Publisher's Synopsis
The essays in this book explore a wide range of furniture styles, from colonial times to the present day. The first of four essays on regionalism calls for a more sophisticated approach that includes geographical, social and economic factors; the second examines early American furniture in the Atlantic community; and the other two discuss the furniture of Appalachia and the St.Johns Valley in Maine.;Topics in the second group, dealing with aspects of craftsmanship and trade, include the marketing of Windsor chairs and the recollections of a 20th century upholsterer. Finally, four essays discuss social aspects of furniture - for example, 19th century quasi-public room settings (such as railroad cars, hotel lobbies and steamboats) as models for furnishing the home.
