George Hepplewhite

George Hepplewhite (1727? - June 21, 1786) was a cabinet and chair maker. He was one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Sheraton and Thomas Chippendale. There are no pieces of furniture made by Hepplewhite or his firm known to exist but he gave his name to a distinctive style of light, elegant furniture that was fashionable between about 1775 and 1800. Reproductions of his designs continued through the following centuries. One characteristic that is seen in many of his designs, but not all of them, is a shield-shaped chair back, where an expansive shield appeared in place of a narrower splat design.

Life and work

Very little is known about Hepplewhite himself. Some established sources list no birth information; however a "George Hepplewhite" was born in 1727 "America's First Lady and the Roddams of North West Durham" (family history for Hillary Rodham Clinton), Geoff Nicholson, webpage: [http://www.users.on.net/~ntrod/surnames_Hroddom.htm Unet-HRoddom] .] in Ryton Parish, County Durham, England. He served his apprenticeship in Lancaster and then moved to London, where he opened a shop. After he died in 1786, the business was continued by his widow, Alice. In 1788 she published a book with about 300 of his designs, The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide. Two further editions were published in 1789 and 1790.

Many are quick to praise the designer George Hepplewhite and few notice the in discrepancies of his sudden fame. The published guide books, that claim George Hepplewhite as their author, were released after his death. It was not until years after his death that his designs started to receive recognition. Alice, his widow, was responsible for publishing the books. Later editions of his book were released by Alice multiple years after his death. Little is known about the man George Hepplewhite. His death certificate seems to offer the only evidence of his existence. The question rises if “George Hepplewhite” was a man or just a name for Alice Hepplewhite to publish under?

With contemporaries such as Thomas Chippendale producing pieces in a variety of styles Hepplewhite’s famed style is more easily identifiable. Hepplewhite produced designs that were slender, more curvilinear in shape, and well balanced. There are some characteristics that hint at a Hepplewhite design. Look for shorter more curved chair arms, straight legs, shield- shape chair backs, all without carving. The design would receive ornamentation from paint and inlays used on the piece.

The book influenced cabinet makers and furniture companies for several generations. The work of these generations influenced in turn copies of the original designs and variants of them through the 19th and 20th centuries.

Notes

References

* Geoff Nicholson, "America's First Lady and the Roddams of North West Durham" (family history for Hillary Rodham Clinton), webpage: [http://www.users.on.net/~ntrod/surnames_Hroddom.htm Unet-HRoddom] .

ee also

*Luke Vincent Lockwood

External links

* [http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/4/8/2/14824/14824-h/14824-h.htm#Hepplewhite Project Gutenberg article on Heppelwhite from "Furnishing The Home of Good Taste"] by Lucy Abbot Throop