Editing Thomas Chippendale

{{Short description|English furniture designer (1718–1779)}}
{{For|his son|Thomas Chippendale, the younger}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Thomas Chippendale
| image              = Thomas Chippendale statue, Otley (29th August 2017).jpg
| caption            = Chippendale statue in [[Otley]], West Yorkshire, England
| birth_date         = June 1718
| birth_place        = [[Otley]], England
| death_date         = {{death date and age|1779| | |1718|6|df=y}}
| death_place        = [[London]], England
| children           = [[Thomas Chippendale, the younger|Thomas]], 4 other sons, 4 daughters, and 3 others
}}

'''Thomas Chippendale''' (June 1718 – 1779) was an English woodworker in [[London]], designing furniture in the [[Georgian architecture|mid-Georgian]], [[Rococo|English Rococo]], and [[Neoclassical architecture|Neoclassical]] styles. In 1754 he published a book of his designs in a [[Trade literature|trade catalogue]] titled ''The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director''—the most important collection of furniture designs published in England to that point which created a mass market for furniture—upon which success he became renowned. According to the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]], "so influential were his designs, in Britain and throughout Europe and America, that 'Chippendale' became a shorthand description for any furniture similar to his ''Director'' designs".<ref name= "V&A">{{cite news |title= Thomas Chippendale |url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/thomas-chippendale/ |access-date= 15 March 2022 |publisher= V&A Museum}}</ref>

The designs are regarded as representing the current British fashion for furniture of that period and are now reproduced globally. He was buried 16 November 1779, according to the records of [[St Martin-in-the-Fields]], in the cemetery since built upon by the [[National Gallery (London)|National Gallery]]. Chippendale furniture is highly valued; a [[padouk]] cabinet that was offered for auction during 2008 sold for £2,729,250.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=5092525 |access-date=13 September 2016 |title= A George II parcel-gilt padouk cabinet-on-stand |website= Christies}}</ref>

==Life==
[[File:Thomas Chippendale's blue plaque - geograph.org.uk - 1937847 (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Blue plaque]] to Chippendale's memory in the place of his birth]]
Chippendale was born in [[Otley]] in the [[West Riding of Yorkshire]], England in June 1718. He was baptised on 5 June.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Chippendale|title=Thomas Chippendale | type = Biography, Furniture, & Facts |website=Encyclopædia Britannica |accessdate= 14 December 2021}}</ref> He was the only child of John Chippendale (1690–1768), joiner, and his first wife Mary (née Drake; 1693–1729). He received an elementary education at [[Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley]].<ref>"Thomas Son of John Chippindale of Otley joyner bap ye 5th", [[Otley]]: Yorkshire Parish Register, June 1718.</ref> The Chippendale family had long been involved with the wood working trades and so he probably received his basic training from his father, though it is believed that he was also trained by Richard Wood in [[York]], before he relocated to London.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.thechippendalesociety.co.uk/thomas.htm |title=Thomas Chippendale – Cabinet Maker |publisher=The Chippendale Society |date= 3 July 2007 |access-date= 5 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528212112/http://www.thechippendalesociety.co.uk/thomas.htm |archive-date= 28 May 2013}}</ref> Wood later ordered eight copies of the ''Director''. On 19 May 1748, he married Catherine Redshaw at St George's Chapel, [[Mayfair]] and they had five sons and four daughters.

During 1749, Chippendale rented a modest house in Conduit Court, near [[Covent Garden]]. In 1752, he relocated to Somerset Court, off the [[Strand, London|Strand]]. In 1754, Chippendale relocated to 60–62 [[St Martin's Lane]] in London, where for the next 60 years the family business operated, until 1813 when his son, Thomas Chippendale (Junior), was evicted for bankruptcy.  During 1754, he also began a partnership with James Rannie, a wealthy Scottish merchant, who put money into the business at the same time as Chippendale produced the first edition of the ''Director''. Rannie and his bookkeeper, Thomas Haig, probably cared for the finances of the business. His wife, Catherine, died during 1772. After James Rannie died in 1766, Thomas Haig seems to have borrowed £2,000 from Rannie's widow, which he used to become Chippendale's partner. One of Rannie's executors, Henry Ferguson, became a third partner and so the business became Chippendale, Haig and Co. Thomas Chippendale (Junior) assumed management of the business in 1776 allowing his father to retire. He relocated to what was then called Lob's Fields (now known as Derry Street) in Kensington.  Chippendale married Elizabeth Davis at Fulham Parish Church on 5 August 1777. He fathered three more children.  In 1779, Chippendale relocated to [[Hoxton]] where he died of [[tuberculosis]] and was buried at [[St Martin-in-the-Fields]] on 16&nbsp;November 1779.

