New-York tribune., 1922-10-22
Cabinet Making
It's Status i'm New York i'm an
Earlier Day


sho had In him q streak of indepen-
dence, II not Of originality. A collec-
lion Of tables, chairs, sofas and soon
would hardly seem 50 be promising
source of creative ideas, and Phyfe is
not precisely an inventive type. H
has not even that gusto, that assertiv
energy, which will sometimes lift
work of craftsmanship above the or
dinary level of its tradition and give j
something of the salient, personal qua
tn Of q masterpiece. Consider th
distinctive character Of the great desi
now Ia the Louvre, which Oeben ano
aelsener made for the King, It stand
aut as unique in period crowded witt
sas furniture. Phyfe handn't the fac
III tor the tour de force that under
les hat memorable achievement. And
es, We repeat, he had an independent.
sfsoHa touch.
1 The British school from which he
J.ang was remarkable for linear an
ecoratice delicacy. 1t is an expressive,
its way, Of eighteenth century els
ance, as the French school itself ar
las, indeed, more classical purity an
srenity. Phyfe was not unworth.
iiscipie of it's light handling Of farn:
.ure problems. But he would carr
he lightness only just SO far. AT tn
core Of his work there is an element
susterity which is traccable, in a:
probability, to his Scotch origin. II
word, he knew how to be graceful
fus he remains faithful to an almos
ascetic simplicity. A certain Kim
strength is his leading characteristic
His daintiest sewing table has an un
nistakable dignity. Line never raF
away with him. There is nothing re
dundsnt about the curves of those SUP
ports which he places under sofa o.
a table. In fact, If he gives the ad
nirer pause anywhere it is in the rathe
sharp direction often taken by thos
self-same supports. One can imagin
j Nne fuller, more flowing, more eN
quisite. But he was keeping his ey
very narrowly on construction. Ill
liable legs may not be the most begui
ingly graceful in the world, but there
Is kind Of sturdy power In them.
After all. there was Scotch blood in
this accomplished American. He was
sfurniture builder as well as an artist
His ornamentation leaves the same
Impression of designer shrewdiy re-
mrving himself, developing a motive
sth the coolest discretion. There Is
ssen positively Greek blitheness IN
pure Sheraton. Phyfe tempers it with
dis Instructive severity. His taste was
inreeeable, yet, II we may risk the
paradox, It vas not notably sensitive
Fos Confirmation Of this look at his use
q metal, especially In those claws OF
srass which terminate the legs OF MS
tables. They are unlovely In them
selves and they have the air Of decora-
tlons applied, not growing out OF the
aesign itself. He Is safer when he
SUCKS to the mahogany, material ne
Understood and, obviously, loved. Inc
oafage he carved upon piece OF
iernlturs gains from his judgmatic
sseldancc of decorative virtuosity. Just
= ne had no inkling Of the sculptural
peauty to be got out Of metal so he
anew nothing of the ornamentation
.ass ia cultivated for it's own sake. He
ssps u we'll in hand, cut 1t In forth
.,sns 8, almost artless way, and left Il, in
~ upshot, beautifully part and parcel
sne whole piece Of furniture.
- z : brief and interesting paper con-
a'sa1ed to the Bulletin, Mr.. Halsey and
A cornelius have something 70 say
sS0ut the period which gave Phyfe his
pp0lsuaity. New York was being made
~ n the earlier decades Of the nine
asa century, Commercial prosperity
= tae building Of many handsome
ssss sses' g Phyfe was called upon TO fur
~. .hem. He did his work for COM
sSs s..s tnat Was not exactly rich in
ioeas, but that nevertheless
s,ts a.. J, some refined adornments to 20
~ 10 solid, warm" conditions. He
~. - son on the basis Of the English
n.,.. men popular. but, though he re-
bssss su g bottom steadily faithful to
ia. ~ = ae also threw himself with
ids,s aso the exploitation of French
= they we're codified in the Ma