Line and berry inlaid furniture : a regional craft tradition in Pennsylvania, 1682-1790.

Format:

Book

Thesis/Dissertation

Author/Creator:

Griffith, Lee Ellen, 1952-

Contributor:

University of Pennsylvania.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Art.

Research.

United States--Research.

United States.

0323.

0357.

Local Subjects:

0323.

0357.

Physical Description:

278 pages

Contained In:

Dissertation Abstracts International 49-09A.

System Details:

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

text file

Summary:

Line and berry inlay was a form of surface decoration used on furniture forms throughout the eighteenth century in Pennsylvania. It consisted of patterns of intersecting arcs of inlay laid out with a compass, often terminating in circular patches of inlay, or berries, and related types of inlay, such as herringbone bordering. This regional craft tradition and its cultural significance are evaluated using artifacts as primary documents.

A survey of over one hundred pieces of furniture that are ornamented with this type of inlay was undertaken, and the inlay patterns traced onto clear acetate. Analysis and comparison of these patterns, which are reproduced in the dissertation, provided information about the craftsman's design process, the manufacture of inlaid furniture, and the transfer of information between cabinetmakers. Archival documents, particularly wills and inventories, were used to establish ownership of some pieces, and to provide further information on cabinetmakers, their tools, and materials. Identification of a group of owners of inlaid furniture furnished information on the relationship between craftsmen and clients, on consumer patterns, and helped to define the community that produced and used inlaid furniture.

Comparison of the Pennsylvania inlay patterns with documented examples in Wales confirmed the Welsh origins of this tradition. It was concluded that while the manufacture of line and berry inlaid furniture was widespread in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and in neighboring areas, the center of production was in the southern townships of Chester County. Production peaked in the 1740's, and the majority of owners were Quakers of English, Irish, Scotch or Welsh extraction. The inlay tradition was quickly adopted by the non-Welsh and became part of a recognizable regional material culture.

Notes:

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-09, Section: A, page: 2701.

Supervisor: Henry Glassie.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Pennsylvania, 1988.

Local Notes:

School code: 0175.

Access Restriction:

Restricted for use by site license.