American Furniture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art v. 1; Early Colonial Period: The Seventeenth Century and William and Mary Styles I. Early Colonial Period: The Seventeenth Century and William and Mary Styles Frances Gruber Safford

The Metropolitan Museum's preeminent collection of early colonial furniture is expertly documented in this long-awaited publication. It covers the full spectrum of furniture forms made during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, from chairs and other seating to tables, boxes, various types of chests and cupboards, and desks. Each of the 141 objects is thoroughly described with detailed information on provenance, construction, condition, inscriptions, dimensions, and materials. Photographed anew in colour for this volume, each piece is explicated in terms of the styles and craftsmanship of the period and is evaluated in light of comparative pieces in public and private collections throughout the country. One appendix contains photographic details of construction and decorative elements, and another has drawings of joints and moldings.

Frances Gruber Safford is Associate Curator in the Department of American Decorative Arts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"The Metropolitan Museum''s superb collection of early colonial furniture is expertly documented in this outstanding compilation of stunning photographs and detailed text."-New England Antiques Journal