A Brief History of Federal Furniture: Collecting a Revolutionary Design
Perhaps it was the birth of a new nation that spurred great interest in both furniture and architecture during what became known as the Federal Era. Federal was an American period that existed from the end of the Revolution (1780) to post-Revolutionary War (1830). It was the end of the Colonial Period in furnishings that had been popular during the conception of the country.
Federal is a very classical design style that also saw the designer Duncan Phyfe and his earliest works. Mahogany was the wood of choice used in presenting the best Federal pieces, although some are found in curly maple, rosewood, cherry and other fruitwoods. While some glass and china knobs were used the ornamentation best suited for such formal pieces was brass and to represent the new mascot of the nation, eagles were popular accessories. Another symbol of a strong, dominant young nation was the lion and lion’s paws and heads were proudly displayed. To suggest the bounty found in the new world object such as cornucopias were applied or carved. The welcoming sign of the times was the pineapple, often seen in Williamsburg and known as the Williamsburg pineapple, was also used.
Many connoisseurs of fine furniture see many design influences in Federal furniture. Obvious influences include Hepplewhite, Sheraton, Duncan Phyfe (the big three designers of the time, still popular today), Adam, English Regency, French Directoire and Louis XIV and finally the heavier Empire, the furniture that finally succeeded Federal in popularity by the 1830s.
An interesting, yet debated, piece of trivia about case goods such the Federal secretaries and cabinets is the presence of thirteen panes of glass. Many of these pieces have doors in which each door is composed of 13 pieces of glass with a mahogany lattice work or frames surround them. While no one can substantiate this theory, especially since most English secretaries from other makers comprise the same 13 pieces of glass, it does make for a good tale when showing your Federal desk to friends.
Like the designers and builders of the ever popular Federal furniture, the Amish craft heirloom pieces in solid wood to pass down to the next generation. Bookcases, desks, and many other fine pieces can be built and stained to fit your home and compliment the fine Federal antiques you have painstakingly collected.
Tags: Adam, Amish, architecture, Directoire, Duncan Phyfe, fine furniture, Furniture, Hepplewhite, Mahogany, rosewood, Sheraton, solid wood, Williamsburg
