laws demanding the furniture maker use them as they would have been 200 years ago, it does no harm to have a strong historical sense of appropriate application.
Nothing can substitute for the hands on experience of real antique furniture.
The pleasure gained from working and living with antiques enriches life on many levels. Beyond the obvious enjoyment of fine woods, finishes, design and workmanship there are many lessons to be learnt studying antiques particularly if one is willing to go beyond superficial preconceptions. Many have come to woodworking after careers in more conventional professions and tend to see the artisan life through rose tinted spectacles preferring to think of their trade as an art more than a craft. Like the proverbial butcher, baker and candlestick maker, the 18 th century cabinetmaker was a member of the trade class and worked under very different circumstances. Ironically, though we now tend to idealize his products as pinnacles of grace and beauty, he would have been embarrassed to have been called an artist but proud to be respected for his craftsmanship and business success.