FIRST HALF 18TH CENTURY

In the period prior to 1700 English furniture underwent several influeneces from the continent, in particular from Holland, whereas in the period thereafter an oppsite current developed, with Dutch furniture gradually absorbing more influences from England. Dutch cabinet-makers rapidly emulated a number of well-known types of Ducth furniture, embellished with strking walnut veneers. it is interesting that the guild records of the The hague, for instance, indicate that, between 1711 and 1762, cabinet-makers working in that city were required to produce an 'English cabinet' as their masterpiece. These records also include the names of two English men, John Lywood and John Simney, who submitted their masterpieces in 1722 and 1723 respectively. (Th.H. Lunsingh Scheurleer, 'The Low Countries' in H. Hayward (ed.), World Furniture, London, 1975, p. 166)