The Chippendales, father,
son and grandson, published books of designs which were used by all the
furniture-makers of their day.
No one can swear to a piece of furniture having been made in the
workshops of the Chippendales. Even the pieces in the Metropolitan
Museum are marked "Chippendale Style" or "In the Sheraton manner," or
some such way. If the furniture is in the style of these makers, and if
it is really old, you will pay a small fortune for it. But even then you
cannot hope to get more than you pay for, and you would be very silly to
pay for a name! After all, Chippendale is a sort of god among amateur
collectors of American furniture, but among more seasoned collectors he
is not by any means placed first. He adapted and borrowed and produced
some wonderful things, but he also produced some monstrosities, as you
will see if you visit the English museums.
Why then lend yourself to possible deception? Why pay for names when
museums are unable to buy them? If your object is to furnish your home
suitably, what need have you of antiques?
The serious amateur will fight shy of miracles. If he admires the beauty
of line of a fine old Heppelwhite bed or Sheraton sideboard, he will
have reproductions made by an expert cabinet-maker. The new piece will
not have the soft darkness of the old, but the owner will be planning
that soft darkness for his grandchildren, and in the meantime he will
have a beautiful thing to live with.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196