American Furniture: Queen Anne and Chippendale Periods - Joseph Downs Winterthur Museum Reference

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From the legendary collection at Winterthur, this essential reference work represents the pinnacle of American furniture scholarship. Published by Bonanza … Read more From the legendary collection at Winterthur, this essential reference work represents the pinnacle of American furniture scholarship. Published by Bonanza Books in arrangement with The Viking Press, this volume documents 400 masterworks from Henry Francis du Pont's unparalleled collection of American decorative arts, widely considered the finest assemblage of Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture in the world.

Written by Joseph Downs, founding curator of the Winterthur Museum and former curator of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this scholarly yet accessible volume captures the golden age of American cabinetmaking from approximately 1725-1788. Each piece is meticulously documented with provenance, dimensions, construction details, and regional characteristics that distinguish the work of craftsmen from New England, New York, Philadelphia, and the Southern colonies.

The book opens with a personal foreword by H.F. du Pont himself, offering rare insight into the philosophy and passion behind one of America's greatest collecting endeavors. Du Pont eloquently describes his journey from a chance encounter with early American interiors in Vermont in 1923 to the creation of Winterthur as a living museum dedicated to preserving American craftsmanship.

This volume includes ten color plates showcasing complete period room settings, followed by over 390 black and white photographic plates. Each illustration is accompanied by detailed scholarly notes identifying makers, original owners, regional characteristics, and construction techniques. The comprehensive index and extensive introduction make this an indispensable resource for collectors, dealers, decorators, and scholars.

Style Notes:
Essential reference for collectors of American antiques, particularly Queen Anne and Chippendale furniture. Invaluable for interior designers working with period homes or creating historically informed interiors. The photography and documentation standards set by Winterthur influenced generations of museum practice and connoisseurship.
Decor Style: Traditional American, Colonial Revival, Federal, Georgian
Year Made: Copyright 1952 (original), Bonanza Books reprint edition circa 1960s-1970s
Country of Origin: United States

About the Author:
Joseph Downs (1895-1954) was one of the most influential figures in the study of American decorative arts. A graduate of the Boston Museum School who served in World War I, Downs began his career at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston before joining the Philadelphia Museum of Art as curator of decorative arts from 1925-1932. In 1932, he was appointed curator of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he transformed the field through groundbreaking exhibitions and over 150 publications.

In 1949, Henry Francis du Pont recruited Downs to catalog his vast collection and serve as founding curator when Winterthur opened to the public in 1951. Downs died in 1954, having completed only the first volume of his planned comprehensive study of American furniture. The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera at Winterthur Library is named in his honor, recognizing his profound contribution to American decorative arts scholarship.

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