There is a statue and memorial plaque dedicated to Chippendale outside The Old Grammar School Gallery in Manor Square, in his home town of [[Otley]], near [[Leeds]], Yorkshire.<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas Chippendale|url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/thomas-chippendale/|publisher=Victoria & Albert Museum |access-date=13 September 2016|location=London|date=2016}}</ref> There is a full-size sculpted figure of Thomas Chippendale on the façade of the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]], London.<ref name="V&A"/>

==Work==
[[File:Two Book Cases From Chippendale's Director.jpg|thumb|"Two Bookcases", from the ''Director'', 1754]]
After working as a journeyman [[cabinet maker]] in London, during 1754, he became the first cabinet-maker to publish a book of his designs, titled ''The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/gentlemancabine00Chip|title=The gentleman and cabinet-maker's director: being a large collection of designs of household furniture in the Gothic, Chinese and modern taste: to which is prefixed, a short explanation of the five orders of architecture and rules of perspective, with proper directions for executing the most difficult pieces, the mouldings being exhibited at large, and the dimensions of each design specified|first=Thomas|last=Chippendale|date=1 January 1754|publisher= Printed for the author, and sold at his house… also by T. Osborne, H. Piers, R. Sayer, J. Swan and by 2 others in 2 other places| location=London | via=Internet Archive}}</ref> It is regarded as the "first comprehensive [[Trade literature|trade catalogue]] of its kind".<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rySr84jox_AC |title= Dictionary of Biography| publisher =Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |year=2003 | page=317|isbn= 978-0-61825210-7}}</ref> According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', "customers could browse, select a design and then order a piece of furniture".<ref>{{cite news |title= Chippendale at 300: A Stellar Brand in Need of Polish |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/27/arts/design/chippendale-300-furniture.html |access-date=15 March 2022 |work=The New York Times|date=27 July 2018 |last1= Reyburn |first1= Scott}}</ref>

Three editions were published, the first in 1754, followed by a virtual reprint in 1755, and finally a revised and enlarged edition in 1762, by which time Chippendale's illustrated designs began to show signs of [[Neoclassicism]]. Chippendale had considerable competition during his active years, most notably from [[Ince and Mayhew]]. From the 1760s Chippendale was influenced heavily by the Neoclassical work of architect [[Robert Adam]].<ref>{{cite web |title= Thomas Chippendale biography|url=https://www.britainexpress.com/History/bio/chippendale.htm | work = Britain express | first =David | last = Ross |access-date= 23 July 2022}}</ref>

=== Notable works ===
Chippendale was much more than just a cabinet maker; he was an interior designer who advised on other aspects of decor such as soft furnishings and even the colour a room should be painted.  During the company's period of greatest success, he worked with other specialists to provide fully decorated and furnished rooms or houses, once the principal construction was done. Chippendale often received large-scale commissions from aristocratic clients. Twenty-six of these commissions have been identified.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.sal.org.uk/obituaries/Obituary%20archive/christopher-gilbert |title=Christopher Gallard Gilbert, M.A., F.M.A. (1936–1998) |publisher=SAL |access-date= 4 June 2013 |url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308051205/http://www.sal.org.uk/obituaries/Obituary%20archive/christopher-gilbert |archive-date= 8 March 2013}}</ref> Here furniture by Chippendale can still be seen.  The locations include:

