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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: mart on December 17, 2014, 08:06:24 PM
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http://www.antiquetalk.com/index.php/antique-talk/143-cabinetmaker-signed-american-furniture
Jacon4 has probably read this and may be familiar with the author, if not know him personally !!
Seems like everyone wants to know who made their furniture when they post it here !! I sound like a broken record because I have repeated so many times "no real way to know who made it if it isn`t signed or labeled" !! We could guess but more likely than not we would be wrong !!
Here are some stats on 18th century period furniture that is signed !! Not much different from 19th and 20th century furniture and most of you know how often we find signed pieces !! Just interesting reading I found while looking for that T on the Empire cabinet !!
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I know who Mattox is but had not read this article. Yeah, 17th & 18th century guys usually did not sign their work, at least in america. Even Duncan Phyfe, the dominate cabinetmaker in NYC in the early 19th century did not sign his work. These days, the way in which it is determined who built what is, research & CONSTRUCTION DETAILS! Naturally, this is a long slow process and often ends with an "attributed to" situation, not the best but it's all we got!
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Factory made pieces from the late 19th and early to mid 20th century often have labels like Berkey and Gay, Stickley and Lane. These are not individual makers however.
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Some did label but how often have we found labels/stamps intact ?? Especially on 20th century furniture ??
Just thought it might be good to let some know why we really do not know who made their furniture !!