John Gerald Shea - Making authentic country furniture: with measured drawings of museum classics

The ambitions of this work involved the exploration of all elementary antique-country-furniture designs used in North America during the past four hundred years. The definition of country furniture, in its present popular context, excludes all furniture of sophisticated design. This rules out the more ornate mahogany, inlaid, veneered, carved and complex-shaped period pieces. Thus, from the start, the lines were sharply drawn to deal only with provincial, handmade designs generally of simple solid-wood construction.

Considering the multiplicity of nationalities and ethnic influences that produced such furniture, it seemed desirable to break the book down into separate subchapters dealing specifically with each influence. But the scope and comprehensiveness of treatment required for each influence posed separate problems. Indeed, dozens of books have been written on each of them. Still, I did not wish to fall into the trap suggested by a Texas friend, who remarked that most books of antiques failed to consider designs that originated west of the Hudson River. Of course, I intended to penetrate far west of the Hudson River. But after considerable study, I ultimately learned that there was not too much distinctive material available in some western regions.

So, in the course of research, hundreds of letters were sent to curators of all significant United States museums as well as those of Canada. Thus all regions of North America were invited to contribute material relating to their historical holdings. It was reasoned that state and regional museums were in the best position to advocate recognition of noteworthy work performed in their areas.

The results of these hundreds of inquiries were not too satisfactory. For instance, it was interesting to observe the number of western and midwestern museums holding antique furniture which had originated in New England. (Of course, it is logical to assume that much early furniture was moved from east to west by pioneering settlers.) Also, a preponderance of awkward, primitive pieces emerged from many regional museums. Most of these pieces were noteworthy only because of their historical relationship to the settlement of the areas where they originated. Looked at separately, in comparison with other country designs coming from other regions, they simply did not qualify.

At all times the criteria of good design and good taste determined the selection of the furniture shown. It would seem that antiquity alone should not suffice to qualify for current interest furniture which is poorly designed. Indeed, some of the drab designs housed in museums throughout this country as authentic antiques would better serve aesthetic purposes if they had passed into oblivion along with their makers.

Thus the original ambition of having all regions and all nationalities represented in this book had to be modified. This was because of the quality of material available and the limitations of book space. However, all important European influences are fully described. By linking the expression of regional European designs a clearer and more definitive representation seemed possible.

In this way the separation of English-speaking contributors include the work of English, Irish, Scotch and Welsh craftsmen who came to populate New England and other English colonies. Spanish Colonial also implies consideration of the work of other nationalities of the Mediterranean and southern Europe. French Canadian sketches the provincial expression of France. Dutch Colonial and Pennsylvania German also represent the European midlands, while Norwegian American deals with Scandinavian influences.

So, this book endeavors to highlight the principal ethnic and religious cultures which influenced the development of American country furniture. By way of bicentennial observation and to trace the original discoveries and explorations of the various nationalities who came to settle in America, background information is offered on the early colonization of the United States and Canada.

In order to determine the proper proportions of contents, an overall evaluation had to be made of the significance of various influences. Thus the number of pages devoted to New England Colonial exceeds that of Spanish Colonial, because the furniture produced in early New England is uniquely designed and has come to be more widely recognized and commonly used than that which remains to remind us of our Spanish heritage. By the same token, when considering contributions of religious cultures, it became abundantly evident that because of its graceful styling and functional attributes the furniture craftsmanship of the American Shakers exceeded in importance that of many other religious cultures. Hence, an increased amount of space was devoted to its presentation.

For the final chapter of measured drawings of country classics, a random selection was made of popular country antiques, spanning several influences. It is hoped that this chapter may help serious students and craftsmen to reproduce some of these venerable country classics.

John G. Shea
Greenwich, Connecticut
August 2, 1975