American Period: Furniture

What I Learned

Furniture was a huge part of the American period so I decided to focus my blog entry on that aspect.

Some characteristics of Federal American furniture include arm chairs that have curved armrests and straight legs. Daybeds were also popular at this time as were some neoclassical motifs such as lyres, harps, and crowns of laurel leaves. The American eagle was also popular at this time. 

Duncan Phyfe was a popular furniture craftsman. He was a Scotsman who was best known for Regency-Empire style. Daybeds were one of his specialties. He used ornamental fittings on his furniture such as metal claw foot tips on table legs. He was known for creating a simplified Klismos chair and sofas with rolled ends. He liked to use the lyre motif and cornucopia legs. Here are some examples of Duncan Phyfe chairs:

Lambert Hitchcock was another famous furniture maker from this time period. He was one of the first to employ production-line methods. Some of his chair characteristics included: black with gold paint, woven cane or rush seats, and stenciled designs of fruit, leaves, arrows, flowers, and eagles.

Hitchcock Chairs

Shaker style was also popular at this time. They believed in hard work and discipline as well as political and religious freedom. Shaker style had ladderback chairs which hung from rows of pegs 6 feet from floor and followed the principles of honesty, utility, and simplicity.

Ladderback chairs

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