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Thomas Chippendale (1718–1779) was a cabinet-maker in London, designing furniture in the mid-Georgian, English Rococo, and Neoclassical styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs in a
trade catalogue Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct exch ...
titled ''The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director''—the most important collection of furniture designs published in England to that point which created a mass market for furniture—upon which success he became renowned. According to the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and ...
, "so influential were his designs, in Britain and throughout Europe and America, that 'Chippendale' became a shorthand description for any furniture similar to his ''Director'' designs". The designs are regarded as representing the current British fashion for furniture of that period and are now reproduced globally. He was buried 16 November 1779, according to the records of St Martin-in-the-Fields, in the cemetery since built upon by the National Gallery. Chippendale furniture is much valued; a padouk cabinet that was offered for auction during 2008 sold for £2,729,250.


Life

Chippendale was born in Otley in the
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, England in June 1718. He was baptised on 5 June. He was the only child of John Chippendale (1690–1768), joiner, and his first wife Mary (née Drake; 1693–1729). He received an elementary education at Prince Henry's Grammar School. The Chippendale family had long been involved with the wood working trades and so he probably received his basic training from his father, though it is believed that he was also trained by Richard Wood in
York York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...
, before he relocated to London. Wood later ordered eight copies of the ''Director''. On 19 May 1748 he married Catherine Redshaw at St George's Chapel,
Mayfair Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world ...
and they had five sons and four daughters. During 1749 Chippendale rented a modest house in Conduit Court, near Covent Garden. In 1752 he relocated to Somerset Court, off the Strand. In 1754 Chippendale relocated to 60–62 St Martin's Lane in London, where for the next 60 years the family business operated, until 1813 when his son, Thomas Chippendale (Junior), was evicted for bankruptcy. During 1754 he also began a partnership with James Rannie, a wealthy Scottish merchant, who put money into the business at the same time as Chippendale produced the first edition of the ''Director''. Rannie and his bookkeeper, Thomas Haig, probably cared for the finances of the business. His wife, Catherine, died during 1772. After James Rannie died in 1766, Thomas Haig seems to have borrowed £2,000 from Rannie's widow, which he used to become Chippendale's partner. One of Rannie's executors, Henry Ferguson, became a third partner and so the business became Chippendale, Haig and Co. Thomas Chippendale (Junior) assumed management of the business in 1776 allowing his father to retire. He relocated to what was then called Lob's Fields (now known as Derry Street) in Kensington. Chippendale married Elizabeth Davis at Fulham Parish Church on 5 August 1777. He fathered three more children. In 1779 Chippendale relocated to Hoxton where he died of
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in w ...
and was buried at St Martin-in-the-Fields on 16 November 1779. There is a statue and memorial plaque dedicated to Chippendale outside The Old Grammar School Gallery in Manor Square, in his home town of Otley, near
Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...
, Yorkshire. There is a full-size sculpted figure of Thomas Chippendale on the façade of the
Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and ...
, London.


Work

After working as a journeyman cabinet maker in London, during 1754, he became the first cabinet-maker to publish a book of his designs, titled ''The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director''. It is regarded as the "first comprehensive
trade catalogue Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market. An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct exch ...
of its kind". According to ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', "customers could browse, select a design and then order a piece of furniture". Three editions were published, the first in 1754, followed by a virtual reprint in 1755, and finally a revised and enlarged edition in 1762, by which time Chippendale's illustrated designs began to show signs of Neoclassicism. Chippendale had considerable competition during his active years, most notably from Ince and Mayhew. From the 1760's Chippendale was influenced heavily by the Neoclassical work of architect
Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him. With his ...
.


Notable works

Chippendale was much more than just a cabinet maker, he was an interior designer who advised on other aspects of decor such as soft furnishings and even the colour a room should be painted. During the company's period of greatest success it could act like a modern interior designer, working with other specialists and contract for the supply of fully decorated and furnished rooms or whole houses, once the principal construction was done. Chippendale often received large-scale commissions from aristocratic clients. Twenty-six of these commissions have been identified. Here furniture by Chippendale can still be seen. The locations include: * Nostell Priory, Yorkshire, for Sir Roland Winn (1766–85); *
Blair Castle Blair Castle (in Scottish Gaelic: Caisteil Bhlàir) stands in its grounds near the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire in Scotland. It is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Ath ...
, Perthshire, for the Duke of Atholl (1758); * Wilton House, for Henry, 10th Earl of Pembroke (); * For the actor David Garrick, both in town and at his villa at Hampton, Middlesex; * Normanton Hall, Rutland and other houses for Sir Gilbert Heathcote (1768–78) that included the management of a funeral for Lady Bridget Heathcote, 1772; * Harewood House, Yorkshire, for Edwin Lascelles (1767–78); *
Newby Hall Newby Hall is a country house beside the River Ure in the parish of Skelton-on-Ure in North Yorkshire, England. It is 3 miles south-east of Ripon and 6 miles south of Topcliffe Castle, by which the manor of Newby was originally held. A Grade I ...
, Yorkshire, for William Weddell (); * Temple Newsam, Yorkshire, for Lord Irwin (1774); * Paxton House, Berwickshire, Scotland, for Ninian Home (1774–91); *
Burton Constable Hall Burton Constable Hall is a large Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English h ...
, Yorkshire for William Constable (1768–79); * Petworth House, Sussex and other houses for George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1777–79); * Dumfries House,
Ayrshire Ayrshire ( gd, Siorrachd Inbhir Àir, ) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration county in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine, North Ayrshi ...
, Scotland, for the 5th Earl of Dumfries. Chippendale collaborated in furnishing interiors designed by Robert Adam, and at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire, and Melbourne House, London, for Lord Melbourne, with Sir William Chambers ().


