78 
House & Garden 
W HEN we consider that the Adam 
Brothers were architects and that fur¬ 
niture was a matter of supplementary interest 
with them, it is significant of the value 
of their work that they inaugurated a style 
persisting well into the 20th Century. They 
designed furniture for more than thirty years 
but were not cabinet-makers. 
Their style is a reversal to Roman design 
inspired by excavations in Italy, especially at 
Pompeii. France adopted this style and the 
Adams drew not a little from French models. 
In his twenty-sixth year Robert Adam went 
to the Continent and studied and sketched in 
Italy, later publishing a valuable work on 
architecture, including some furniture designs. 
Returning to England, he worked with marked 
success and soon became a great favorite, for 
public taste eagerly accepted this classic re¬ 
vival. James Adam also made a Continental 
tour, and his published “Journal” evidences 
his scholarly appreciation of Classical art. 
The Adam Brothers followed their father’s 
profession. William Adam, in fact, in his day 
was the most widely known architect in Scot¬ 
land. The architectural taste of his sons came 
by direct heritage. The eldest son, John, suc¬ 
ceeded him. The second son, Robert, is the 
most famous. James, 
the third son, and pos¬ 
sibly another brother, 
William, worked with 
him in London. Their 
attention to the most mi¬ 
nute details of decorating 
and furnishing gave the 
art of interior decoration 
a great impulse. 
Before the time of ^ 
Robert Adam few En- 
small floral motif 
Mahogany roundabout chair up¬ 
holstered in crimson damask. From 
the Metropolitan Museum of Art 
THE FURNITURE 
of the 
BROTHERS ADAM 
One of Adam's own designs for a 
mirror. The delicacy of ornament 
worked into the frame is charming 
glish architects had made any effort to obtain 
grandeur and variety in the interior of private 
houses. The influence of Adam stamped ar¬ 
chitectural work of the period and many years 
afterward. The Adam-style profoundly im¬ 
presses Chippendale’s later work. Heppelwhite 
draws from it, as does Sheraton; though each 
retains his own individuality in design and 
workmanship. 
These are the Adam characteristics: 
Construction: Rectangular with fine pro¬ 
portions, light and graceful; well balanced 
architectural detail; underbracing occasionally 
used. Mahogany and satinwood chiefly used. 
The use of these two woods is illustrated on 
these pages. The two knife-boxes are of satin- 
wood. Their graceful classical outlines and 
the delicate bow-knot and floral festoon of 
their ornament are characteristic of Adam 
design. Mahogany, on the other hand, is 
used in the roundabout chair. The ornamental 
leg, straight and tapering with grooved and 
delicate carving, the seat-rail carved with 
classical precision of design and workmanship 
and the arm supports are all characteristic. 
Note also the adaptation of the lyre motif in 
the fret-work of the back. 
Ornament: This is the distinctive feature 
of Adam furniture. Like 
the construction it is 
light and graceful and 
architecturally disposed 
with an eye to spacing 
and proportion. Classic 
motifs of French type 
and Roman ornament of 
the Pompeiian school; 
urn, swag, finial, wreath, 
honeysuckle, acanthus, 
iCont. on page 124) 
The oval back- 
plate is a feature 
of this rmg mount 
A block 
foot found 
on some 
Adam pieces 
A charac- 
.4 fluted chair leg 
of Adam design 
A mahogany day bed in the Adam style, dated 1770 to 1780. The seat-rail is carved in a classic 
design of scrolled acanthus leaves with balustered seat ends. Metropolitan Museum of Art 
A table leg fitted 
with a spade foot 
