ABSTRACT

Originally published in 1964, The Englishman’s Chair is a history of English chairs, written as a continuous story from the 15th to the 20th Century and because of the revealing powers inherent in chair-making and design, it is also an unconventional footnote to English social history. The changes in taste, and fashion, the increase of skill, the introduction of new materials and the long battle between dignity and comfort are discussed, as is the impact that modern industrial designers have had on chair design.

chapter Chapter 1|6 pages

Posture and Design

chapter Chapter 3|20 pages

The Native English Style 1300-1550

chapter Chapter 4|14 pages

The Taste of the New Rich 1550-1630

chapter Chapter 5|9 pages

Puritan Interlude 1630-60

chapter Chapter 6|11 pages

The Restoration of Luxury, 1660-1690

chapter Chapter 8|68 pages

The Great Chair-Makers, 1730-1810

chapter Chapter 11|45 pages

Design for Comfort 1830-1900