The Subscribers may be assured that Number XXVI. of this Work, will be published very speedily; and Mr. Chippendale hopes to make amends for this Delay, by presenting them with near ONE HUNDRED NEW DESIGNS, instead of F I F T Y, which he first proposed.

He takes this Opportunity of Thanking his worthy Subscribers for the Approbation they have shown in regard to this Publication; and the kind Reception it has met with determines him to spare no Pain or Cost, to render it as elegant and as useful a Work .is it is in his Power to do.

Nothing further appears until June 17, 1760, when Number XXVI was advertised.

And on July 26, 1760, appears the following advertisement:

CHIPPENDALE'S DESIGNS. T . B E C K E T , Bookseller, at Tullys Head, near Surry-Strert, in the Strand:

Begs Leave to acquaint the Nobility, Gentry and others. Subscribers to Mr. CHIPPENDALE'S elegant Designs of HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, in the newest and most fashionable Taste, that the New ones are now finished; and that Number XXVI. of that Curious Work will be published on Saturday next, and continued Weekly, without Interruption until the Whole is finished.

The first twenty-five Numbers may be had together; or any Person may begin with No. 1, and continue them Weekly; and those that will be pleated to give in their Names and Place of Abode, may depend on having the Numbers regularly sent by their Most obedient humble Servant,

T. BECKET. Strand, July 26, 1760.

On July 31, 1760, the following advertisement appeared, which was continued for subsequent numbers until September 19, 1761:

This Day was published, Price 1s.

No. XXVI. Consisting of four elegant Designs.

(To be continued Weekly).

THE GENTLEMAN'S and CABINET-MAKER's DIRECTOR. Containing a great Variety of Designs of Household Furniture in the newest and most fashionable Taste. This Work will consist of 200 Copper-plates (containing upwards of 500 Designs) elegantly engraved by the best Masters, and printed on Royal Paper, and will be comprised in fifty Numbers.

In the Course of this Work will be exhibited several New Designs of Organs, Chimney-pieces both Architectal and Ornamental; with various Designs of ornamental Brass-work for Furniture, Stoves, Grates, Chandeliers, Lanthorns etc. etc.

Proper Directions will be given for executing every Design; the Mouldings are at large; and the exact Dimensions of each Design specified. The whole intended as a complete Assistant to the Nobility and Gentry in the Choice of their Furniture; as well as a Work of general Use to the Artificer, who may be greatly instructed thereby.

By T. CHIPPENDALE, Cabinet-Maker, in St. Martin's-Lane.

Printed for the Author; and sold by T. Becket, at Tully's Head, near Surry-Street in the Strand.

Any Person may begin with No. 1, and be supplied Weekly, by applying as above.

The Price of this Work, when completed will be raised to Non subscribers. No Copies will be sold under Three Guineas in Sheets.

And on March 16, 1762, the final advertisement appears, showing that the book could be obtained in different volumes, or bound in one:

This day was published Dedicated to his Royal Highness, Prince William, the second Volume, price 1 £ 10 s in sheets of THE GENTLEMAN'S and CABINET MAKER'S DIRECTOR By THOMAS CHIPPENDALE, Cabinet Maker & Upholsterer in St. Martin's Lane.

This Volume contains 106 new Folio Copper Plates, and upwards of 260 Designs of the most curious Pieces of Household Furniture, both useful and ornamental, with some designs of Chimney Pieces, Stove-grates, Organs, Frets, Borders for Paper Hangings etc. This may be had complete, the two volumes bound in one, containing 200 Folio Copper Plates with 400 different Designs, Price 2 £ 12 s, 6 d, in Sheets. As this Work abounds with a great Variety of elegant Designs every Gentleman will have it in his Power to make his own Choice with respect to the Furniture wanted and will be enabled to point out such his Choice to the Workman, who with common Capacity may easily execute the same the Rules being plain and easy. Printed for the Author; and sold by T. Becket and P. A. de Hondt at Tully's Head in the Strand.

The third edition is much more commonly found than the first, and is almost invariably found bound in one large volume. It has been thought worth while to dwell at some length upon the publication of this work, not only because it was the most elaborate and important work on the subject produced in England, but also because it never has before been noted that the book was first issued in parts.

Chippendale's originality lay in his ability to combine inconsistent styles in a harmonious whole. His workmanship and skill as a carver were of the highest order. He was daring in his designs, and many of the pieces shown in his book would be thought impossible of execution but for the fact that they do exist. On his pieces in French taste he would carve wood where the French would use ormolu. On his Chinese pieces he would introduce entirely new mouldings, such as the knuckle-bone pattern, and on his Gothic pieces lie-would put a touch of the Chinese.

His versatility was amazing. His designs show a range from the simple lines of the Dutch school through the rococo, Gothic, and Chinese to the classic, and here and there are exquisite pieces suggesting the Louis XIV school.

It has been the fashion of late years to decry the work of Chippendale, hut this is largely because few really know his work. They see only the countless articles of furniture copied by the local cabinet-makers of that day from his designs. One has but to see a veritable piece of Chippendale's best period to feel that he stands in the presence of the work of a master designer and a master cabinet-maker.

Figure 2. Chippendale Commode, French taste, 1750-60.

Figure 2 shows one of a pair of Chippendale commodes in Chippendale's pure French taste. It will be seen that not only is the front curved, but also the sides, and the piece is in such perfect proportion that the ornamentation, which on a less well-proportioned piece would be excessive, merely enhances its beauty.

The carving on the legs and ends has the sharpness of ormolu and illustrates the perfection to which carving can be carried. The pendent ribbons and flowers are also of wood.