Federal Furniture

Take a Step Back in Time with Easy Instructions for Building 18th Century Pieces

The end of the 18th century was a fascinating time in American history. With the end of the Revolutionary War in 1781 and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution seven years later, the country was embarking on one of the most radical political experiments in history.

As the U.S. laid the groundwork for the Industrial Revolution, the arts began to bear influence of the era. The emerging style, produced from 1790 to 1820, is known as Federal.

In this comprehensive guide, expert woodworker Michael Dunbar provides complete, illustrated instructions for replicating Federal style tables, chairs, beds, chests, mirrors, desks and candlestands.

By addressing Federal furniture from the point of view of those who lived through the time as well as the perspective of the craftsmen who built the furniture, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in history, antiques and that era.

For more expert woodworking guidance, be sure to get Mike's other books, Make a Windsor Chair (paperback, ISBN 978-1-63561-768-9), and Easy Woodworking Projects (hardcover, 978-1-63561-768-9), both published by Echo Point Books.

The end of the 18th century, post-Revolutionary War, was a fascinating time in American history. This comprehensive guide covers the Federal style of the period, with step-by-step instructions for building furniture from this formative era. Learn from a master woodworker as he devotes 20 chapters to tables, chests, candlestands and more.
A master country woodworker, Michael Dunbar has written many books on Windsor chairs, hand tools, and Federal-style furniture, taught country woodworking and Windsor chair-building techniques at his school, The Windsor Institute, and at seminars around the country. Throughout his career as a craftsman he created the country's most sought-after Windsor chairs, one at a time, in his small shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Though now retired from teaching, Mike still sells chair turnings and seat blanks; more information can be found at his web site, http: //www.thewindsorinstitute.com.