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Cabinetmakers: Furniture Craftsmen and Trend Setters

 

Early America did not have furniture manufacturers to supply the needs of homes and homemakers. Early on settlers had to build furnishings on their own or rely on what came in by ship. There were too few colonists to support even a single cabinetmaker. The earliest documented cabinetmaker in Williamsburg, Virginia was Peter Scott. Mr. Scott first appeared in the recorded history in 1722.

A cabinetmaker does more than the name implies. The tradesman known as a cabinetmaker is in fact a woodworker who specializes in making furniture; usually of high quality. In the 1700’s the cabinetmakers were responsible for the most stylish concepts in furniture. The term “cabinetmaker” chairs was often used to categorize the best chairs in the 18^th century. Cabinetmakers were once the trend setters, as they watched their counterparts in Europe they would mimic the newest trends for the citizens in the new land.

Some of the dominant styles brought to North America by cabinetmakers are still crafted in traditional styles today. Chippendale, Queen Anne, Federal, Sheraton and Hepplewhite name a few. The eighteenth century cabinetmaker was a busy and powerful trade.

Upholstery was usually missing from all but the seats of the cabinetmaker chairs.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 12:12 am and is filed under Dining Room Chairs, Dining Room Furniture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.