File:The practical cabinet maker and furniture designer's assistant, with essays on history of furniture, taste in design, color and materials, with full explanation of the canons of good taste in (14596419298).jpg

Identifier: practicalcabinet00hodg (find matches)
Title: The practical cabinet maker and furniture designer's assistant, with essays on history of furniture, taste in design, color and materials, with full explanation of the canons of good taste in furniture ..
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Hodgson, Frederick Thomas, 1836-1919
Subjects: Cabinetwork Furniture making
Publisher: Chicago, F. J. Drake & Co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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-cumstances, are fully supplied, we are not, and oughtnot to be, satisfied. We may and should consider whatis adapted to promote our comfort and gratify ourtaste, ministering appropriately, in both directions, toour enjoyment. For our present purpose and in connec-tion with cabinet and upholstery work, it will be suffi-cient to consider three things—Novelty, Taste andUtility. i. Novelty.—This is always a source of pleasure,affording a healthful excitement to the mind. This isthe reason of the frequently sudden and extreme changesin fashion, of the desire to visit localities and sceneswhich are new and strange to us, and of the effort tosecure for the gratification of all the senses ever newmeans of pleasure and excitement. The conservativecritic may find fault with this universal tendency to in-novation, but it will excite and exert its influence solong as the human mind tires of sameness, and seeksfor change. We desire repose and permanency of con- THE PRACTICAL CABINET MAKER 113
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18 Louis Seize Detail Plate m 114 THE PRACTICAL CABINET MAKER ditions and surroundings only when we have ceased toacquire and develop, and our powers have begun to de-cline with the coming on of old age. This quality ofnovelty is one which all who would cater for the popu-lar taste and, by so doing, secure and maintain a suc-cessful business, must aim at in connection with otherqualities of excellence. It is also unquestionably truethat the desire and effort for novelty leads sometimes tothe adoption of styles and ornaments which are unsym-metrical and incongruous, and though striking andsometimes even almost pleasing to those who crave thatwhich is startling and outre, they will greatly offendgood taste. There are certain established principleswhich are the basis of all correct procedure, and anyrule of mechanical practice, or even what has come to bean established custom may be departed from or neg-lected, so that there is no infringement of these fixedprinciples, among which may be

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