Comments on: New Book on Southern Furniture: What Pieces Would You Include?

By: mattlawrence

mattlawrence — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:19:40 +0000

Glen – You’re right, I shouldn’t shocked at PWW writing a book on Southern furniture. If anyone were to do so, it’d be y’all. I am sure you’ve seen that Neat Pieces reprint by now. I have both it and the original and the reprint is great with more color photos. The stand up desk I built for myself is based on a sideboard from that book.

That Thomas Elfe book is great too…

By: rwyoung

rwyoung — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:09:34 +0000

I tend to agree with Cal on this one. While I’ve not had the opportunity to visit MESDA, Cal has given me (overloaded might be a better description) a list of resources to study. And reading your reply about focusing on the neat-and-plain style I suggest you at least show a side-by-side of similar pieces to illustrate the various styles as you move “up-market”. Make it clear that it ain’t all “country”.

Then do Volume II…

By: Glen D. Huey

Glen D. Huey — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:36:10 +0000

Hey Calvin – We concentrated on the “neat & plain” style for this book, but I can attest to the many unbelievable pieces found throughout the South.

If we can get woodworkers to look to southern furniture for inspiration, you know as interest grows so will the discussions of the higher style furniture found elsewhere in the South.

The pieces you called out, along with many others, are on the radar. I’ve spent countless hours pursing “Southern Furniture 1680-1830: The Colonial Williamsburg Collection (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series.”

I have a few Charleston pieces selected for my own building pleasure and continue to build and teach the Baltimore card table from PWM issue #148, June 2005.

By: Glen D. Huey

Glen D. Huey — Thu, 19 May 2011 11:21:47 +0000

Matt – Don’t be shocked about us doing a book on Southern furniture. There are many well-built, fascinating pieces found in the South. My bucket list of southern builds grew exponentially while researching the archives at MESDA. In fact, I snagged a couple pieces that will not be included in the PWM book for may own use – but do keep that between us.

Southern cabinetmakers were not different from builders in the north in that we all use materials that are native to our regions. The four woods you mention are favored throughout the US, with walnut being one of the most-often woods used in many southern pieces.

I have the “Neat Pieces” book and have studied those pieces for many years – didn’t know there was a reissue of the book (thanks).

By: skewedII

skewedII — Wed, 18 May 2011 19:09:28 +0000

I don’t know how many pieces you plan to include in the book so I will just list the ones that interest me, in no particular order.

Curious spade foot table
Shenandoah Valley Stand
Side chair w through-mortises
Cabriole leg desk
Bier
Side table with drawer from SC
Dressing table
Two drawer blanket chest
Shaving stand
Tall corner cupboard

By: almartin

almartin — Wed, 18 May 2011 16:06:25 +0000

Cellarette: a case or sideboard for holding bottles of wine or liquor (Merriam-Webster)

Had to look it up myself.

By: Gary Smyth

Gary Smyth — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:21:26 +0000

Before I give my favorites I want to say that including dimensions are critical for the book — all of the dimensions, with sidebars showing critical joinery. Also, what would be nice is a hardware source list as an appendix. That said, all of the pieces displayed have already been evaluated so they all have merit. Still, I would favor several of the displayed items: the four post bed, secretary desk with bookcase, most any of the three or four drawer sideboard/hunt tables, for Southern furniture at least one cellerette, I also much like the blanket chest on stand. The painted chests will be popular, I’m sure, but there are better examples from Pennsylvania. I think that the spice cabinet and floor (tall) corner cupboard should be included. One or two case pieces, (I like the nine drawer, the banded chest) and the miniature chest. MY essential piece would be the plain front blanket chest on stand.

By: Buster

Buster — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:38:02 +0000

There were several items that would be fun to build, but the ones that stood out for me were; the stand and four-post bed from the Shenandoah Valley, the Bier from South Carolina, the drop leaf table and cutlery tray from the Piedmont region of North Carolina, and the desk & bookcase from Old Salem [Moravian] North Carolina. Speaking of Old Salem I saw a great chair while visiting there a few years ago of Moravian design, which combined flowing lines on the seat back while still maintaining some of the Shaker simplicity.

By: Calvin Hobbs

Calvin Hobbs — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:29:03 +0000

Glen,

Although I love many of the pieces in the photo collection, being very familiar with MESDA, I need to ask “Where’s all the good stuff?!?” What you have shown is largely the country, simple, rural stuff. This somewhat perpetuates the myth that no upscale pieces were built in the south. Where’s the Charleston Double Chest, the Edenton armchair, the Thomas White Desk, anything by the WH cabinetmaker? Some of the high style Baltimore inlaid pieces? I would think at least some of these deserve inclusion…..

Would be interested in your thoughts. Thanks, Cal

By: mattlawrence

mattlawrence — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:25:15 +0000

First, let me say thanks for doing this project. I am stunned you are doing so. Be sure to emphasize that southern cabinetmakers used what they had nearby so there was a lot of pine and poplar and walnut and cherry. Lots of pine in Georgia furniture. Two additional resources you might review are Neat Pieces: The Plain-Style Furniture of Nineteenth-Century Georgia and Furniture of the Georgia Piedmont before 1830, both of which were High Museum catalogs originally. Neat Pieces is out in a fine looking reissue.

Anyway, the forms I would include are: nine drawer chest of drawers, blanket chest on stand, cabriole leg tea table, sideboard/huntboard (wide variety seen in southern furniture – I use one I built as a stand-up desk), shaving stand, chest on frame.

Can’t wait.