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American, dining, Duncan Phyfe, European, Hepplewhite, neoclassic, Neoclassical, neoclassicism, Sheraton, table, woodworking
Duncan Phyfe, Sheraton, and Hepplewhite were all popular at the same time (roughly 1760–1848). While they all feature refined elegance and neoclassical motifs, there are differences among them. Oval- and shield-shaped designs are typical of Hepplewhite. Sheraton style often includes square or rectangular lines like dining chairs with banister, lattice, or urn-shaped splats. Duncan Phyfe is a style that celebrates the refinement, elegance, and diversity of neoclassicism through the lens of an early-American master cabinetmaker.
George Hepplewhite
Contemporary with Chippendale style, the Hepplewhite period dates roughly 1765-1800. The Sheraton era begins around 1820, so the three design styles share influences and similarities. Thomas Sheraton’s styles overlap with those of George Hepplewhite and the earlier Hepplewhite period, an era also influenced by neoclassicism and characterized by soft, elegant touches, tapered legs, and contrasting veneers with inlay work.
Faded Mahogany Hepplewhite Dining Side Chair
Although Hepplewhite died before Sheraton’s design concepts reached popularity, Hepplewhite’s widow, Alice, published 300 of his designs in the 1788 book entitled The Cabinet Maker and Upholsterers Guide. The US quickly replicated these designs in New York, New England, Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas. Despite the fact that one was dead and the other living, Hepplewhite and Sheraton’s design books became popular during the same time frame.
Duncan Phyfe
Characterized by carved, or “reeded,” legs and neoclassical themes, Duncan Phyfe is a style named for the American master cabinetmaker. A point of contention for some furniture and art historians, Duncan Phyfe arguably represents the combination, modification, and adaptation of pre-established styles: Adam, Sheraton, Hepplewhite, and Empire.
Vintage Inlaid Duncan Phyfe Yew Dining Table Top
Outside the artistic debate, Phyfe was a leading cabinetmaker in 19th-century America. He did not design unique furniture that challenged previous styles like Hepplewhite and Chippendale or publish books on the topic like Sheraton.
An innovator in his own right, Phyfe studied and interpreted European trends in the arts and fashion. His woodworking and furniture were living examples of neoclassicism, lending new understandings of its design concepts to generations of American cabinetmakers.