The following is excerpted from “Woodworker’s Pocket Book,” edited by Charles Hayward.
The division of the periods from 1500 to 1800 into the ages of the Carpenter, Cabinet Maker, and Designer is convenient because these terms suggest the type of furniture being produced. In the earliest period furniture was made by the carpenter, who regarded furniture-making as incidental to his general work, and it therefore bore the characteristics of a craftsman used to large joinery work. Soon after 1660 some woodworkers began to specialise in furniture, and so came the age of the cabinet maker. Lastly, at about the middle of the eighteenth century, furniture began to be associated with the names of the individual designers and craftsmen, hence the term Age of the Designer.
And we can also see how new discoveries are rewriting things. There is a paneled, walnut chest recovered from the Surgeon’s cabin in the wreck of the Mary Rose, which sank in 1545, right in the middle of the Tudors in England. Recovered in the late 1970’s. so well after the above chart was made. Live and learn they say.
The 2 pages that follow these pages in the Woodworker’s Pocket Book, p100-p101 are titled “Old woodwork – Accessible to the Public”. UK places (well, actually just England…) so not very accessible to non Brits. Any any non-British person who can figure out the sorting order – you’re a genius. Brits might have to squint at this for a minute to figure it out.
It would be very interesting to compile a list of similar places for North America (and indeed for Asia and Africa). For North America, I’m guessing that old national park buildings and old railway hotels would be the prime candidates for such a list. So dear Lost Art press blog readers – you know of any old buildings with woodwork that is publicly accessible?
For Asia and Africa – I haven’t the slightest clue of how to go about finding such places.
And a first item for such a list, from the Lost Art press blog posting of June 8, below. I’ve updated Hayward’s format its out of date. Knowing the Station (he means railway/railroad station) or Coach (a UK-ism for a bus that travels between towns. Maybe these terms are still used in far east Wales…(which is like saying east of Boston…) but they aren’t used in North America.
PENNSYLVANIA
The Wharton Esherick Museum, a National Historic Landmark for Architecture. Includes substantial collection of wooden furniture, furnishings and art created by Wharton Esherick.
Open: by advance reservation, March through December.
Location: The Wharton Esherick Museum
1520 Horseshoe Trail, Malvern, PA 19355
Web: https://whartonesherickmuseum.org/visiting-info/