86 
House 
Garden. 
This i8th Century ma 
hogany chair is typical of 
IlcpplcwhUe in its shield 
hack and horizontal arms 
on curved arm supports 
THE FURNITURE 
of 
GEORGE HEPPLEWHITE 
A pair of English i8th 
Century inlaid tables in 
the Hepplcwhiie style. 
Together they form an 
oval. Note the fluted legs 
WM 
0m 
-J. satin-wood armchair 
dated between ijSo and 
ipSy. The shield hack, 
short horizontal arms and 
tapering legs are typical 
T T r E often hear the discouraged remark." I can’t 
VV tell Hepplewhite from Sheraton.” Their best 
known models are easily distinguishable, however, 
although their French types are similar. Both drew 
inspiration from the Adam Brothers. Hepplewhite’s 
style we reco.gnize by the square, straight, tapering 
leg; the concave front corners of sideboards; and 
the shield or interlaced chair-backs. Sheraton’s 
individual style is quite dif¬ 
ferent. 
■Americans were much taken 
with Hepplewhite furniture in 
the early days of the Republic. 
Its silk upholstery was in keeping 
with the silks worn by both men 
and women of the day. 
George Hepplewhite ranks 
high among the group of cabinet¬ 
makers in England, who made 
the i8th Century notable. From ^ turned fool by 
Jacobean days furniture gener- Hepplewhite 
An ornamental handle 
of a typical Ilepple- 
white furniture mount 
This is the seventh of a scries of articles 
on the salient points of period f urniture 
prepared by Mr. and Mrs. G. Glen 
Gould for the readers of House Garden. 
The new article, in the October issue, 
will consider Sheraton furniture. 
A small mahogany fire screen and a tripod 
in the Hepplewhite style made between 1785 
and lygo. The snake feet are typical 
ally lightened both in weight and design. Hepple¬ 
white added a distinct element to this lightness 
by the novelt}' of his chair-backs. With a practical 
knowledge of woods, their grain and strength, he 
designed a chair-back shaped like a shield, which' 
is both light and strong. ' 
His widow, .Alice Hepplewhite, published his- 
book of designs. He followed the French taste of 
his day in its revival of classic 
Roman design. Hepplewhite was ' 
greatly influenced by Adam 
designs, but the experts remark I 
the distinct English quality of* 
Hepplewhite’s style. He appro-* 
priated foreign ideas but hej 
adapted them to English taste. 
The Hepplewhite character¬ 
istics are: 
Construction: Rectangular,, 
light and graceful but strong. 
{Continued on page 941 
.4 foot from a 
chest of drawers 
The curious-shaped' 
handle of a mount used 
without back plate 
