Chats on Old Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors

"Chats on Old Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors" by Arthur Hayden is an early 20th-century guide that takes readers on a journey through antique furniture, with a strong emphasis on English designs and nods to French, Italian, Spanish, and Dutch influences. The book is a resource for collectors, giving them the knowledge they need to see the historical timeline of furniture design styles and their importance. It begins by setting a historical stage, stressing the necessity of understanding old furniture's features and history, especially as these pieces find their way into international collections. Hayden points out that furniture collecting has changed, and a refreshed respect for its past is needed before time and money affect it. He lays out the book's plan to cover different styles, and introduces the Renaissance period in Europe, looking at how it affected furniture design in England and shaped tastes in homes.