A Brief History of Cabinetmakers’ Chairs : How Eighteenth Century Craftsmen Dictated Decor Styles
The eighteenth century cabinetmaker was a busy and much diversified craftsman. A Colonial cabinetmaker was engaged to make many household furnishings because they were specialists in furniture construction. When a cabinetmaker climbed off the boat in a port city they quite literally could change the styles of that port city. They were known to bring with them the latest styles that were known to be influenced by the merchant orders from Great Britain. A cabinetmaker was in essence a trendsetter.
Obviously, the New World with its influx of international trade birthed an explosion of business. A desire like never before was seen amongst the middle class who became hungry for status, comfort, and wealth. Furniture historians recognize that the most highly desired chairs of this era were “cabinetmakers’ chairs”. Because the styles were changing as rapidly as the landscape of the newly founded United States, many of these traditionally styled chairs evolved one to another. The most popular styles of the eighteenth century cabinetmaker chairs are generally “Queen Anne” ”Federal” “Chippendale” “Sheraton” and “Hepplewhite”. The eighteenth century saw the end of stagnation in the home décor pond.
While some cabinetmakers in the Boston area clung to their leather upholstered chairs, cabinetmaker chairs were usually sans upholstery, save perhaps the seat. These seats had a particular design and were upholstered elsewhere and slipped in to a frame, thus they came to be known as “slip seats”. Cabinetmakers went so far as to ship their seats to upholsterers in other areas when no tradesman was available in town. The alternative to upholstery was rush. A rush seat was originally woven with heavy strands made by twisting cattail leaves. Now rush may be pre-twisted natural rush or fiber rush-a material made from heavy brown paper, twisted to form a strand.
Now the Amish craftsman is the modern answer to the cabinetmaker. Not only a style setter but style preservers, the same traditional designs of the eighteenth century are still available to you in the same solid American hardwoods along with custom stains and finishes.
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