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Page 26 The Antique Shoppe August, 2018
contribution was the oval shaped back plate of a drawer pull with an embossed design,
COMMON SENSE often acorns or leaves and later American flags, and a simple drop bail. The Hepplewhite
pull is almost universal on “traditional” cabinet work.
The most famous cabinetmaker of the period was of course Scottish born Duncan
ANTIQUES Phyfe who ran a factory system in New York so large that he actually made very few
pieces. His work is often referred to as “from the school of Phyfe” or from the “workshop
of Phyfe.” His early work was actually Sheraton in design before he moved into the
By Fred Taylor French influenced Empire style slightly later. The style he didn’t work in was “Duncan
Phyfe” because there was not then and is not today a style by that name. Somehow his
name became attached to any piece of furniture from any period that has sweeping legs
MAKING A FEDERAL CASE extending from a pedestal or a frame. While it is true he made some furniture in that
style, so did every other cabinetmaker in New York. The sweeping legs were actually in
It’s English style before Phyfe was born. It was an English Georgian style used in pedestal dining
tables just after the middle of the 18th century.
The outstanding elements of Federal style are the Hepplewhite shield back chair, the
One of the most popular and most reproduced styles in America for the last hundred Hepplewhite oval pull, the Sheraton reeded leg, brass urn shaped finials on clocks and
years has been the Federal style of the early 19th century. It is so ubiquitous that it is chest, oval and round inlaid geometric patterns called “patera,” cascading bellflower
almost unrecognizable as a separate style and is often just called “traditional” styling. In inlay on legs and the rice carving found on bed posts. Almost all of these elements can
fact, “Federal” is not truly a style unto itself. It is period of American history just after the still be found in 20th century reproductions of Federal period furniture.
American Revolution when the new young Nation, called the United States, struggled to
establish itself with a separate identity from the mother country England. The period is Send your comments, questions and pictures to me at
commonly said to be from 1780 to 1820. PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423 or email them to me at
But the new identity, as expressed in furniture style, was distinctly English even though info@furnituredetective.com
it was called American Neoclassicism - the New Classic - style. After the Revolution a Visit Fred’s website at www.furnituredetective.com and
new wave of cabinetmakers, primarily from Ireland and England but also from France, check out the downloadable “Common Sense Antiques”
columns in .pdf format. His book “HOW TO BE A FURNITURE
immigrated to the new country and brought existing European and English ideas and DETECTIVE” is now available for $18.95 plus $3.00 shipping.
furniture designs with them which were slowly integrated into existing styles such as Send check or money order for $21.95 to Fred Taylor,
Chippendale using Classical elements of style. Interesting that the “new” American style PO Box 215, Crystal River, FL 34423
Fred and Gail Taylor’s DVD, “IDENTIFICATION OF OLDER
turned out to be just a rehash of older European styles! & ANTIQUE FURNITURE”, ($17.00 + $3.00 S&H) are also
And with the new/old ideas and styles a couple of the older traditional forms available at the same address. For more information call
disappeared and few new ones showed up. The first to disappear was the highboy, the tall (800) 387-6377 (9AM-4PM Eastern, M-F only), fax 352-563-
single unit chest of drawers but the chest on chest, a variation of the highboy, remained 2916, or e-mail info@furnituredetective.com.
All items are also available directly from the website,
popular. The low dressing table was another casualty of the shifting taste but one of www.furnituredetective.com
America’s most enduring forms, the sideboard, was developed as a variation of the
Southern hunt board and the traditional mixing table. One oddity of this transformation ←This chair is a typical Hepplewhite shield
was the evolution of the Queen Anne style sideboard. Even though Queen Anne lived in back chair.
the early 18th century and her namesake style was popular from the 1720s to the 1750s,
a sideboard in that style was not shown until the form itself developed in the late 18th PALATKA CRESCENT CITY
century. Another new form was the work table with drawers, specifically designed for
the craft of needlework. Finders Keepers COUNTRY
Two of the overwhelmingly popular designers of the period were, of course, English
designers. They were Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806) and George Hepplewhite. Sheraton’s of Palatka ANTIQUES MALL
popularity resulted in great part from the 1791 publication of his style book “The Cabinet 193 Highway 17 South
Maker’s and Upholsterer’s Drawing Book.” Over 600 cabinetmakers subscribed to the East Palatka, FL 32131 2167-1 S. US Hwy 17
publication and his work became widely spread. This was followed in 1803 by his book 904-476-1038 • 386-972-4452 Crescent City, FL
on joinery called “The Cabinet Dictionary” and in 1805 by “Cabinet Maker, Upholsterer Mon–Sat 10am-6pm (Wed 10am -5pm) 386-698-0844
and General Artist’s Encyclopedia.” Sheraton had the Federal period equivalent of a Antiques Credit Cards Accepted
media blitz. No wonder he was so popular. Collectibles Consignments
One of Sheraton’s claims to fame that has lasted for over two hundred years was Unique Items Layaway
his clever variation of legs starting with spool turned legs at the top corners of his work China & Crystal
tables. Other variations included square tapered legs, tapered rope turned legs, tapered Furniture & Household Items
round legs, round and tapered fluted legs and round and tapered reeded legs. Items for the Entire Family
George Hepplewhite (1727-1786) on the other hand was already deceased when his Local Artist Accepting Orders For Rental Space
widow posthumously published his book “The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide” Charcoal Portraits For Both Family 10 x 10 = $125 Mo Old Feed ‘n Seed Store
Adjacent to
Members &/or Pets
in 1788. He is given credit for the light touch in chair splat design and his name is Teressa & Jim Maskell, Owners 46 Crescent City High School
immortalized in the “Hepplewhite shield back” chair which literally incorporated 24
the shape of pierced and carved shield as the back of the chair. His other outstanding
GAINESVILLE AREA DEALERS
← Both pieces shown
from a 1950s Colonial The PainTed Table Liquidation of Antiques
Revival reproduction & Contents of homes
Federal style dining Tastefully Recycled Since 2001
set illustrate some Affordably Priced Camellia antiques
of the elements of Unique Pieces of Quality
Federal. 1950s Colonial & Estate Sales, llc
Revival reproduction Thornebrook Village 10006 CR 1469
Federal style china 2441 NW 43rd Street, Suite 5A EARLETON, FL
cabinet illustrates some Gainesville, FL 32606 Beside the Post Office.
of the elements of (352) 371-1555 OPEN: FRIDAYS & SUNDAYS
Federal. The cabinet or By appointment/ChanCe
base shows Sheraton Buy • Sell • Consign Call For Your Estate Sale Needs
style spool turns and Serving Gainesville, Deland & Sarasota
a tapered reeded MENTION THIS AD FOR 10% DISCOUNT 352-871-0743
column at the corners Farmers Market www.CamelliaAntiques.com
with Hepplewhite oval Every Friday 4-7PM 30 Camille Huie - hoch21@windstream.net 31
drawer pulls.