The Studio yearbook of decorative art (1906)

Furniture

was because the manu-
facturers of cheap " art:'
work, of the kind which,
in general, is associated
with Tottenham Court
Road (though unjustly so,
it need hardly be said, in
the case of many firms in
that locality), travestied and
vulgarised it until the bare
suggestion of new design
became hateful and thus
provoked the inevitable re-
action, it is not now possible
to determine with certainty.
Anyhow, thedominant craze
of the moment requires

table in english oak designed AND executed _ _ ^

by ernest w. gimson none of the historic French

styles, nor indeed, novelty

or other fixed decorations. It does not require on the other hand; but something—anything—
argument to prove that the utmost care must be English, no matter of what period it be, from
taken in such circumstances
not to outrage the harmony
of ancient surroundings by
the introduction of any
movables of a too novel
or incongruous character.

Taste, or perhaps it
would be more correct to
call it demand, in furni-
ture varies from year to
year almost as much as do
fashions in dress. Thus, at
one time, not very long
since, preference was given
to the French styles, to
those, that is, of Louis
XIV., XV. and XVI.; at
another time a newer type
of design was in request.
But neither did this phase
endure. And strange as it
may appear, and incon-
sistent with our boasted
progress, the fact is true,
notwithstanding, that five
years ago there was a deal
more of original work pro-
duced amongst us than
there is at the present
moment. Whether it was
owing to the extravagances

of the so-called Art sideboard in oak, with '"designed and executed by

Nouveau, or whether it hammered brass panels shapland & petter, ltd.

55