Furniture of the Pilgrim Century, 1620-1720; Including Colonial Utensils and Hardware (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 Excerpt: ...country are like beds in that they never attain to the rich elaboration seen in England, a condition to be expected in a new country. It is known that in some instances nine generations have been rocked in the same cradle. Not only so, but many successive infants, in one generation. It is probably not too much to suppose that forty babes may have slumbered in the Fuller cradle we have pictured on page 315. A PENNSYLVANIAN Stenciled Cradle, owned by Mr. I. Sack. This stenciling is done on the ends and sides in rosettes of parti-colors. Other examples in considerable numbers are known. This cradle has holes pierced in the base of the frame through which ropes are drawn in the manner of the corded bed. The author noticed in the basement of the Metropolitan Museum a wainscot chair, the bottom of which had been similarly roped. It was an ancient and popular device in common use within forty years, but the origin of it is not known, as it probably reaches back to a very ancient time. The cradle before us is of pine as are most of the simple cradles. Date: 1710-50. The older the cradle the deeper the sides, presumably for greater protection against cold gusts. The cradle was drawn near the fireplace, its foot to the fire. Some examples show slight charring. The connection between rocking chairs and cradles is suggestive of the origin of the rocking chair. An Englishman of our acquaintance stated that his mother bounced back and forth as she fondled him in a chair without rockers, whose posts were worn in a rounded form as a consequence. Rockers seem to have obtained popularity in America only, and it is very probable that they were introduced in connection with the care of children. To this day such chairs in England are spoken of as American rockers. A PANELED Cr...