The cabinet-maker and upholsterer's guide, or, Repository of designs for every article of household furniture, in the newest and most approved taste : displaying a great variety of patterns for chairs, stools ... in the plainest and most enriched styles : with a scale to each, and an explanation in letter press : also the plan of a room, shewing the proper distribution of the furniture ... from drawings

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of 18th-century British interiors with *The Cabinet-Maker and Upholster Guide*, published in 1788 by I. & J. Taylor in collaboration with A. Hepplewhite &. This comprehensive design manual, featuring 30 pages of text and 125 leaves of detailed plates, served as an indispensable resource for craftsmen. Created shortly after the death of renowned cabinet-maker George Hepple, it reflects his widow's efforts to preserve and promote his innovative styles through precise illustrations of chairs, stools, tables, and more—from simple, practical forms to opulent, enriched motifs. Rooted in the Neoclassical movement, the book's designs emphasize graceful curves, shield-shaped chair backs, and delicate inlays inspired by ancient Greek and Roman motifs, marking a shift from the heavier Rococo of prior decades. Each plate includes a scale and letter-press explanations, making it a practical blueprint for replicating "the newest and most approved taste." It even offers a room plan demonstrating ideal furniture arrangements, blending functionality with aesthetic harmony. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Libraries, this 14 9/16-inch volume (37 cm) captures the era's democratic impulse in design, enabling provincial workshops to adopt London fashions. Its enduring legacy lies in standardizing Hepplewhite's influence, shaping households across Britain and America for generations.

About the Artist

I. & J. Taylor|A. Hepplewhite & Co. (British|British) · 1750 |1750 –1850 |1800

London|British, 18th century