[[File:Pembroke Table by Chippendale.jpg|thumb|upright|Pembroke Table by Chippendale for [[Paxton House, Berwickshire|Paxton House]], 1775]]
* [[Sledmere House]], Yorkshire, for [[Sir Christopher Sykes, 2nd Baronet]] ({{circa|1772–76}});
* [[Nostell Priory]], Yorkshire, for Sir Roland Winn (1766–85);
* [[Blair Castle]], Perthshire, for [[James Murray, 2nd Duke of Atholl]] (1758);
* [[Wilton House]], for [[Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke]] ({{circa|1759–73}});
* For the actor [[David Garrick]], both in town and at his villa at Hampton, Middlesex;
* [[Normanton Hall]], Rutland and other houses for [[Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 3rd Baronet]] (1768–78) that included the management of a funeral for Lady Bridget Heathcote, 1772;
* [[Harewood House]], Yorkshire, for [[Edwin Lascelles, 1st Baron Harewood|Edwin Lascelles]] (1767–78);
* [[Newby Hall]], Yorkshire, for [[William Weddell]] ({{circa|1772–76}});
* [[Temple Newsam]], Yorkshire, for [[Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount of Irvine]] (1774);
* [[Paxton House, Berwickshire]], Scotland, for [[Ninian Home]] (1774–91);
* [[Burton Constable Hall]], Yorkshire for William Constable (1768–79);
* [[Petworth House]], Sussex and other houses for [[George Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont]] (1777–79);
* [[Dumfries House]], [[Ayrshire]], Scotland, for [[William Crichton-Dalrymple, 5th Earl of Dumfries]].

[[File:Chippendale chair.jpg|thumb|upright|A provincial Chippendale-style chair with elaborate "Gothick" tracery [[splat (furniture)|splat]] back]]
Chippendale collaborated in furnishing interiors designed by Robert Adam, and at [[Brocket Hall]], Hertfordshire, and Melbourne House, London, for Lord Melbourne, with Sir [[William Chambers (architect)|William Chambers]] ({{circa|1772–75}}).

===Gallery of Chippendale furniture===
<gallery>
File:Diana and Minerva Commode by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, mahogany and exotic woods, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01815.jpg|Diana and Minerva Commode, 1773, mahogany and exotic woods, State Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Dressing Commode with Three Graces, Chippendale, late 1700s, marquetry on satinwood with rosewood insets - Yellow Drawing Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01891.jpg|Dressing Commode with Three Graces, late 1700s, marquetry on satinwood with rosewood insets – Yellow Drawing Room – Harewood House
File:State Bed by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, carved and gilt wood, silk damask, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01808.jpg|State Bed, 1773, carved and gilt wood, silk damask, State Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Mirror by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1778, giltwood - Gallery - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02012.jpg|Mirror (one of a pair), {{circa|1778}}, giltwood – Gallery – Harewood House
File:Secretaire by Thomas Chippendale, 1770s, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01819.jpg|Secretaire, 1770s, State Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Armchair by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, giltwood , State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01812.jpg|Armchair, 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Clothes press, Chippendale, 1700s - East Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01746.jpg|Clothes press, 1700s – East Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Chair with Lascelles crest, Thomas Chippendale, 1700s - Entrance Hall - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02088.jpg|Chair (one of a suite) with Lascelles crest, 1700s – Entrance Hall – Harewood House
File:Commode, Chippendale, 1700s - East Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01743.jpg|Commode, 1700s – East Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Pedestal and urn, by Thomas Chippendale, mid 1700s, for use as a plate warmer - State Dining Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02026.jpg|Pedestal and urn (one of a pair), mid 1700s, for use as a plate warmer – State Dining Room – Harewood House
File:Pier table, origin unknown, with cellaret by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1771, rosewood and ormolu - State Dining Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC02030.jpg|Pier table, origin unknown, with cellaret by Thomas Chippendale, {{circa|1771}}, rosewood and ormolu – State Dining Room – Harewood House
File:Pier table by Thomas Chippendale, c. 1779, giltwood with marble and scagliola top - Gallery - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01985.jpg|Pier table (one of a pair) {{circa|1779}}, giltwood with marble and scagliola top – Gallery – Harewood House
File:Mirror by Thomas Chippendale, 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01817.jpg|Mirror (one of a pair), 1773, giltwood, State Bedroom – Harewood House
File:Arm chair, Thomas Chippendale, c. 1771, wood, yellow Morocco leather - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01591.jpg|Arm chair, (one of a set), {{circa|1771}}, wood, yellow Morocco leather – Harewood House
File:Cabinet, Thomas Chippendale, 1700s, mahogany - Lord Harewood's Sitting Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01784.jpg|Cabinet, 1700s, mahogany – Lord Harewood's Sitting Room – Harewood House
File:Japanned cabinet, Chippendale, 1 of 2 - Cinnamon Drawing Room - Harewood House - West Yorkshire, England - DSC01931.jpg|Japanned cabinet, (one of a pair) – Cinnamon Drawing Room – Harewood House
File:WLA vanda The Garrick Bed.jpg|[[David Garrick]]'s bed, {{circa|1775}},  The bed was reduced from a double to a single in the 1860s, now in the V&A Museum
File:Chippendale Desk.jpg|A [[Chinese Chippendale (architecture)|Chinese Chippendale]] desk
</gallery>

