Charlecote Antiques in Kansas City sells fine English antique furniture & objets d'art

Hepplewhite (1770-1786)

Historical --- Hepplewhite is not a period, but a style of the Georgian period of the 18th century. As with Chippendale and later Sheraton, George Hepplewhite published a book that expressed the prevailing taste in furniture design. The Cabinetmaker and Upholsterers Guide was compilation of designs by many contemporary contributors including Hepplewhite. Thus, the name Hepplewhite conveys a style rather than one man’s handiwork --- a style lighter, and with more graceful elegance than Chippendale.

General Attributes --- Elegance was the basis of the Hepplewhite style with graceful, refined slender lines and proportions. The designs were inspired by the designs of the Adam Brothers and the Louis XVI style. Chairs, settees and other pieces are all built on a smaller scale than heretofore produced. Design characteristics are slender, fluted legs and rather low backs, which give somewhat fragile appearance. Spade feet are definite characteristics. Graceful curves predominate rather than straight lines. Dainty carving is sparingly used and consists mostly of classical motifs: wheat ears, ferns, palmettes, urns, husks and the three Prince of Wales feathers which he introduced. Veneering and inlays are skillfully employed. Mahogany is the favored wood with satinwood, birch, sycamore and rosewood also utilized. For upholstery, horsehair stuffing came into use with silks, satins, damasks and brocades.

Chairs --- Like Chippendale, Hepplewhite devoted mush if his attention to the all-important chair and his designs are noted for their elegant simplicity and graceful delicacy. Backs are seldom upholstered, almost always open and generally are shield-draped (or shield variants, such as the hoop, interlaced heart, oval, etc…). In the shield back, Hepplewhite kept the curve at the top unbroken (in contrast to Sheraton who also used shield designs). Oval backs have vase or lyre-shaped back splats. Hepplewhite backs rarely extend to the seat frame, always being supported above it by the back posts. Chair arms were wither straight or slightly sloped forward and rested on inculcate supports extending to the front legs. Chair legs are generally square and tapered, often ending in spade feet. Easy chairs have protecting wings, rolled arms and generous curved lines, with straight legs connected by stretchers.

Miscellaneous Pieces --- Hepplewhite dining tables were made in three sections; an oblong center table with drop leaves and two semi-circular end tables normally designed with a drop leaf. (Each section had four legs with the same characteristics as the chair legs.) When not in use, the end tables served as side tables. One type of settee is actually a long chair with several shield or oval chair backs joined together. Upholstered sofas indicate strong French influence. The backs are a series of slowing curves building up to a central “Hump” – or else are a simple low curve. Arms are upholstered or carved; some models have eight legs, some seven. Hepplewhite was instrumental is developing that new convenience in curves, with six legs, usually square and tapered and spade feet. His designs have concave corner construction differentiating them from Sheraton designs, which have convex corners.