rare Eastlake walnut sewing bench needlepoint seat

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WELCOME Thank you for visiting! This is a rare find. It is an American-made Eastlake sewing bench that is in very fine condition. The main body of the bench is constructed of the highest quality walnut wood. It manifests virtually every design element innt in the Eastlake concept. The spare geometric figures complement the strong, clean lines of the furniture itself. The wood is incised with lines that help define and elaborate the shapes of the furniture shell. The front and the back of the bench each have a marvelous inlay of walnut burl. The deck of the storage box and the interior wood of the lid are solid boards of tulip (yellow) poplar. (At least you can be sure the piece will not fall victim to termites with these woods!) The pad of the bench is about three inches thick and is upholstered with a needlepoint that has a field of brown upon which are laid very finely drawn flowers of autumnal colors. T is a beautifully woven fabric ribbon that is secured with round head nails to secure the fabric. Some of the wooden trim pieces are secured with two- or three-penny square nails (visible below the furniture). The seat area measures about eleven by twenty-one inches and the surface is about nineteen inches above the floor. The interior of the box measures about eight and one-half inches by eighteen and is about three and one-half inches deep. The only items to note are a couple of of age cracks in the deck of the storage box (four inches or so at one end, and one shallow crack at one end of the spindle turning below). Neither item affects function or appearance, I just don't want you to feel surprised or disappointed! The Eastlake Movement Charles Lock Eastlake was an English architect and writer, not a furniture designer. His famous book Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and Other Details is easy to read and gives insights into the man and the style which are not immediately apparent from looking at the furniture. It was published in England in 1868, then in the US 1872. Eastlake was frustrated by the overly ornate design and generally poor quality of the Victorian furniture of his time. He advocated a return to simplicity, quality and reasonable cost. He was an admirer of William Morris and was influential in the Arts & Crafts movement. His simplicity of design was a welcome breath of fresh air at the Philadelphia Exposition of 1876 which mostly featured rapidly becoming stale Renaissance Revival "battleship" furniture. Eastwood thought the objects in people's homes should be attractive and well made by workers who took pride in their hand work or machine work. As the book became popular in the United States, furniture manufacturers took ideas and designs from the book and made what was named Eastlake Style furniture. Pieces of furniture in this style are characterized by relief carvings, incised lines, applied moldings, geometric ornaments, and flat surfaces that are easy to keep clean. Sometimes referred to as "Cottage Furniture", the mass-produced pieces were much more affordable than the fancy revival pieces. to see other items in my store: Books Dinnerware Jewelry Misc Collectibles Paintings and prints Porcelain, pottery, ceramics Silver items Vases and planters Add Me To Your Favorite Sellers List! Subscribe in a reader I accept PayPal, money orders, and personal checks. Buyer pays shipping and handling; I ship by USPS and combine multiple items to save you money on shipping. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may return it within seven days and receive a refund of purchase price plus return postage. Feel free to ask questions before you bid. read more

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