Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-04
AMERICAN FURNITURE FADS
l
ny FREDERIC j. HASH

Now some Colonial styles and furn-
turo OF the earlier periods. arc fash.
iUnablc bat ii is because they are ar
tistic aud appropriate and not because
they ar" antiques.
Th" history ct furniture is closely
associated with the history Of arvh-
lecture. From time 10 time the differ
cnt Influences that changed the cours"
OF civilization may hc seen in the ar
chit.cturc and art OF the period. ManN
OF the most perfect styles OF furuRur"
date back for instance. TO the spiritual
unrest of the Renaissance.
The thrc. cpvchs of the Rcnais-
s:,ncc--nnmoly. tho Early. the High and
Dccalcnt-tiiId their expression in In"
changu. STYLES Of furniture. Ia En.-
land III" Italian ideas We're modified in
various ways III accordance with tn"
needs OF the Bri;on. which underwent
many changes during divisions Of years
known as the EliEab"tha,u period. ia"
Tudor period. the stuart pcriDd and
the Dutch period. - which William and
Mary sat upon the Engli:I throne.
thIpprnduIc's Influence Felt
NJ! this time the monarchs OF Europe
set The fashions in the constructions
and decoration of household furnish
inGs but in $50 an individual ia.
Hucncs began 80 make Itself felt III tho
designs created by one Thomas Chip
pendaic. VIII" had shop In -. Noriin's
Lane. London Here he served tea ana
exhibited his furniture "A, tho same
time. aud III" shop WITS patrruilcd h>
the best people or London, WHO de-
v"iop"d custom of expressing their
indiTidual personalities through their
furniture. Chippcndaic's Designs w"r"
taken from the Gothic. the Frcucu. tho
Dutch ana even Chinese STYLES. ana
We're worked almost wholly in mahrc
any. that wood having been discovered
century before by Sir Walter i:3lcivn.
Ills chairs. especially clahoratciy
on 4. a al y.
IN" first time built for u,iiilari.n
rather than ornamental purposes. ar"
his greatest triumph. although hI~
sidcboards. bookcases. sccrctar!cs ana
writing tables were eagerly Dough,
While chlppcrdaic deserves Tho clorv
Of being tho pioneer in establishing
individual style in furniture ana fur
nishinG. his furniture has been called
heavy. frequently clumsy. lacking in
grace. mixed in motif and altogether
devoid o. the charm OF the later nd'-
viduai styles"
About the same time too the iicp-
p!c"hi,e STYLES were placed Oh the
Eae!iSh furniture market In artistic.
merit these are considered far alloy.
the chinpcndalo designs. tho hcnvy
clnmsin"ss that had marked tho days
Of william and Mary and Queen Ann.
being substituted by 4 dclicacy and
; nippancS that mad, The chair q thiu.
o. beauty hnd s.dcbo1rds and bureaus
creations Of art. iicpplewhite furni-
ture is greatly nia.d and PAINTED With
various designs. and MS .faVuViic wood
was Satiuwpod. which had lust bccn
introduced from ludia not q srca,
dea! OF i!"ppicwhi,e evcr found it's way
10 America. but the fashion OF painting
Covers and designs on furniture he.
cam" very popular. and tn" women -,
IN" American colonies took il up as 2
pastiinc
rhcn Came si,rrntou
In iI5i. about tho tim" Chiupeudalc'>
designs were achieving their .reatcst.
popularity, Sheraton was born Brouch.
up IN extreme poverty and WIKI 1T
lie chance OF education. sheraton
nevertheless. possessed 4 genius FOR
constructing furniture and choosing
designs with the greatest artistic dis
cernment Ills FURNITURE. was au !m-
provcncni both upon Jthc heavy chin.
pendal' types and tho detailed con-
suuc'ion Of Ii"ppicwhite although
nany or his pieces differ only slightly
from the ilcpplewhit. designs lie Is
ais" famous for his inlayiuc and cary.
inS Oh Satinwood and mahogany. ami
ms favo'ste design was the Tyre. which
appears on numerous pieces
MI these designs in furniture 81 ono
SIND and another Were Imported nv
IN" early american colonies and copind
by oni early cabiuctmak.TS. who con-
triN'd >" add an individual touch ~
th"n cNn-the touch Of Puritan aim
pl.cltHi Ia New Amsterdam. Of cours.
tho Dutch influence again made itseit
apparent. and about Manhattan TO-DAY
an occasional old Dutch piece VIII 10
round IN some dccayinG farmhouse
tn" copied furniture OF tho colonies
Is known as colonial and enjoys q
Widespread popularits among tho cah-
inetina k"rs and furniture factories ~
INC United states to-day.
IN tho capitol. at WASHINGTON is a
colonial c!"uE which, used 10 hang IN
the first American capitol when ii was
in philadelphia Tncrc is also tho orie
MAJ Suuff hos tina; w.s used In tho
days Of tho fathers OF our Constitu-
ton. aud ~ keeping with tradition II
Is still filed regularly every mornin.
even though SNUFF has gone out OF
StNI" In Tho museums, there is fur
niture tina, belonged TO Washington.
Lafayette Hamilton. General Rufus
/ Putnam and almost cvrry celebrity az
Revolutionary bays Eut nowadays
We realize that the same pieces N our
own houses would rarely tit into ,hc
decorative scheme Of things Unless
4 really beautiful and in good condition.
they could mover be anything hut an.
rios. The mania for tho historic an
tiqu" is passing