How master carvers brought classical Greek motifs to New York furniture
In short: Watch professional craftsman Allan Breed demonstrate the intricate art of low-relief carving. This video explores the delicate techniques used to create the symbolic thunderbolt and bowknot motifs found on elite early American furniture.
The video examines the specialized low-relief carving found on Grecian-style chairs and sofas produced in the Duncan Phyfe workshop before 1820. Specifically, it features Allan Breed demonstrating how to carve a bowknot and thunderbolt crest—an attribute of the Greek god Zeus.
Records show this particular pattern on three pieces of furniture produced in 1807 for the affluent New York trader William Bayard (1761–1826). The presence of three distinct carving styles on these pieces suggests that Phyfe either maintained a staff of three carvers or utilized a specialized subcontracting shop to handle the intricate detail work.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Duncan Phyfe Low-Relief Carving: Craftsman Allan Breed Carves a Bow Knot and Thunderbolt Crest
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