== Collaborations ==
Chippendale's ''Director'' was used by many other cabinet makers. Consequently, recognisably "Chippendale" furniture was produced in Dublin, Philadelphia, Lisbon, Copenhagen and Hamburg. [[Catherine the Great]] and [[Louis XVI]] both possessed copies of the ''Director'' in its French edition.{{Sfn | Gilbert | 1978 | p = xvii}}  The Director shows four main styles: English with deep carving, elaborate French rococo in the style of Louis XV furniture, Chinese style with latticework and lacquer, and Gothic with pointed arches, [[quatrefoil]]s and fret-worked legs. His favourite wood was [[mahogany]]; in seat furniture he always used solid wood rather than [[Wood veneer|veneers]].

==Thomas Chippendale the younger==
The workshop was continued by his son, [[Thomas Chippendale, the younger]] (1749–1822), who worked in the later Neoclassical and [[Regency architecture|Regency]] styles, "the rather slick delicacy of [[Robert Adam|Adam]]'s final phase", as Christopher Gilbert assessed it.{{Sfn | Gilbert | 1978 | p = I, 122}}  A bankruptcy and sale of remaining stock in the St. Martin's Lane premises in 1804 did not conclude the company's latest phase, as the younger Chippendale supplied furniture to [[Sir Richard Colt Hoare]] at [[Stourhead]] until 1820.{{Sfn | Edwards | Jourdain | 1955 | p = 88}}

==Pop culture==
Created by [[The Walt Disney Company]] in 1943, the names [[Chip 'n' Dale]] (lead characters in ''[[Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (TV series)|Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers]]'') are a pun on Chippendale.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bowett |first1=Adam |last2=Lomax |first2=James |title=Thomas Chippendale |date=2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury|quote=The name Chippendale was adopted for a variety of unlikely commercial products because it had guaranteed brand recognition. 'Chip' and 'Dale' were two chipmunk cartoon characters created by the Walt Disney Company}}</ref> He is briefly mentioned by name in the opening of the 2022 film ''[[Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers (film)|Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers]]''.

A Chippendale commode is the centre of the story in [[Roald Dahl]]'s "[[Parson's Pleasure (short story)|Parson's Pleasure]]", a 1980 episode of ''[[Tales of the Unexpected (TV series)|Tales of the Unexpected]]''.

==See also==
* [[Chinese Chippendale (architecture)]] for architectural details inspired by Chippendale's work
* [[Chippendale Society]]
* [[Thomas Elfe]]
* [[List of furniture designers]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Thomas Chippendale}}
* {{cite book | first = Ralph | last = Edwards | first2 = Margaret | last2 = Jourdain | year = 1955 | title = Georgian Cabinet-Makers}}.
* {{cite book | first = Christopher | last = Gilbert | year = 1978 | title = The Life and Work of Thomas Chippendale | type = 2 vols. | place = New York | publisher = Macmillan}}. The standard work.
* {{cite DNB|wstitle=Chippendale, Thomas|first=Ernest |last=Radford|volume= 10}}
* [http://www.thechippendalesociety.co.uk/  The Chippendale Society].
* [https://www.architecturelab.net/chippendale-furniture/  What the Chippendale Furniture is and How to Identify It], [https://www.uauim.ro/galerie/proiecte/971/ Architect Anton Giuroiu], Architecture lab, [[Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism]], Bucharest, Romania.
* [http://www.collecting20thcentury.com/articles/Thomas-Chippendale-The-Legend.html Thomas Chippendale – The Legend!], Collecting 20th century.
* [http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/DLDecArts.ChippGentCab  ''Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director''], 1st ed., 1754 – the University of Wisconsin's Digital Library for the Decorative Arts and Material Culture.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chippendale, Thomas}}
[[Category:1718 births]]
[[Category:1779 deaths]]
[[Category:People educated at Prince Henry's Grammar School, Otley]]
[[Category:British cabinetmakers]]
[[Category:Designers from Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English furniture designers]]
[[Category:English interior designers]]
[[Category:English non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:18th-century English people]]
[[Category:English male non-fiction writers]]
[[Category:History of furniture]]