Thomas Chippendale and His Legendary Chairs

Home
>
Interior Design & Decorating
>
Thomas Chippendale and His Legendary Chairs

Chairs crafted by Thomas Chippendale were dazzling examples of quality furniture in their day. Today, they remain extraordinary examples of antique furniture. Chippendale style, ball and claw and ladder backs, there's lots to know. Here's your guide to one of the world's most celebrated chairs.

Who is He.

Thomas Chippendale (1714-1779) was an English furniture maker in the mid 18th century whose work was influenced by English, French and Chinese furniture design.

A Book Made Him a Household Name.

In 1754, Thomas Chippendale published the first of three editions of his book, Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker's Director. It put him on the map. This illustrated directory showed examples of the furniture that Thomas Chippendale could make for his customers. Wealthy clients could see illustrated examples, pick out the designs that they liked which would be handcrafted in his workshop. At the time, Thomas Chippendale probably didn't expect that this book would become so widely copied for so many years by other furniture makers. It continues to be used today.

A Claim to Fame.

Thomas Chippendale was the first non-reigning monarch to have a furniture style named after him. Before Thomas Chippendale, furniture styles were named after reigning Monarchs such as Louis XIV, George I, Queen Anne.

Chippendale versus Chippendale Style.

Anything made by Thomas Chippendale's workshop in England is a Chippendale. Furniture made incorporating the features used by Thomas Chippendale is Chippendale-style. American Chippendale refers to Chippendale style furniture that was made in the US ? mostly in Philadelphia.

Chippendale Style Particulars.

The style reflected elements of the Rococo, Chinese, Gothic and Noeclassical styles. Deep hand carving was prevalent. Common motifs were of shells, lions, masques, eggs, darts and scrolls.

Favorite Wood.

Mahogany was preferred choice of wood for Chippendale style furniture. Solid wood; not veneers was often used because of the detailed carving involved.

A Lesson in Legs.

There are six basic style ? lion's paw, ball and claw, the late Chippendale, the Marlborough, the club and the spade. Early Chippendale furniture used the cabriole leg which is a serpentine style ending with a lion's paw, ball and claw or the club. The late Chippendale, Marlborough and spade were straight legs and appeared later in the period.

Seat Selection.

Chippendale style chairs were wood, upholstered or caned.

Chair Back Choice.

Upholstered, rail backs, ladder backs, rung back, splat backs, carved backs, ribband backs. The chair backs are one of the most definitive parts of the chair that typify the style. Ribband backs are carved to look like bow. Very few were made in the 18th century because it required expert craftsmen and was very time-consuming. And very few survived passed the 18th C. Most ribband back chairs around today were made in the 19th and 20th centuries.

What to Look for When Buying.

Look for original condition. Repairs and replacement lower the value. Actual pieces from Thomas Chippendale's workshop are rare indeed. Make sure the provenance is strong documented when a dealer says it is a Thomas Chippendale versus a Chippendale style chair. Keep in mind that very few ribband back chairs survived from the 18th century. Be wary when someone tells you that they have one.

Reproductions Versus Antiques.

You can tell modern reproductions from the real thing by looking closely at the carving. Is it uniform in depth and symmetrical? If so, it's a modern reproduction. Antique Chippendale's would be hand carved which is irregular in depth and never exactly symmetrical because it's virtually impossible for even a master artisan to achieve it.

Pricing.

Any Chippendale 18th century chair whether it was made by Thomas Chippendale himself or one of his contemporaries will cost several thousands of dollars. If it's not in that price range, it's most likely not 18th century. Even high quality modern reproductions can be pricey.

Martin Swinton owns Take-A-Boo Emporium located in Toronto, Canada. He has appeared on a variety of television programs; does furniture restoration; caning and rushing repairs; appraisals and has taught courses on antiques at the Learning Annex. Martin can be reached at http://www.takeaboo.com

YouTube - Bedroom interior design ideas
bedroom design ideas bedroom decorating bedroom interior design bedroom decor bedroom decorating ideas bedroom designs master bedroom design decorating a bedroom

Five ways to do wallpaper right - Metro Canada - Toronto

Five ways to do wallpaper right
Metro Canada - Toronto
According to Canadian interior designer Michelle Mawby, principal designer of Lucid Interior Design and star of the Discovery Channel's Junk Raiders, ...

and more »

Interior Design Decorating | How to Start Decorating
Start decorating project can be exciting or scary because of your experience, limited budget, the sense of taste or your time to finish the project. Welcome to Interior Design and ...

Interior Design Blog: Budget Decorating & DIY Resources | Blogged ...
Facebook is a social utility that connects people with friends and others who work, study and live around them. People use Facebook to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited ...

Jarring they're not
The jar has been an integral part of our way of life for centuries, and is still important today, albeit for different reasons.

Rethinking kids rooms
Betsy Burnham loves designing bedrooms for young children, but before she can begin, she sometimes has to steer clients away from painfully cute design ideas.

Kids' rooms that aren't 'kiddie'
"Why give them a really babyish room," designer asks, "when it's so expensive to change everything?"

Home Show Has it All Under One Roof - The Epoch Times

Home Show Has it All Under One Roof
The Epoch Times
Organizers of the Vancouver Home and Interior Design Show are so sure attendees will love their day out at the show that they're offering ...

and more »

Color her world: Artist surrounds herself in a world of her own art (video)
HAMDEN — Some people may feel that art is an important part of life, but consider it something to be viewed in museums, where they can admire it and then go back to their real lives.

Thomas Chippendale and His Legendary Chairs

Interior Design & Decorating Interior Design & Decorating