Colonial Homes and Their Furnishings

th while. Old-time cabinet-makers understood the value of bestowing upon details the same consideration they gave main features, and, as a result, their work shows that ha

depicts the gradual betterment of rudely formed beginnings culminating in the work of the three master craftsmen, Ch

in each home, and known as forms, were very rudely constructed, being in reality stools or benches, fashioned after the Engli

, stuffed chair; Dutch Chair, carved; Empire Ly

avor being strong and solid of frame, with seat and back covered with durable leather or Turkey work

at Plymouth, in the home of Hon. John D. Long at Hingham, Massachusetts, in the Heard house at Ipswich, Massachusetts, and in the Waters collection at Salem, where o

were made curved to fit the back, affording a comfortable support. They included, in addition to ordinary chairs, armchairs, and it was to an armchair of this make that Benjamin Franklin affixed rockers, thus inventing the first American rocking-chair and inaugurating a fashion that has never waned in popularity. This first rock

lection, H. P. Benson; French Chair, showing Empi

d it was fashioned of either hard or soft wood, and almost always painted black. One interesting example of this make is found at "Highfield," the ancestral home of the Adams family at Byfield, Massachusetts, having been brought here in the early days of the dwelling's erection by Anne Sewall Longfellow, who came here the bride of Abraham Adams, and who brought

her, the famous soothsayer of Lynn, who told one's fate by the teacup at her home at High Rock, is now preserved in a Chestnut Street dwelling at Salem, and shows the straight legs and straight

ht and stiff-backed chairs up to that time in favor. They were stuffed at back and sides, and covered with patch or material of like nature. Owing to the amount of ma

thus setting the stamp of kingly approval on this type, and bringing it into immediate favor. It is not related what color he had his chairs painted, but the general coloring employed was either black or dark green, though some chairs were not painted at all. The finish of the back of this type was varied to suit different fancies, some few having a comblike extension on top as a head-rest, while others h

ippendale Chair; Chippendale, one of a set of six, showing Rosette d

designs, exquisitely blended and finished. First on the list of the new master craftsmen was Chippendale, who in 1753 issued his first book of designs, and whose models were given first consideration for more than thirty

e used the cabriole leg, greatly improving its curving, with the Dutch or ball-and-claw foot, the latter more frequently than the former. His chair seats were broad and flat, and in his backs he disregarded the usual Du

he introduced in his chairs Gothic and Chinese features, even though the backs still preserved the Dutch and French features. Finally, the details of the several features became much mixed, and at length resulted in a predominance of Chinese characteristics. Most of his chairs were done in mahogany, which was

Cornucopia Sofa; Sofa in

xter, Newburyport's eccentric character, who made his fortune by selling warming pans to the heathen, who used the covers for scooping

uently less durable than that of his predecessor, showed a beauty of form and a wealth of ornamentation that rendered it most artistic. He employed no

ved drapery, and many of the shield-shaped type show for decoration the three feathers of the Prince of Wales, Hepplewhite being one of the Prince's party when sentiment ran strong during th

eraton with solid arms and straight, slender legs; She

n, he indulged his fancy for brilliant coloring, mixing it with both inlay and carving. Later he embellished his work with the white and gold of the French style, finally employing features of the Napoleonic period, such as brass mounts and brass inlay. His last seats

wood, rosewood, applewood, and occasionally mahogany, being his selection; and as a decorator in the color and arrangeme

the fact that a specimen of this type was owned at Mount Vernon. Several excellent examples of his chairs are found

1800; Sofa, about 1820; So

of historic interest, such as the old-time chair of Flemish make, brought over in the ship Angel Gabriel, which was wrecked off the coast of Maine; much of its cargo was recovered, including this old chair, which was later br

, the majority were massive, stiff, and extreme in style. Early nineteenth-century chairs manufactured in America

rance being about the year 1760; the majority shown are the work of the master cabinet-makers. Sheraton models are those most commonly found here, though the earliest specimens are of Chippendale manufacture, excellent examples of his work being still fo

ites. Many of these showed eight legs, though later, when his designs became heavier and more elaborate, only

ns showing a peculiar slanting or curved leg which is known as the Ad

Contemporaneous with this type was the Empire sofa, with winged legs and claw feet, often covered with haircloth. One example of this model, exquisitely carved, is in the possession of a Salem family. But whatever their type or characteristic, the old-time chair and sofa a