The Pennsylvania Dutch style was predominant in the German settlements in Pennsylvania. The name is derived from a mispronounced Deutsch – the German word for their language. These immigrants were the pre-cursors for the Mennonites and Amish and explains some of the simple features.
Design Elements
- Simple and utilitarian
- Decorated with bright and colorful hand painted scenes
- Straight lines
- Simple turnings
- Straight tapered legs
- Walnut, pine and oak were predominant
Examples
Here are a few examples of Pennsylvania Dutch furniture. Click on any image to zoom in.
View Member Made Pennsylvania Dutch pieces from our Gallery >
< Back - American Period Furniture Timeline
Bibliography
The William and Mary style is influenced from England and the Baroque styles in France and Italy.
Design Elements
- Relief carved elements
- Intricate but heavy wood turnings
- Woven cane seats – later leather with brass nails
- First Asian elements introduced
- Finishes of paint, oil varnished, wax over stain, ebonized (black japanning) were common
- Dove tail joint is introduced
- Burl veneers and inlays are common
- Woods were walnut, mahogany, and maple
Examples
Here are a few examples of William and Mary furniture. Click on any image to zoom in.
View Member Made William and Mary pieces from our Gallery >
< Back - American Period Furniture Timeline
Bibliography
Chippendale is both a style and a maker, Thomas Chippendale was actively designing and building furniture in England. In 1754 he wrote and published “The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director” a full scanned copy is available at https://archive.org/details/gentlemancabine00Chip
He was also an interior designer to the aristocracy of the period. Chippendale’s interior designer work greatly influenced his eye to comfort, proportion, and aesthetics. He incorporated Georgian, Rococo, Gothic, and Neo-classical styles. His Director was used by many other cabinet makers – including those in America. Chippendale wrote of five orders, all of which defined proportions to be used.
“A variant is the "segmental" or "arch" pediment, where the normal angular slopes of the cornice are replaced by one in the form of a segment of a circle, in the manner of a depressed arch. Both traditional and segmental pediments have "broken" and "open" forms. In the broken pediment the raking cornice is left open at the apex. The open pediment is open along the base – often sculpture, "tondo" paintings, mirrors or windows. These forms were adopted in Mannerist architecture, and applied to furniture designed by Thomas Chippendale. The terms "open pediment" and "broken pediment" are often used interchangeably.[5] Another variant is the swan's neck pediment and is a refinement of a broken pediment with two "S"-shaped profiles resembling a swan's neck.“ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pediment
Thomas Chippendale Jr (referred to as The Younger) continued his fathers business and moved into Regency styles. Under his term, the company eventually filed for bankruptcy but did not completely dissolve.
Design Elements
- Deep carvings
- Chinese-style latticework and lacquers
- Gothic pointed arches
- Broken or open pediments
- Quatrefoils
- Fret-worked legs
- Carvings of shells, ribbons, acanthus leaves, and other natural forms
- Wood was almost exclusively mahogany solids with few veneers
Examples
Here are a few examples of Chippendale furniture. Click on any image to zoom in.
View Member Made Chippendale pieces from our Gallery >
< Back - American Period Furniture Timeline
Bibliography
“An emphasis on the line and form rather than the ornament” (Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts). Often referred to as Late Baroque, the term Queen Anne was not applied to the style until more than a century after the design elements were introduced.
Design Elements
- Lighter, more graceful, and more practical than prior styles
- Curved arms and legs ending in a foot – especially the cabriole leg
- Pediments
- Crest rails
- Restrained ornament usually a carved shell or scallop shape
- Cushioned seating
- Wing back chairs made their debut
- The emphasis on the materials used. Walnut superseded oak as the species of choice. Poplar, cherry, and maple were also used extensively
Examples
Here are a few examples of Queen Anne furniture. Click on any image to zoom in.
View Member Made Queen Anne pieces from our Gallery >
< Back - American Period Furniture Timeline