English Pattern Books

Furniture pattern books helped to bring the very best of London design to an audience of tradesmen and eager clients.

Pattern books revolutionized the way fitted and non fitted furniture fashions were disseminated. Much of the modern understanding of Georgian furniture originated from the designs illustrated in pattern books, and the golden trio of British design - Thomas Chippendale, Thomas Sheraton, and George Hepplewhite, owe the longevity of their reputations more to their published works than to the furniture itself.
Pattern books were published for many reasons - to introduce new fashions - to assist in the pricing of work - to impress wealthy patrons and ultimately to acquire new clients. The London cabinet-makers, William Ince and John Mayhew, publishers of The Universal System of Household Furniture, handmade furniture, even translated their volumes into French in order to target the lucrative market across the Channel.

Some of the pieces illustrated in pattern books already existed, such as Robert and James Adam's pieces, and work by Chippendale, and Ince and Mayhew. Many designs were not meant to be slavishly copied, but rather were intended as a guide for other makers. In the 'French Chairs' plate, illustrated below, the chair could be either an arm or side chair and Chippendale designed a variety of choices for leg designs.

Other cabinet-makers were actively encouaged to recreate the designs themselves. Some publications included dimensional drawings and most included heights of the furniture and instructions for when these should be altered - a change that was dependent upon the room for which a piece of furniture was intended.

Thomas Sheraton's two volume 'The Cabinet Dictionary' (1803) ensured that nothing was left to chance in the implementation of his instructions. The book included perspective drawings, measurements, the type of wood or paint to be used, a description of types of furniture, now made using reproduction furniture techniques, and even instructions on where the furniture should be placed.

It is a curious fact that despite his immense fame, no actual pieces of furniture can be attributed to George Hepplewhite. His notoriety is entirely due to his published works, and he only became famous after his death, on the publication of 'The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide' in 1788. This book was intended to be of use to both craftsmen and clients. Hepplewhite was a great advocate of the Adam style, and it is thanks in no small part to Hepplewhite's publication that Adams' work continues to be so well known today.