Charleston Furniture, 1700-1825 [Paperback]

E. Milby Burton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1997

Acknowledgments In the making of this book I have had the advice and assistance of many people, and I cannot regard the work as complete until I have expressed to them, in some fashion, my deep sense of gratitude. High on the list must be the name of Miss Emma B. Richardson, of the staff of The Charleston Museum, for her excellent work in preparing the manuscript, editing, reading proof, and in general making the book ready for the press. Her patience has been unfailing her quick grasp of every problem, me and accurate. It is, I fear, impossible for me to make adequate acknowledgment of all those who have assisted me in searching out extant examples of early Charleston furniture of space preclude a complete h g . I am particularly grateful, however, to those who have permitted me to come into their homes, often to the disruption of their households, to make photographs of their furniture. I was invariably received with courtesy, and in not a siigle instance was I refused permission to take pictures. I regret that I cannot show my appreciation of such generous co-operation by including in this book all the photographs I was permitted to acquire. The final choice has been determined by cost and space limitations, or by the necessity of avoiding repetition of the types of funitwe represented. It should be understood, therefore, that the exclusion of any given photograph does not mean that the subject was unworthy of inclusion. It should be understwd also that only by the collection and mdy of hundreds of photographs have I been able to write with confidence on the styles and types of early Charleston furniture hence, every photograph I have taken has been invaluable to me, whether or not it ocnus as an illustration in the book. Insdtutions and societies as well as individuals have been generous either in supplying me with photographs or in permitting me to have the photographs taken.........

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press (June 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570031479
• ISBN-13: 978-1570031472
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #566,383 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not much information, October 13, 2009

By 

C. Walvoord (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Charleston Furniture, 1700-1825 (Paperback)

I was looking for a book with details of the furniture produced during this period both to learn more about the style and for inspiration for my own creations. This book had only general descriptions of the types of wood and the types of things made with it. The photographs are low quality and few. A large portion of the book is devoted to documenting all the individuals who made furniture in the Charleston area but there are not any examples of their work identified in the book. By far the best thing about the book is the picture on the cover.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful and Comprehensive, December 9, 2011

By 

Theseus "theseus" (US of A) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Charleston Furniture 1700 - 1825 (Paperback)

The tradition of southern furniture is a rich one and the cabinet-makers and joiners of the Charleston area created a high point in the making of American furniture -- pieces that are rich, that use local woods innovatively, and that have a decorative flair that sets them apart from other American furniture schools. Charleston furniture of this time period is solid and full of craft, yes, but it is also dynamic.

Burton's book, first published in 1955, has proved to be a minor publishing hit, being reprinted many times.

This is an older book! You shouldn't expect dazzling color photography! Get a newer book for that. Here you get about 100 or so b&w illustrations.

What Burton does provide is a nifty combination of history and aesthetics. He discusses the kinds of furniture made in Charleston, the kinds of furniture NOT made in Charleston, styles, influences, the nitty-gritty of the furniture trade. He sketches the history of many, many Charleston cabinet-makers, so if you know someone who would drool over the biographical details of a particular cabinet-maker, get them this book.

And since we all seem fixated on breakfronts, sideboards, and chairs, it is wonderful that this book devotes attention to other sorts of furniture.

Topics disussed include...

Early Charleston
Sources of Furniture
Schools/Styles
Labels
The Exporting Trade
Plantation-Made Furniture
Prices
Woods
Beds and Bedposts
Early tables/card tables/breakfast tables
Pediments
Sofas and Settees
Chairs
Brasses/Polishes
Sideboards
Cabinet-Makers' Receipts

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charleston Furniture 1700-1825, February 8, 2008

By 

Jean Batton "Jean Guilford Batton" (Paragould, AR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Charleston Furniture, 1700-1825 (Paperback)

Wonderful book about furniture of this period. Especially interesting for me as I had numerous relatives living in Charleston during this period and up to present. It gives insight into how people lived in Charleston during these times.