About this objectThe book of the chair by F.W. Phillips written in 1913.
Frederick W. Phillips was a naturalist and antiquarian who purchased the Georgian era Manor House on Bancroft in Hitchin in 1883. The Manor House became the Phillips family antique shop which was run by many generations until 2020. The Phillips family specialised in Georgian antiques (mostly furniture), in this case F.W. Phillips uses his expertise to write about chairs.
F.W. Phillips writes that he wants this book to be an introduction to young collectors on how to differentiate old English furniture. He chose to write about chairs as "it is in these that the different styles of furniture can be most clearly seen". Phillips advises the reader to trace the shapes of chairs from the drawings within the book onto thin tracing paper to help remember them. He suggests the reader test themselves by taking this book to the Victoria and Albert Museum and using their knowledge try to date the eras of each piece without looking at labels.
The illustrations within this booklet are of chairs that either were or had been present within The Manor House at the time of writing.
Objects 2020.30.1-10 were donated in March 2020 by the last Phillips to operate the family business.
