| Do you any antique designers and the | | | | William Ince and John Mayhew (working between |
| cabinet-makers who had made some of the antique | | | | 1760 and 1810) |
| pieces that we could see even today. Most of the | | | | These cabinet-makers, who had a workshop in Soho, |
| information about these designers or makers were | | | | London, published a pattern book in 1763. The book |
| most of the time very difficult to find. We will know | | | | contains about three hundred designs for different |
| some of these famous designers and makers and | | | | types of furniture in the Chippendale manner, but |
| something about their works. | | | | only a few pieces are known that were made by the |
| The majorities of English cabinet-makers are known | | | | firm. |
| to us only by their names; only rarely is it possible to | | | | George Seddon (1727 to 1801) |
| say who made a particular piece. When this can be | | | | George Seddon in Aldersgate Street conducted the |
| done it is for one of two reasons: either because the | | | | biggest cabinet-making busi¬ness in London in |
| original bill has been preserved, or because the name | | | | the eighteenth century, where he is said to have |
| of the maker was inlaid, stamped or printed on a | | | | employed four hundred workmen. Some of the |
| paper label inside the article. The following are some | | | | furniture made there has been identified from the bills |
| brief notes on a very few of the more important | | | | that were preserved with it. |
| designers and makers who worked in the eighteenth | | | | George Hepplewhite (died in 1786) |
| century. | | | | George Hepplewhite's name is on a book of designs |
| Samuel Bennett | | | | issued by his widow in 1788, but little else is known |
| A London maker who was working at the beginning | | | | about him. |
| of the eighteenth century. A cabinet is known with | | | | Gillow's |
| his printed label in one of the drawers. Also, there are | | | | The firm of Gillow had workshops at Lancaster, |
| three cabinets in existence which have his name inlaid | | | | Lancashire, and was prominent cabinet-makers during |
| on the inside of a door. | | | | most of the eighteenth century. They had a |
| William Kent (1686 to 1748) | | | | showroom in Oxford Street, London (later the site of |
| An architect, and about the first in England who not | | | | Warring and Gillow's showroom), and sent their |
| only designed a mansion but also some of its | | | | finished goods south by sea. Late in the century they |
| contents. His furniture is heavy in appearance and | | | | sometimes used a metal stamp with their name to |
| bears much carving, and as his tables and chairs were | | | | mark their pieces, and are the only English firm |
| usually gilt the effect is very rich. | | | | known to have used this French method of marking |
| Thomas Chippendale (1718 to 1779) | | | | before about 1820. |
| The best known of all English cabinet-makers and | | | | Thomas Sheraton (1751 to 1806) |
| designers. Born at Otley, Yorkshire, he came to | | | | Little is known of the history of Thomas Sheraton. |
| London and eventually opened a workshop in St | | | | He was born at Stockton-on-Tees, Durham, and |
| Martin's Lane. His book of designs, The Gentleman | | | | came to London. His famous book of designs, The |
| and Cabinet Maker's Director, was published first in | | | | Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer's Drawing Book, was |
| 1752, enlarged in 1762, and is the most famous of its | | | | published in four parts between 1791 and 1794, and |
| kind in any country. Chippendale's own firm made | | | | his Cabinet Dictionary in 1803. |
| pieces for many of the biggest mansions in England, | | | | Although he was trained to the trade as a youth, he |
| and some of it remains in the rooms in which it was | | | | is not known to have practiced as a cabinet-maker. |
| first placed, and for which it was designed. On his | | | | William Moore (working between 1780 and 1815) |
| death, his son, also named Thomas, carried on his | | | | After some years at work in London, Moore opened |
| business. | | | | a business in Dublin, where he specialized in inlaid |
| John Cobb (died in 1778) and William Vile (died in | | | | furniture in the Sheraton style, Much other furniture |
| 1767) | | | | was made in Ireland during the eighteenth century, |
| Cobb is recorded as being notorious for a very | | | | but it is often indistinguishable from its English |
| haughty manner, and stories are told of the | | | | counterpart. Mahogany tables on especially slim |
| difficulties into which this led him. Some of his | | | | cabriole legs are considered usually to be of Irish |
| furniture has been identified, but his partnership with | | | | make, but much research on this subject remains to |
| William Vile is equally responsible for his importance. | | | | be done. |
| Together they were cabinet-makers to George III, | | | | Here we have seen how these designers and makers |
| and pieces they are known to have made are among | | | | names have been discovered, their introductions and |
| the finest of the eighteenth century. Some of their | | | | what kinds of designs they made. There were many |
| work for the Royal Family is still at Buckingham | | | | sources searched for this information. One of the |
| Palace. William Vile died in 1767, but his partner seems | | | | most striking things about all these designers and |
| not to have been in favor for no further goods were | | | | makers is that they used their own distinctive styles. |
| supplied to the King and Queen after that year. | | | | |