Technology transfer and the British furniture making industry 1945-1955

The transfer of technology from both allies and enemies in a wide range of manufacturing industries has been a notable feature of the aftermath of both world wars during the 20th century. This paper investigates whether this pattern is as evident in the furniture trade as in other, more strategically critical products. The two world wars were significant factors in the development of the British furniture industry, particularly because of the transfers of materials and production technology that took place after each. While events of the 1920s and 1930s indicated the possibilities of significant advantages from such developments, the more important era followed World War II. This paper tracks the changes that occurred between 1920 and 1955, but emphasizes the decade after 1945. The results suggest that the manufacturing models from the United States were significant, but that the possibilities were unevenly adopted throughout the industry. Moreover, the government played a significant role in facilitating some of the most important transfers. This paper also assesses the impact that transfers to and within the furniture industry may have had in the longer term. The selected time period of the main case study relates to both the postwar adoption of new techniques and materials, and to a particular moment when the British government specifically encouraged productivity as a goal

Complete house furnishers: the retailer as interior designer in nineteenth-century London

This research paper considers the history of a particular moment in the development of the interior decoration/design business. Although the history of interior design practice has been well charted as ‘‘art/design history,’’ the business and professional history has been somewhat neglected, except for work on particular firms. The issues examined relate to four particular aspects. The first covers the distinctions between decorators, upholsterers, furnishers, and architects and how these differences were reflected in the work undertaken. Related to this is a brief examination of why many architects ignored interior work. Secondly, is the nature of the customer base and how it reacted in response to changing social and economic factors. Thirdly, there are the issues of marketing and promotion that were aimed at a much wider audience than architects would expect, and finally a consideration of the house furnisher as a foundation for the development of the professional interior decorator/designer. To address these issues, the paper offers an overview of the rise, maturity, and change of the house furnisher as the most important contributor to the supply of interior design/decoration advice and products in the second half of the nineteenth century. By taking case studies of important players in the field, the paper will consider why architects gave up their role as arbiters of taste in interior works, and how the house furnishing businesses took over. This is of some interest as it not only explores an issue that still remains in the interior design world—the notion of who controls the work, but also explores the nature and pre-history of professional interior design service providers in the period. Although the scope of this essay is potentially wide ranging, it is limited to the second half of the nineteenth century and focuses on London for its case studies. Through a consideration of primary sources, often using the trade press for commentaries, a sense of the contemporary issues is made. In addition, the recent work by scholars in the field is used to interpret the changes described. As a foundation for the subsequent development of a profession, the house furnisher had laid a number of ground rules. Apart from the issue of the control of work, they encouraged the development of specialized knowledge, and they recognized the importance of training and education, and to some extent, exercised control of access to the industry

Through, lapped or blind: the dovetail joint in furniture history

Furniture joints can tell historians, conservators and curators much about the history of a piece. Although there are many varieties of wood working joints, it is often the dovetail that is seen as the quintessential cabinet-makers’ joint. Indeed, even to the nonprofessional, the dovetail is one of the most recognisable joints in furniture. Considered one of the strongest of cabinet joints, whether hidden or exposed, it so often reflects quality and artisanship. Ranging from the elementary to the complex, the dovetail joint has a number of variations from the simply functional to the clearly decorative. This paper considers the origins of the dovetail from ancient Egyptian cabinetwork, through its development as a builders’ and joiners’ joint, to becoming the symbol of refined cabinet making. It will consider the applications of the joint in both hand and machine-cut versions. Of particular interest are the attempts to mechanise the method of dovetail joint cutting. The nineteenth century in particular has left a legacy of patented processes and developments that show us how creating dovetails changed from a skilfully crafted hand operation to a simple and speedy machine process using the modern-day router and jig combinations. The development of this simple, though sophisticated joint and its many variations, is a fascinating story

Dummy board figures as images of amusement and deception in interiors 1660-1800

Dummy board figures as images of amusement and deception in interiors 1660-180

Broadening the Benefits of Dual Enrollment: Reaching Underachieving and Underrepresented Students with Career-Focused Programs

A three-year study tracking outcomes for thousands of students across California shows that careerfocused dual enrollment programs can provide important benefits for those who are underachieving and underrepresented in higher education. Programs of this type, which allow high school students to take college courses and earn college credit, were once offered almost exclusively to high-achieving students seeking greater academic challenge

Women's home-crafted objects as collections of culture and comfort, 1750-1900

Women's home-crafted objects as collections of culture and comfort, 1750-190

“Improving” the decoration of furniture: imitation and mechanization in the marquetry process in Britain and America, 1850–1900

In the 1980s, the application of the laser to cut veneers for marquetry was arguably the first major successful development for improving the process since the nineteenth century. Despite attempts to advance what had been an essentially hand-crafted technique, successful economic applications remained elusive. This article analyzes attempts made since the mid nineteenth-century to apply technologies to “improve” the marquetry process in Britain and America. Inventors intended to increase opportunities for manufacturers to supply decorative furniture for a growing market. Speed of production and the possibility of supplying furniture with greater decoration reflected a desire to address both the economic and consumption agendas. I describe how inventors proposed attempts to mechanize or imitate marquetry often through patented processes, and then consider their success. I argue that applying technologies as knowledge, practice, and material resource to craft works raises a number of issues particularly when there is an element of “art” involved

Tottenham Court Road: the changing fortunes of London's furniture street 1850-1950

London's Tottenham Court Road has long been associated with the furniture business, but had its heyday between 1850 and 1950. This paper considers the furniture business in this street through a mix of retail business history and urban geography. It will attempt to show why this particular 'furniture street' developed as it did. Considerations of the networks or clusters of businesses associated with furniture-making assist in the analysis. The nature of the furniture industry and trade in the immediate area and the history of particular stores in the street as exemplars of the processes are examined

Buy now - pay later. Credit: the mainstay of the retail furniture business?

This chapter focuses on the role of credit in relation both to the furniture retailer and the consumer, with particular emphasis on the period 1850-1980. It was during this time that the retail furniture business expanded to meet the growing demands and purchasing power of the British population. The majority of the study relates to domestic furniture, but in many cases, the commentary considers attitudes applicable also to other durable commodities

Vernacular craft to machine assisted industry: the division of labour and the development of machine use in vernacular chair-making in High Wycombe 1870-1920

This paper explores the changes in vernacular1 chair-making in High Wycombe, UK, in the period 1870-1920. High Wycombe was once known as the chair-making capital of Britain, its fame initially coming from the vernacular ‘Windsor’ type chairs that were made in the locality, and then developing into a fully-fledged industry. This production was mainly based on the utilization of the extensive beech woods colloquially called ‘the Buckinghamshire weed’ that grew in this area of southern England. During the period reviewed, the chair-making industry of High Wycombe changed from being a mix of ‘bodgers’2 working directly in the beech woods and selling their turned parts to chair-makers, through various business organisations to fully developed factory based operations with specialised machines to assist each operation of chair-making. The paper will start with a brief background and history of the pre-machine situation and its divisions of labour. It will then follow with a discussion about the original chairmakers. This is followed by analysis of the trade of chair-making and the sub-divided processes therein. Built on this are analyses of the changes in tools to machines and the nature of the machine-assisted production systems used up to c. 1920 and the factory system. A brief discussion about the nature of distribution will be followed by an evaluation of the contribution made by High Wycombe chair-makers to the maintenance of a vernacular tradition