The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour
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Book Description
This is the first scholarly study to trace in detail the English origins of an important American cabinetmaker. Drawing on eight years of study in English and American archives, Robert Mussey presents a detailed biography of John Seymour and his son Thomas, makers of some of the finest Federal-period furniture in Boston. Deftly sketching the social, economic, political, and religious conditions of England's West Country of England, the author explains John Seymour's decision to emigrate with his family to Portland, Maine in 1784, and eventually to take up residence in Boston. Recently discovered letters allow Mussey to reconstruct the world of the English artisan-emigrant in post-revolutionary America and to document the contribution that men like the Seymours had on the evolution of the Federal style in American furniture.
In addition to these social and historical findings, the book details a key group of labeled, initialed, or documented Seymour pieces, while also describing the construction and design characteristics which allow us to attribute other pieces to them. High-quality photographs of more than 120 pieces, will enable scholars, dealers, collectors, and curators to reliably identify other furniture by the Seymours. Full-page composite photographs illustrate the complete range of veneer stringing inlays, leg designs, carving designs, and foot designs. In addition to the standard catalogue entries of material, measurements, and provenance, the twenty-five different forms, including tables, chest of drawers, desks, bookcases, and chairs are each accompanied by a description of its social history, use, and meaning in Federal Boston. The Seymours of Boston is the truly indispensable guide to two of the preeminent cabinet makers of Federal Boston.
From the Publisher
9 1/2 x 11 1/2 trim. 70 illus. (180 color)
The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour
The Furniture Masterworks of John and Thomas Seymour,Robert D., Jr. Mussey,Peabody Essex Museum,0883891263,Antiques & Collectibles,Antiques / Collectibles,Antiques/Collectibles,Design - Furniture,Furniture,General
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