An American icon Duncan Phyfe

shop , warehouse on 168-172 fulton street, new york city.

by time of marriage in 1793, appears in new york directories joiner, 1794 called himself cabinetmaker , had changed spelling of name phyfe. opened own business in 1794 , listed cabinetmaker in new york directory , register. first shop on 2 broad street, later moved partition street (later renamed fulton street in 1817 in honor of robert fulton), stayed rest of life.

a poor immigrant when arrived in america native scotland, phyfe acquired wealth , fame through hard work, exceptional talent , support of patrons. come count among clients of nation s wealthiest , storied families. throughout first half of nineteenth century made neoclassical furniture social , mercantile elite of new york, philadelphia, , american south particularly popular. known during lifetime united states rage , day remains america s best-known cabinetmaker. establishing reputation purveyor of luxury designing high-quality furniture.

his personal style, characterized superior proportions, balance, symmetry, , restraint, became new york local style. many apprentices , journeymen exposed distinctive style serving stint in phyfe shop or copying master cabinetmaker s designs helped create , sustain local school of cabinetmaking. demand phyfe s work reached peak between 1805 , 1820, although remained dominant figure in trade until 1847, when retired @ age of seventy-seven. within short span of single generation, however, work of master forgotten until revival in 1920s, when different furniture companies replicated designs several decades.

he became known 1 of america s leading cabinetmakers selling furniture @ relatively low prices. phyfe’s work encompassed broad range of period’s neoclassical styles, starting earliest furnitures— bear influence of 18th-century british predecessors thomas sheraton , thomas hope— continuing regency, federal, empire , ending late simplified designs in grecian plain style.

james duncan phyfe, fife s second son.

between 1837 , 1847, duncan phyfe took 2 sons, michael , james, business partners , firm went under names d. phyfe & sons (1837–1840) , after michael s premature death, d. phyfe & son (1840–1847). during latter , final stages of business’s history perhaps greatest challenge phyfe ever faced emerged; how cope new wave of historical revival styles. in 1840, 1 southern planter came new york columbia, south carolina, observed wife in letter phyfes behind times in style (they were) in price. because phyfes adhered classicist language until end, never engaged emerging historical revival styles (e.g. baroque, gothic, rococo, etc.) began in 1830s.

duncan phyfe , son james closed down family business in 1847 after fifty-five years in trade. held auction of remaining contents of furniture warehouse. auctioneer halliday & jenkins.

because phyfe s furniture seldom signed, yet imitated, difficult determine accuracy works made. interred @ green-wood cemetery in brooklyn, new york.