What the bloody hell is a Chippendale?
Two animated chipmunks & erotic male dancing aside, Chippendale refers to an 18th century English style of furniture that is often most easily identified by its use of the ball & claw foot. Unlike Rococo or Biedermeier, the term Chippendale honors a flesh & blood journeyman cabinet maker named Thomas Chippendale (1718 – 79). In 1754, he became the first cabinet maker to publish a book of his designs, titled The Gentleman & Cabinet-maker’s Director. His book of designs established the fashion for furniture for that period & was copied by furniture makers all over the globe (especially in the soon-to-be United States). Even though very little furniture in existence can be directly attributed to having been made by Chippendale, he is well remembered for being one of the best designers of his era.
Chippendale’s chair designs from The Gentleman & Cabinet-maker’s Director. Note the tapered back, pierced fretwork, & ball & claw feet!
2. Wood always shrinks across the grain.
Often antique furniture may appear to be misshapen or damaged. A round tabletop may look oval. An armoire’s framed panels may appear to have cracked or split. Often this is a result of the wood shrinkage. Wood shrinks when it is placed in an environment of lower moisture content. On average, wood shrinks twice as much “across the grain” as it does “with or through the grain”. The width &, to a lesser extent, the thickness will shrink, because they run “across” the grain pattern. The length will remain the same, because it runs “with” the grain pattern. Certain kinds of subtle distortion due to wood shrinkage are expected in antique furniture. If there is no evidence of wood shrinkage in a “period” piece, then there is a good chance that it is not an antique.
Above is an 18th century tip-&-turn table. If it is a period piece, then the top should measure to be narrower in width (across the grain) than in length (with the grain).
1. Foreign-made pieces that were created before 1891 do not have to be labeled with their country of origin while those created after 1891 should be labeled with their country of origin.
Beginning in 1891, the McKinley Tariff Act required foreign-made imports be stamped or labeled in English words with their country of origin. If the piece was not made for export, then it may not be labeled.
1863-1890 
1891-1926 
Belleek China changed their mark to comply with the McKinley Tariff Act of 1891 to include the word” IRELAND”.
