FOREWORD In scanning my library of books on old fu rnitu re o o on of th em m and peri d dec rati , some huge volu es , I have o ften wondered why no one had ever pub li shed a small book of ready reference on the historic I o n . fur iture styles Such a volume, realized, w uld n c o n be e essarily inc mplete, its treatme t perhaps m n o frag e tary and superficial , and it w uld possess other obvi ous defec ts when viewed either as a stand o of n o r ard w rk refere ce as a readable treatise . It o n o f to n w uld be ecessary, course, omit many i ter n and n o esti g importa t details , and the average auth r o o o is l ath t d this . But it seemed to me that the unavoidable short comings of such a book would be j ustified by its . A on practical usefulness c cise, abbreviated survey of the decorative peri ods would often be most help o not o r ful , particularly for th se who have the time e oo the inclination to study th large b ks . Something like a concordance of the peri od styles was what I I n had i n mind . had reaso to believe that there [V ] FOREWORD was a need for something i n the way of a printed guide which would most effectively assist th e average person in ans wering those universally puzzling ques tions of how to identify any period style or place n and any piece of fur iture, by what specific means n u one o to disti g ish style fr m another . I have consequently se t aside my principles of sci entific c c o n for m n ac ura y and c mplete ess the ti e bei g, and have made the attempt to produce such a brief bad e me cu m n or survey, , ma ual , syllabus, whatever o o I y u may ch ose to call it . have presumed to add ano ther volume to an already extensive literature on the furniture styles because I believed that this par ti cu l ar kind o f v olume would meet a genuine and n particular eed . Such condens ation of a big subj ect must inevi n tably result in sins of omissio , if not of commission . I am fully aware of the defects inherent in this sort o f treatment ; I kn o w j ust what the critics and re viewers will say ; and I am moved to forestall their c on and and criticism by ertain admissi s disclaimers , to i nform th e purchaser o f this volume exactly what he is getting for his money . o in t In the first place , there is n thing new his o book . It does not pretend to be the result f orig n ot inal research . There is a fact or a conclusion in [vi ] FOREWORD it that is not to be found in any one o f a dozen o n larger and hands omer volumes . I do n t thi k I have added one j ot to the sum of human knowledge on this subj ect ; I have merely sorted ou t that knowl — edge and now present it in a new dress or undress . This work does not pretend to be exhaustive , com h o o of prehensive, complete . W le bl cks facts are o one o f deliberately omitted . My pr blem has been n o I n o selection a d eliminati n . have e deav red to ff o to reduce a large , di use subj ect to l west terms , o o n to to n and b il it d w , strip it its esse tials , the reader need l ook fo r little mo re than a wo rking ou t n li e . I not c c o do even laim pre ise accuracy . Abs lute truth in these things demands subtle distinctions and fine discriminations whi ch take up Space and are o often tedi us . I have sought to interpret these o n things more br adly, satisfied with correctness i its larger sense . If I have strained a point now and then in the effort to accentuate the lines o f demarca o f I find u stifi tion and the bases classification, my j cation i n the belief that I have thus simplified what too o I is often made c mplicated, and that have ren dered more comprehensible and more easily remem bered a matter that many persons tell me they still find confusing . [vii] FOREWORD I c have, in short, sacrifi ed other ends to the single o o f o o purp se c mpiling a small , handy v lume on the n o o pri cipal hist ric furniture styles, in the h pe that it will fill the l ong-felt want for the essential facts n i n m prese ted quickly available for , and that it may o f serve as the primer a fascinating and useful study . For the convenience of such persons as may be n o to n o e c uraged delve more deeply i t the subj ect, I shall add at the end of this volume a list of books . on It is not a complete list , but it is l g enough for c o n all pra tical purp ses, and it i cludes the works of To t I the leading authorities . many of hese authors n n n am personally i debted, havi g co sulted their works n th e o f t oo freque tly in preparation his handb k . The greater part o f th is volume first appeared in “ ” th e form of magazine arti cles in The Art World I o o am indebted to its edit rs for permissi n to reprint . A po rtion of Chapter II appeared originally i n Arts ” 81 o o f n Decoration . The maj rity the illustratio s are from photographs of authenti c examples of an tique furniture i n the collections of the Metropolitan f s o . Mu eum Art, New York W . A . D . [viii] CON T E N T S CHAPTER I PERIOD FU RN IT U R E I N MODE RN HOMES II ITA LI A N RE N A ISSA NC E III TH E RE N A ISSANCE ELSEWH E RE IV LO U I S X IV V LO U IS XV VI LO U I S XVI VI I TH E EMP IRE VI II JACO BEA N AND R E STORATION IX AN G LO -D U TC H X G E ORG I A N XI AME RICA N STYL E S CH RO N OLOG ICA L TA BL E S BI BLIOG RAP HY INDEX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAG E Th e s a on of ar i e n oi ne e at on ai ne e au ou i s XIV l M A t tt F t bl , L ' s tyl e Fr onti spz e ce i o hi oa i r a i E ngl sh G t c k l ve y c b net . Fi fte enth centu r y 5 i s oak a i n i i nen- ar E ngl h c b et w th l fold c vi ng . Fi ft e enth centu r y 5 i en Ita li an car ve d ch es t . S xt e th cent u r y r r i h i n C a v ed mar age c est or cassone . S xt e e th centu ry r i n h n r It ali an ca ve d wal nu t b ench . S xtee t ce tu y - i h ac e a i an ar mch ai r u ho s er e wi h e e . E ar H g b k d It l , p l t d t v lv t ly sev enteenth centu r y S ixte e nth c entu ry It ali an cu r u le or S av onar ol a ch a i r with br o cad e u phol st er y Typi cal Ital i an t abl e of th e s ixt ee nth cen tu ry or en i ne si e oar or cr e ence s i e e n h c en u r Fl t d b d d , xt t t y r e nch cr e ence o f th e a e ee n h c en u r w i h fine o hi c F d l t fift t t y, t G t tr acer y and l i ne n-fo ld c ar vi n g A Fl emi sh Ren ai ss ance cabi ne t of e b ony w i th b one i nl ay . Abou t 1 600 i e n h e n u r Fr ench Renai s sance car v ed che st . S xt e t c t y — ar e w a nu a e .