The Englishman's Chair: Origins, Design, and Social History of Seat Furniture in England

392 Pages·2022·42.064 MB·English

by  John Gloag

JOHN GLOAG ON INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
Volume 9
THE ENGLISHMAN’S CHAIR

THE ENGLISHMAN’S CHAIR
Origins, Design, and Social History of
Seat Furniture in England
JOHN GLOAG
First published in 1964 by George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
This edition first published in 2023
by Routledge
4 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 1964 John Gloag.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now
known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any
information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the
publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to
infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN: 978-1-032-36309-7 (Set)
ISBN: 978-1-032-36725-5 (Volume 9) (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-36760-6 (Volume 9) (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-33362-3 (Volume 9) (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003333623
Publisher’s Note
The publisher has gone to great lengths to ensure the quality of this reprint but
points out that some imperfections in the original copies may be apparent.
Disclaimer
The publisher has made every effort to trace copyright holders and would
welcome correspondence from those they have been unable to trace.
THE
ENGLISHMAN'S
CHAIR
ORIGINS, DESIGN, AND SOCIAL HISTORY
OF SEAT FURNITURE IN ENGLAND
BY
JOHN GLOAG
F.S.A., Hon.A.R.I.B.A.
London
GEORGE ALLEN & UNWIN LTD
RUSKIN HOUSE MUSEUM STREET
FIRST PUBLISHED IN I 964
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention, No
portion may be reproduced by any process without
written permission. Enquiries should be addressed to
the author's literary agent, A. D. Peters, 10 Bucking-
ham Street, Adelphi, London, W.C.2.
©John Gloag, 1964
PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
in 11 point Baskerville type
BY UNWIN BROTHERS LTD
WOKING AND LONDON
DEDICATED TO
ELISE AND JULIAN GLOAG

CONTENTS
The Englishman's Chair page xvii
1. Posture and Design i
2. Origins in the Ancient World and the Early Middle
Ages, 3400 BC-AD IJOO 7
3. The Native English Style, 1300-1550 33
4. The Taste of the New Rich, 1350-1630 53
5. Puritan Interlude, 1630-1660 67
6. The Restoration of Luxury, i66o-i6go 76
7. Curvilinear Design and the End of Rigidity, 1690-1730 87
8. The Great Chair-makers, 1730-1810 115
9. Survival of the Native English Style, 1660-1goo 183
10. A Short History of the Rocking Chair, 1750-1900 199
11. Design for Comfort, 1830-igoo 208
12. Craft Revivalists and Industrial Designers 253
Books and References used or quoted 269
APPENDIX
1. A Short List of English Designers and Makers 279
11. The Gilding of Chairs 289
in. Painting Furniture 291
iv. Decoration of Chairs 293
THE PLATES 294
INDEX 295