[Illustration:  There are many details worthy of notice in this room, the mahogany doors, the paneled walls with the old picture paper, the over-mantel, the knife boxes on the sideboard, the Hepplewhite furniture, and the side-lights.  The chandelier is badly chosen.]

[Illustration:  A fine old Hepplewhite sideboard, with old glass and silver, but the modern wallpaper is not in harmony.]

[Illustration:  A modern Hepplewhite settee, showing the draped scarf carving he used so much.]

Hepplewhite

The work of Hepplewhite and his school lasted from about 1760 to 1795; the last nine years of the time the business was carried on by his widow, Alice, under the name of A. Hepplewhite & Co.  For five years after that some work was done after his manner, but it was distinctly inferior.  In the early seventies Hepplewhite’s work was so well known and so much admired that its influence was shown in the work of his contemporaries.  There was a great difference between his style and that of Chippendale, his being much lighter in construction and effect, besides the many differences of design.  Hepplewhite was strongly influenced by the French style of Louis XVI, and also the pure taste of Robert Adam at its height.  Hepplewhite, however, like all the great cabinet-makers, both French and English, was a great genius himself and stamped the impress of his own personality upon his work.

Many people date Hepplewhite’s fame from the time of the publication of his book, “The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide,” in 1788, not realizing that he had been dead for two years when it appeared.  Its publication was justified by the well established popularity of his furniture and the success with which his designs were carried out by A. Hepplewhite & Co.

It is interesting to notice the difference in the size of chairs which became apparent during Hepplewhite’s time.  Hoop-skirts and stiffened coats went out of fashion, and with them went the need of large chair seats.  The transition chairs made by Hepplewhite were not very attractive in proportion, as the backs were too low for the width.  The transition from Chippendale to Hepplewhite was not sudden, as the last style of Chippendale was simpler and had more of the classic feeling in it.  Hepplewhite says, in the preface to his book:  “To unite elegance and utility, and blend the useful with the agreeable, has ever been considered a difficult, but an honorable task.”  He sometimes failed and sometimes succeeded.  His knowledge of construction enabled him to make his chairs with shield, oval, and heart-shaped backs.  The tops were slightly curved, also the tops of the splats, and at the lower edge where the back and the splat join, a half rosette was carved.  He often used the three feathers of the Prince of Wales, sheaves of wheat, anthemion, urns, and festoons of drapery, all beautifully carved, and forming the splat.  The backs of his chairs were supported at the sides by uprights running into the shield-shaped back and did not touch the seat frame in any other way.  With this apparent weakness of construction it is wonderful how many of his chairs have come down to us in perfect condition, but it was his knowledge of combining lightness with strength which made it possible.