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Duncan Phyfe 19th Century Furniture Makers

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Ranked #5,849 in Home & Garden, #71,311 overall

Central pedestal drop leaf breakfast tables, and lyre back chairs

One of the leading 19th century furniture makers, Duncan Phyfe was born in 1768. Duncan's original spelling was Duncan Fife; he changed his spelling after he moved to New York City on 1792, before which he was a cabinetmaker's apprentice in Albany at age 16. A Scottish born American designer, Phyfe's primary design structure revolved around neoclassical design. Duncan's first retail shop was opened on Broad Street; he later moved to Fulton Street. Phyfe produced classic individual pieces for furniture with a unique over all structure. Duncan has to his credit various styles of furniture, some of which are the double pedestal banquet tables, reeded leg sofas, window benches, central pedestal drop leaf breakfast tables, and lyre back chairs.

Is the table Duncan Phyfe, made in the Duncan Phyfe

Duncan Phyfe furniture is almost definitive of Federal period furniture. His amalgamation of Regency, Sheraton and Neoclassical styles into work that was uniquely and identifiably his own has left us a model for elegant and exquisitely crafted Federal period furnishings. Many pieces of furniture sold now with the description "Duncan Phyfe" actually are in the style of Duncan Phyfe. This is an important point to sort out with a dealer who offers you a Duncan Phyfe table, for example. Is the table Duncan Phyfe, made in the Duncan Phyfe workshop or is it made in the style of Duncan Phyfe? Be sure that the dealer is very clear about this point and puts the information in a written guarantee if you buy the piece.

Duncan Phyfe

Experts categorize his style as a neoclassical basic

Among motifs those credited to his name include the acanthus leave, drapery swags, diagonal cross bars, eagle wings, urn turned posts, water leaf, palm leaf, lion's foot, dog's foot, thunderbolts, trumpets, and rosettes. Off all the style he's well known for, his most preferred choice of style was the lyre. Since 1922, after New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art held an exhibition of his work, the demand for Duncan Phyfe furniture has been on a constant rise. Experts categorize his style as a neoclassical basic that soon blended with French designing, being loyal to English Sheraton Style pattern and yet clearly dictating an Imperial style. Today's buyers with a keen eye for detail and design are willing to drop big dollars for a Duncan Phyfe piece of furniture.

If you are shopping for a Duncan Phyfe table, you will have a wide variety of styles to choose from. Styles include long, double or more pedestal-based banquet tables, dining tables, drop-leaf tables of varying sizes, breakfast tables, tea tables, card tables and sewing tables. Pieces are heavy and substantial but also appear delicate and graceful. Phyfe's keen eye for proportion resulted in remarkable design.

Duncan Phyfe Table

Furniture masterpieces of Duncan Phyfe

Furniture masterpieces of Duncan Phyfe [Paperback]

Furniture masterpieces of Duncan Phyfe

by: Charles Over Cornelius

Amazon Price: $13.69 (as of 05/31/2012)

Duncan Phyfe Chairs

A 1922 exhibition of Phyfe's work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the 1929 Loan Exhibition in New York City solidified the enduring popularity of Phyfe's work. Forty-eight pieces of Duncan Phyfe furniture were featured at the Loan Exhibition comprising an entire section of the catalogue. Though Phyfe had long since died a wealthy man (in 1854) the graceful furniture remained as his legacy. The work received well-deserved praise and his work has since been sought and valued by collectors.