Gallery of Chippendale furniture

File:Diana and Minerva Commode by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, mahogany and exotic woods, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01815.jpg, Diana and Minerva Commode, 1773, mahogany and exotic woods, State Bedroom – Harewood House File:Dressing Commode with Three Graces, Chippendale, late 1700s, marquetry on satinwood with rosewood insets - Yellow Drawing Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01891.jpg, Dressing Commode with Three Graces, late 1700s, marquetry on satinwood with rosewood insets – Yellow Drawing Room – Harewood House File:State Bed by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, carved and gilt wood, silk damask, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01808.jpg, State Bed, 1773, carved and gilt wood, silk damask, State Bedroom – Harewood House File:Mirror by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1778, giltwood - Gallery - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02012.jpg, Mirror (one of a pair), , giltwood – Gallery – Harewood House File:Secretaire by Thomas Chippendale, 1770s, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01819.jpg, Secretaire, 1770s, State Bedroom – Harewood House File:Armchair by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, giltwood , State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01812.jpg, Armchair, 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom – Harewood House File:Clothes press, Chippendale, 1700s - East Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01746.jpg, Clothes press, 1700s – East Bedroom – Harewood House File:Chair with Lascelles crest, Thomas Chippendale, 1700s - Entrance Hall - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02088.jpg, Chair (one of a suite) with Lascelles crest, 1700s – Entrance Hall – Harewood House File:Commode, Chippendale, 1700s - East Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01743.jpg, Commode, 1700s – East Bedroom – Harewood House File:Pedestal and urn, by Thomas Chippendale, mid 1700s, for use as a plate warmer - State Dining Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02026.jpg, Pedestal and urn (one of a pair), mid 1700s, for use as a plate warmer – State Dining Room – Harewood House File:Pier table, origin unknown, with cellaret by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1771, rosewood and ormolu - State Dining Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02030.jpg, Pier table, origin unknown, with cellaret by Thomas Chippendale, , rosewood and ormolu – State Dining Room – Harewood House File:Pier table by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1779, giltwood with marble and scagliola top - Gallery - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01985.jpg, Pier table (one of a pair) , giltwood with marble and scagliola top – Gallery – Harewood House File:Mirror by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01817.jpg, Mirror (one of a pair), 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom – Harewood House File:Arm chair, Thomas Chippendale, c. 1771, wood, yellow Morocco leather - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01591.jpg, Arm chair, (one of a set), , wood, yellow Morocco leather – Harewood House File:Cabinet, Thomas Chippendale, 1700s, mahogany - Lord Harewood's Sitting Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01784.jpg, Cabinet, 1700s, mahogany – Lord Harewood's Sitting Room – Harewood House File:Japanned cabinet, Chippendale, 1 of 2 - Cinnamon Drawing Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01931.jpg, Japanned cabinet, (one of a pair) – Cinnamon Drawing Room – Harewood House File:WLA vanda The Garrick Bed.jpg, David Garrick's bed, , The bed was reduced from a double to a single in the 1860s, now in the V&A Museum File:Chippendale Desk.jpg, A Chinese Chippendale desk


Collaborations

Chippendale's ''Director'' was used by many other cabinet makers. Consequently, recognisably "Chippendale" furniture was produced in Dublin, Philadelphia, Lisbon, Copenhagen and Hamburg. Catherine the Great and
Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was e ...
both possessed copies of the ''Director'' in its French edition. The Director shows four main styles: English with deep carving, elaborate French rococo in the style of Louis XV furniture, Chinese style with latticework and lacquer, and Gothic with pointed arches, quatrefoils and fret-worked legs. His favourite wood was mahogany; in seat furniture he always used solid wood rather than veneers.


Thomas Chippendale the younger

The workshop was continued by his son, Thomas Chippendale, the younger (1749–1822), who worked in the later Neoclassical and Regency styles, "the rather slick delicacy of
Adam Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
's final phase", as Christopher Gilbert assessed it. A bankruptcy and sale of remaining stock in the St. Martin's Lane premises in 1804 did not conclude the company's latest phase, as the younger Chippendale supplied furniture to Sir Richard Colt Hoare at Stourhead until 1820.


Pop culture

Created by
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment industry, entertainment conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Disney Stud ...
in 1943, the names Chip 'n' Dale (lead characters in '' Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers'') are a pun on Chippendale. He is briefly mentioned by name in the opening of the 2022 film '' Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers''.


See also

*
Chinese Chippendale (architecture) In architecture, Chinese Chippendale refers to a specific kind of railing or balustrade A baluster is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural fea ...
for architectural details inspired by Chippendale's work * Chippendale Society *
Thomas Elfe Thomas Elfe (1719–1775) was a Colonial history of the United States, colonial period furniture craftsman in Charleston, South Carolina, that was an English immigrant. His working career spanned almost thirty years from about 1746 to 1775. ...
* List of furniture designers


References


External links

*
The Chippendale Society
* Ralph Edwards and Margaret Jourdain, 1955. ''Georgian Cabinet-Makers''.


''Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director'', first edition, 1754
– online as part of the University of Wisconsin's Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture. * Gilbert, Christopher (1978). ''The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale'' 2 vols. New York: Macmillan. The standard work.
What the Chippendale Furniture is and How to Identify ItArchitect Anton Giuroiu
Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest, Romania {{DEFAULTSORT:Chippendale, Thomas 1718 births 1779 deaths People educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley British cabinetmakers English furniture designers English interior designers English non-fiction writers 18th-century English people English male non-fiction writers History of furniture