Artisans of the Valley Logo Hand Crafted Custom Woodworking
bar scroll1 scroll2
space Educational Services scroll3 scroll4
Home
Site Layout Image Educational Services
American Architecture
Artisans Bookstore
Site Layout Image
Concise History of Period Furniture
Educational Trips
Finishing Furniture
Educational Resource Links
Stan Saperstein's Sharpshooters
Wood Catalog
Site Layout Image
Sitemap

The "New" Concise History is under construction here. Please bear with us as we improve our educational sections.

A Concise History of American Period Furniture
By Stanley D. Saperstein

Summary


Summary

The last of the great periods was the Victorian. All furniture produced since has been reproductions, except for modern furniture of steel and plastic. No new outstanding styles have appeared, and they probably will not, because the era of hand-sculptured furniture is over, made obsolete by the machine and rising labor costs. These things have made the costs of antiques rise out of the ordinary person's reach. The only fine furniture being produced today is hand-made reproductions by the few craftsmen left. These reproductions will have great value in the future due to the fact they are the only hand-made pieces in the twentieth, and now the twenty first centuries made by individual craftsmen in their own style.

Only furniture made prior to 1840 is a true "antique." These pieces are hand made, works of art crafted by hand even when made in factory settings. Carving is crisp, joints are hand fit, and finishes were hand rubbed. It is not only the age of the pieces, however, that gives it value, but the greatness of the design, construction, and carving. Artisans carries on the tradition of fine craftsmanship of the great periods, reproducing period pieces of antique quality.

Around 1840 machines started taking over; the industrial revolution in full force and the desire for quantity over quality deteriorated construction methods. The use of screws, poor glues, and designs taking ease of assembly ahead of form. Recently these machine made pieces have peaked in value as collectibles. Their designs loosely taken from the great periods, their basic form fits into modern decor and their still manageable price tags allow a wider market.

TheConciseHistoryofEarlyAmericanFurniture.PDF

Download a PDF Version of The Concise History


top of page


home | company background | woodcarving & sculpture | period furniture
custom built-in's | services | commissioning process
museum/historical affiliations | educational services | craftsmen links
sitemap | search

Artisans of the Valley
Hand Crafted Custom Woodworking

Stanley D. Saperstein
Eric M. Saperstein
Our studio and showrooms are open by appointment.
Please call ahead so we don't miss you!
(609) 637-0450

Fax (609) 637-0452

e-mail: woodworkers@artisansofthevalley.com
scroll5