We must now, however, leave generalisation, and commence our study of "Sheraton" as a style; and following the plan adopted in my chapters on "Chippendale" and "Heppelwhite," we will deal with chairs before considering larger and more imposing pieces.

Those depicted on Plate I., in the first place, may be accepted as a preliminary justification of the assertion I have made more than once in these pages, that Sheraton was, in a large number of his designs, very strongly influenced by the "Louis-Seize," and particularly by the work of the French chair makers who had to do with the origination of that style. This is especially apparent in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, which might, without fear of objection, be justly described, after the French fashion, as "Louis-Seize-Anglaise"; though it must be observed that subtle divergences from the original style mark all five unmistakably as being Sheratonian versions, both in respect of form and embellishment. Still, the source of their inspiration is not to be denied, and I am inclined to think that Sheraton would have been one of the first to acknowledge it, for commercial if not for any other reasons. In his day, all things "French" were in demand in this country, and any designs that savoured of Paris were almost certain of a hearty welcome from the public.

Figures 4 and 6 on the same plate, are, on the other hand, in every respect pure "Sheraton," and that without the "Louis-Seize" qualification; but a better and more complete idea of all the leading characteristics of the chair-work of this master may be gained by an examination of Plate II., upon which his most characteristic chair-backs are represented, and which practically constitutes, in itself, an exhaustive summing-up of his ideas with regard to chairs.

Figures 6 and 15 are exceptions,for they cannot be described as pure "Sheraton," but should rather come under the heading of "Heppelwhite." In the preceding chapter I have dealt somewhat exhaustively with the relationship subsisting between the two shield-shapes as found in these respective styles, explaining how one may be distinguished from the other; but I may remind the reader that, when that form is employed by Sheraton, the curve at the top is in all cases broken in the centre, as shown, instead of being continuous as in the "Heppelwhite" backs. Other subtle points of difference also have been made clear (see page 139). Knowing these, the collector, when called upon to pronounce judgment on chairs of this class, will be able to decide immediately which is which, even when the books in which the illustrations originally appeared are not available for reference - and they seldom are in cases of emergency.

In the majority of his chairs, especially the more expensive, Sheraton, wherever he possibly could, adopted the turned leg, in such forms as those shown on Plate I. and Figs. 1, 14, 15, and 16, Plate III., while Heppelwhite almost invariably cultivated the square, though there are exceptions, to which reference has already been made (see page 142). Furthermore, it is most exceptional to discover a genuine "Sheraton" chair with underframing - that is to say, with rails from leg to leg, placed about six inches from the ground, in order to strengthen the lower part - though in some by contemporary makers, based on his style, that feature appears. Those, however, we shall consider in another chapter.

"Sheraton." I. Plate 52

Reference In Text

The details employed by Sheraton are, as I have said, closely related to those originated by the creators of the "Louis-Seize." This is natural, for are they not the outcome of a union between the ideas of this designer and that of his French confreres in the craft? It necessarily follows, therefore, that they are distinguished throughout by extreme delicacy and refinement. The reeded and fluted leg, twisted pillar, husks, festoons or "swags" of drapery and flowers; the vase, cornucopia?, and acanthus-like foliations, constituted for the most part his stock-in-trade in this department; but he elaborated them, rendering them according to his own taste, and disposed them with rare skill, almost always stamping them to a greater or less degree with the mark of his own individuality.

"Sheraton" chairs, and indeed all pieces of furniture in that style, are, with very few exceptions, of mahogany or satinwood. There are very few indeed which are not enriched, at least in some measure, with carving or inlay, though, in special instances, the brush was employed as a means of decoration, and with peculiarly rich effect, as may be gathered from the impression conveyed by Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11, Plate II., for example. It is exceptionally rare, however, nowadays to secure authentic examples of this painted furniture in even passable condition, for the ravages of time have inevitably played havoc with the delicate painting which originally embellished them. Some, it is true, have survived almost in entirety, and time has been more than kind to them, deepening the tone of the wood and endowing the colours with a dreamy softness that is altogether beautiful, and impossible to imitate; but the rest have gone the way of most earthly things, helping to verify the truth of the old adage, "Tout lasse, tout passe, tout casse."

Throughout his best work Sheraton never, under any circumstances, permitted the ornament which he employed to take the place of construction, but always made a point of keeping it absolutely subservient to the general form and main constructive lines of his designs. In the enrichment of his productions he was a decorative artist in the strictest sense of the word; he never gave way to the temptation, which must have assailed him equally with every designer at some time or another, to trespass beyond the limits imposed by the materials in which his ideas were to be carried out. In this respect he differed greatly, I need hardly say, from Chippendale, who frequently erred in the contrary direction as has been indicated in preceding chapters.