New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-13
A BEAUTIFUL BOOK.

COLONIAL, FURNITURE IN AMER
ICA BY Luke Vincent Lockwood
New and greatly enlarged EDITION
With s67 illustrations OF represents n,in
tive Dieces In two volumes. foilo'
ID. XIX. 32i; xviii, 800 Charles scrlo-
neTs sons.
Eleven years ago, when Mr.. Lock-
wood first published the fruits ot MS
research into the history of Colonial
furniture. his book established itself as
the one work indispensable to the col
lector. 1t seemed perfect then. But
the master Of a subject like TINS never
rests content. He writes a BOOK oniy
TO write it. by and by, all over again
This Is practically what Mr.. Lockwood
has done. and in these two sumptuous
volumes ne gives US what is really
new book Only this time he makes IL
such perfect monument that we 90
not see how he can ever improve upon
II. There is an illustration literally on
every page. a beautiful haiftone printed
from a really good photograph. These
pictures are indeed 80 good that the
collector may use them as touchstones'
From study Of them he can so more
securely into the market-and into the
byways-seeking the pieces he Graves.
The illustrations, invaluable as they
are would lose much Of their service
ableness in the hands of an ordinary
author. What makes Mr.. Lockwood s
work so helpful guide is the deeply
instructed nature Of his text. lie
knows furniture as some connoisseurs
know paintings. He knows not only
| forms and styles, but materials and the
little nuances of craftsmanship. he
seems with kind OF imaginative
mower TO have been able to put himself
in the place OF the early cabinet maker.
That individual as he. aptly notes, at
one time ranked professionally with
the architect. II is an old story that
he had this status in the France OF the
eighteenth century; but Mr.. Lockwood
makes us realize what is more often
| overlooked. that in England. and in our
/ own country. too, the maker Of fur
niture was a type Of artistic rectitude,
man Of self-respect who was in turn
respected by those about him.
one element dominates all others In
/ the history Of Colonial furniture. That
| is the element OF stability, pointing 10
! the conscientious habit Of our fore
| fathers. Then, too, there was a racial
| strain working in the matter Of taste.
Dutch craftsmen had a lot 10 do with
our early furniture and they were not
precisely light in hand. Their furni-
| ture was literally builded, furniture or
stout wood thrown into forms meant
! to no of use, and 10 last. Simplicity
was the leading motive al the outset.
| and il endured long. AS ornament in
creased I'm scope il nevertheless re-
! tanned what we can only describe as
I the honesty which went. at the begin
ming, To the making of the barest
chest on the other hand. our cabinet
makers kept pace with the develop
ment Of Colonial culture and they
| benefited. too. by the constant impor-
! tations from England, where the ideas
Of Chippendale, Heppelwhite and Shera-
ton were touched with grace as well as
with the instinct for thorougfiness. 1t
is interesting TO reflect on the amen;tE
which for generations was combined
with the severe principles OF Colonial
America. The Puritans, frigidly dec
| orous rs they were. remained suscep-