We often forget when attempting to determine the furniture styles and/or periods that collectors and decorators separate into periods of design or manufacture but that no one period of design or craftsmanship has a well defined time. Changes in furniture styles is always blurred with transition periods, except the few times when an event in the history of a nation, such as a change of government, war, or succession of a new sovereign accelerates or defines the change.
It requires time and acceptance for change to work it’s way through the buying and collecting communities. While a great master may be struck with a new idea for a style or design, it requires time to develop the details and is always modified by what his buying public demands. This change takes place much faster for some cabinet designers or makers than for others.
To compare start and transition dates with trends in Europe, transfer to and acceptance in America of new furniture styles trailed the earliest English or French examples for a period of time has to be added for the samples to be transferred and to become sufficiently popular. It needs to be remembered, that while England would be moving into a new period, furniture styles could remain popular in America for extended periods. This also happens in different times and in different regions in America. The relationship with England and that region affects the time reception and acceptance takes place.
Periods can only be defined with some probability in America according to what documentation exists as to it’s acceptance. This was also influenced by pattern books that were published which accelerated and popularized certain styles.
Region
Early American cabinetmakers followed the European influences but, as their tastes developed in their new land, they developed American adaptations. As we were so tied to the European continent, each new trend influenced and modified furniture styles and designs in America. Then, each became modified to accommodate the regional tastes. The ability to accurately identify the style and/or the region in which it was made and/or the cabinetmaker comes with study and application of information gained.
Cabinetmakers did not sign their pieces or otherwise identify the maker or the shop it was manufactured in until the machine age. America craftsmen and designers never copied exactly the European designs. They always allowed their ingenuity, inventiveness, and adaptability to American needs to modify the original designs as they felt the need.
In addition, they combined what they admired with such improvements as they thought desirable. In addition, space was at a premium in a Colonial house in America. This gave rise to many space saving innovations that became popular or were innovated, gate-leg tables, Pembroke tables, folding pieces of many kinds as they could be moved against a wall to create space for other activities when not in use.
Sometimes this created a style that contained a great deal of originality. As in other disciplines, knowledge comes with study and application.
Fraud or fake?
In addition to all of the authentic pieces, there are many antique reproductions and outright fakes to lead you astray along with “antique experts” to guide you to their desired decision. However, there are so many clues to enlighten and confuse you in making a valid decision as to whether you are examining a real piece of Americana furniture. You need to know the signs to whether is was pre-machine age.
You need to know what signs identify what region it was made in.
You need to know how to determine if it was made in America or imported from Europe.
It requires time and acceptance for change to work it’s way through the buying and collecting communities. While a great master may be struck with a new idea for a style or design, it requires time to develop the details and is always modified by what his buying public demands. This change takes place much faster for some cabinet designers or makers than for others.
To compare start and transition dates with trends in Europe, transfer to and acceptance in America of new furniture styles trailed the earliest English or French examples for a period of time has to be added for the samples to be transferred and to become sufficiently popular. It needs to be remembered, that while England would be moving into a new period, furniture styles could remain popular in America for extended periods. This also happens in different times and in different regions in America. The relationship with England and that region affects the time reception and acceptance takes place.
Periods can only be defined with some probability in America according to what documentation exists as to it’s acceptance. This was also influenced by pattern books that were published which accelerated and popularized certain styles.
Region
Early American cabinetmakers followed the European influences but, as their tastes developed in their new land, they developed American adaptations. As we were so tied to the European continent, each new trend influenced and modified furniture styles and designs in America. Then, each became modified to accommodate the regional tastes. The ability to accurately identify the style and/or the region in which it was made and/or the cabinetmaker comes with study and application of information gained.
Cabinetmakers did not sign their pieces or otherwise identify the maker or the shop it was manufactured in until the machine age. America craftsmen and designers never copied exactly the European designs. They always allowed their ingenuity, inventiveness, and adaptability to American needs to modify the original designs as they felt the need.
In addition, they combined what they admired with such improvements as they thought desirable. In addition, space was at a premium in a Colonial house in America. This gave rise to many space saving innovations that became popular or were innovated, gate-leg tables, Pembroke tables, folding pieces of many kinds as they could be moved against a wall to create space for other activities when not in use.
Sometimes this created a style that contained a great deal of originality. As in other disciplines, knowledge comes with study and application.
Fraud or fake?
In addition to all of the authentic pieces, there are many antique reproductions and outright fakes to lead you astray along with “antique experts” to guide you to their desired decision. However, there are so many clues to enlighten and confuse you in making a valid decision as to whether you are examining a real piece of Americana furniture. You need to know the signs to whether is was pre-machine age.
You need to know what signs identify what region it was made in.
You need to know how to determine if it was made in America or imported from Europe.
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