Articles

Articles

"Occasionally we will write or post articles related to the decorative arts community. The goal is to share knowledge and contribute towards the appreciation of the objects and the community that supports them."

The opportunity to pursue fine examples of early American furniture has never been better than it is now.  With so many options in the market, enthusiasts should be patient and dogged in their evaluation of any object they hope to obtain.

In April 2008, I wrote an article outlining the criteria for evaluation of any American period piece of furniture.  In the spirit of...

The literal translation of the Japanese word Suiseki (sue-ee-sek-ee) simply means water stone. However, in the language of the heart the meaning is far more complex. For the past 2,000 years artists, scholars and poets alike have devoted their entire beings attempting to capture the meaning and mystique of these extraordinary natural creations.

What is this strange power they possess...

Chester, PA is the poorest community in Delaware County with a median per capita income of $13,400, and ranks among the poorest cities in the nation.  Chester students are underserved educationally; more than 50% of matriculating freshmen at Chester High School drop out, and most of those who graduate do not receive an adequate education.  The Chester Upland School District is ranked...

Louis B. Sloan was a well respected instructor and local artist that graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Art and taught there for 35 years.  Sloan was known for being a talented artist and a kind and patient teacher.  Before his death in 2008, he had created a beautiful landscape of Chester County he entitled...

We are heading into our fourth year of “the Unveiling”, a leading Americana consignment sale. Conducted for just one weekend in February, attendees have had the opportunity to view hundreds of objects not previously on the market, sometimes for decades. In the three previous years we have conducted the sale, we have sold over 75 pieces worth over $1,000,000 in just 5 days.

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Philadelphia became the Windsor chair capital of the Colonies and took the British design to new heights making it a truly American furniture form. The very best of those Windsor chairmakers includes Joseph Henzey who helped define the American Windsor style. Many examples of his work can fortunately be seen and studied today. This article looks at several of his early chairs and describes a...

EAST GOSHEN — Displayed in an unprepossessing building off Paoli Pike next weekend will be a Chester County spice box with a tombstone door, a tall case clock by New England clockmaker Aaron Willard with a Paul Revere label and a diminuitive Philadelphia Chippendale chest of drawers.

These are among the objects for sale at HL Chalfant’s fourth annual Unveiling, an American...

To view this article with images and a catalog of available work, please download the PDF below or email us to request a printed catalog.

Few women...

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It’s been awhile since I have attended a three-man exhibit. They’re not that common, presumably because of the logistics. Small group shows are a lot more work than single or even  dual artists shows, partly because galleries generally strive to...

The Chester County and Brandywine Valley regions have been blessed with a long and prominent history of supporting the arts. Among the many wonderful artists that have emerged from this region are Richard Chalfant, John Suplee, and...