May, 1 9 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



183 



Chairs 



of 

 Chippendale, Heppelwhite and Sheraton 



By Mary H. Northend 

 Photographs by the author 



This article on Chairs of Chippendale, Heppelwhite and Sheraton was preceded by 

 Miss Northend's article on Early Chairs in the April number of this magazine. 



..*.■;*£& 



Sheraton Arm Chair 



A Sheraton Chair 



BOUT the middle of the eighteenth century 

 a most important revolution took place in 

 cabinet making. This change affected chairs 

 even more than it did any other kind of 

 furniture. It was brought about through 

 the fact that for the first time English cabinet 

 makers published books of furniture design which were 

 copied by the best artisans in the country. 



Chippendale, who drew most of his ideas from the 

 French, issued his "Gentlemen's and Cabinet-Makers' Direc- 

 tory" in 1754, and a smaller work of similar nature ap- 

 peared the year previous. 



Heppelwhite brought out his Book of Design in 1789, 

 while Sheraton published a similar collection in 1 79 1 . 

 These three great names lead as designers of fine 

 chairs. 



Some designs were also published in 1765 by Robert 

 Mainwaring, by Inches and Mayhew, and in 1773 

 the Brothers Adams followed their example. Of all 

 these, Chippendale easily 

 leads. He was consid- 

 ered authority for thirty 

 years. His favorite pieces 

 of furniture were chairs, 

 and in them he blended the 

 ideas of the French, the 

 Dutch, in the bandy legs 

 and straight back, and the 

 Chinese, which were fashion- 

 able about the middle of the 

 eighteenth century. 



The results were master- 

 pieces. Many of the chairs 

 had broad seats, bow-shaped 

 top rail, arms with well- 

 known curves ending in scroll 

 work, with and without 

 stretchers, the ornamenta- 

 tions often confined to the 

 front leg, while the back legs 

 were straight and plain, 

 copied from the Chinese. 



The splat back and bandy 

 legs, copied from the Dutch, 

 were united with the orna- 

 mentation of the splat in 

 modified Gothic forms. 

 Often the full curve of the 

 bandy leg terminated in the 

 ball and claw feet which are 

 so commonly used by Chip- 

 pendale and his imitators, 

 although his published book 



contains not a single example of this particular style. 

 One of these chairs which is considered very handsome, 

 is in the Harrod family at Newburyport, Massachusetts. 

 It is one of a set of six chairs showing ball and claw feet, 

 and with bandy legs. This chair was inherited from one 

 of the early ancestors who was the owner of the ordinary 

 or inn, known as Harrod's Tavern, the sign for which was 

 painted representing the Freemason's Arm. This ordinary 

 was a noted hostelry in Haverhill, and it was here that 

 General Washington spent a night during his stay in that 

 city. 



Another Chippendale of equally handsome proportions, 

 showing carved back, is in the Middleton House at Bristol, 

 Rhode Island. This was inherited from Henry Middleton, 

 one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. 



Much of Chippendale's work was done in mahogany, 

 which was the favorite wood of his time. His skill was 

 displayed in wonderful carving derived from various 

 sources, but resolved by his taste into a harmonious whole. 



The effect is so complete 

 that his furniture needs no 

 further enrichment by inlay 

 or painting. Not only were 

 his chairs serviceable, but 

 the workmanship and carv- 

 ing was wonderful, rich in 

 effect and beautiful detail. 



The ornaments on the cab- 

 riole legs and frame are as 

 delicate as those in the back, 

 while the proportions of 

 both are equally well bal- 

 anced. 



When Heppelwhite issued 

 his book of design in 1789, 

 his light and attractive pat- 

 terns quickly caught the pop- 

 ular fancy. They were less 

 strong and durable than 

 those of Chippendale, but 

 they had a beauty of form 

 and wealth of ornamenta- 

 tion, as Heppelwhite used 

 not only carving of the most 

 delicate and exquisite descrip- 

 tion, but also inlay and 

 painting. He also intro- 

 duced japanning, after the 

 style of Vernis Martin. 

 Heppelwhite sacrificed 

 strength and durability to 

 produce light and artistic ef- 

 fect. His chairs may be dis- 



adder-back Chippendale chair 



