Furniture Mystery of Sorts

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Kent A. Ryan

Well-known member
I have recently acquired a book titled:

The Case Of Major Fanshawe's Chairs
By David Loughlin
ISBN # 0-87663-317-3

I have only read the first couple of chapters but this is fun book to read about how a set of five Chippendale chairs made in America came to be in England, where they were thought to be of English origin and almost sold at a Sotheby's auction. Then someone found an American wood inside the chair rails, the chairs were withdrawn from the auction and the sleuthing began.

The book is available at ABE Books at very reasonable prices -

Kent Ryan
 
 
Kent,

It does sound like an interesting read. Thanks for the tip.

If anyone is interested, a few other books that involve detective work to determine the provenance of a piece or have fascinating accounts of trans-Atlantic furniture travels include:
<i>American Treasure Hunt</i> by Harold Sack,
<i>Hidden Treasures: Searching for Masterpieces of American Furniture</i> by Leslie and Leigh Keno,
and <i>Objects of Desire</i> by Thatcher Freund.
It's not too early to start the Christmas list.
 
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