Woodworker's Journal 1985-9-2, страница 27
NEW 4-IN-1 PLANER/MOLDER JOINTER/SANDER in American furniture about 1710, and by 1720 it was firmly established. The Queen Anne style did not just appear suddenly one day. Like all the periods it developed gradually evolving from a variety of influences. While England was the center of furniture design in Europe during this time, German, Dutch, French, and Danish influences also played a significant role. Craftsmen and apprentices from these countries studied in England, and vice versa. Many of the immigrants to America from these countries were already skilled craftsmen, familiar with the prevailing styles. Trade between Europe and America was another source that kept infusing new ideas and designs into the Colonial furniture industry. The fact that many wealthy immigrants had their possessions — furniture included — shipped to America, provided local craftsmen with authentic designs that they could observe and copy. While the William and Mary style was ostentatious and ornate, typically including elaborate turnings and florid baroque carvings, the Queen Anne style rejected the pretention, the lavish surface ornamentation, and the preoccupation with turnings. For the first time, form, proportion and comfort were recognized as the criteria by which good furniture is judged. Many leading furniture designers were also architects, and perhaps for this reason their designs paid greater attention to the application and use of a piece. Chairs and settees were designed with comfort in mind, and structure took into account the human form. Designers recognized the inherent beauty and sensibility in nat ural and organic forms, and reflected these forms in their work. The cabriole leg, perhaps the single most representative element of the Queen Anne style, was in fact inspired by the form of an animal leg. While, like the periods before, the Queen Anne style retained a rococo flavor, it was far more classical in substance. Restraint and balance, controlled ornamentation, fine line and graceful form were the watchwords. The best Queen Anne work is both light and delicate, while at the same time strong and well made. Curvilinear, or rounded forms, as opposed to rectilinear, or square forms, were at the heart of the designs. Ornamentation also reflected this new order and discipline. Symmetrical motifs, most often shell carvings and acanthus leaves, dominated. Veneer and inlays remained popular, although they were less intricate than during preceding periods. Fine walnut crotch and burl veneers were used extensively, often outlined with whitewood or holly stringing. Solid hardwoods with finely executed carvings became especially fashionable. The inherent beauty in the figure and grain of the wood was important and, in the Americas, walnut remained the wood of choice. Mahogany, as an imported wood, was both expensive and rare, and therefore less often used. Dark finishes were still the rage, with "japanning," an imitation of oriental lacquer, also a popular choice. Since attention to physical comfort took on new dimension, upholstered seating became commonplace. Expensive imported textiles complimented the new styles, resulting in pieces that were both beautiful and comfortable. Indeed, the concept of sensible, well designed furnishings evolved during this period to a point where many contemporary experts now consider the Queen Anne style to have represented the epitome of classical design. Following is an outline of the major features distinguishing the most common pieces of furniture during the Queen Anne period. CHAIRS — Typical Queen Anne chairs featured a curving top rail, plain or round back legs (sometimes called "stump" legs), and cabriole front legs. 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