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| Jeffrey Greene
His pieces are crafted entirely by hand, employing all the methods of period cabinetmakers to guarantee authenticity of the design and structure. Greene’s furniture is made to order and is commissioned to stand among collections of original examples. He works alone to give each piece the full attention it requires and deserves. Having had the opportunity to study original examples by the Townsends and Goddards in detail, Greene is able to work in the individual style of each of the family members. For instance, his Goddard corner chair has ball and claw feet carved in the exact style of John Goddard. His replica of a John Townsend highboy has not only Townsend's signature Newport shell and feet, but drawer dovetails cut in Townsend's manner as well. He clearly relishes the "art, trade, and mystery" of the craft. Jeffrey Greene has twenty-five years experience as a furnituremaker and over one thousand pieces to his credit. His work has appeared in Traditional Home, Architectural Digest, Decorating Magazine, Colonial Homes, Early American Life, Fine Woodworking, Home Furniture, In the 18th Century Style, and The Custom Furniture Source Book, among others Greene is the author of American Furniture of the 18th Century: History, Technique, Structure. The book documents the evolution of furniture design, tying its development to larger trends in art, architecture, and popular taste. It explores the whole fabric of artistry and craftsmanship by examining details of construction and furniture-making techniques of the period. American Furniture of the 18th Century is of interest to antiquarians, designers, woodworkers, and anyone with an interest in history. (See Books) On 25 Years in the Craft This
year marks Jeffrey Greene’s twenty-fifth year as a furnituremaker.
While other makers have
become manufacturers or teachers, he has remained an individual maker focused on creating exemplary furniture. He is always
surprised by the number of furniture makers who don’t actually make furniture. Modern commerce brings with it the anonymity of distance and electronic communication. It is easy to offer an impressive image while the underlying substance is unclear and sometimes deceptive, but there can be no substitute for a substantial body of work that has been built over decades. On one website the "maker" is actually selling pieces be buys from someone else and on another machine-made kits are assembled and sold as handcrafted examples (their painfully erroneous historical commentary always gives them away). As you browse this online portfolio, remember that the same two hands made every facet of each piece: period. This is the body of work at the level of craftsmanship Greene set out to create twenty-five years ago. With
a high level of craftsmanship must come a high level of authenticity.
Working in historically important designs requires a familiarity with the
individual methods and styles of the original makers.
Without that insight the result can be an uninspired and unconvincing copy.
Because of Greene's fluency in the Newport style, his pieces are sought by collectors to stand among important
originals. A recent article in Art & Antiques pictured a Newport
six-shell secretaire (right) and identified the maker as John Goddard; actually it was
made by Jeffrey Greene 240 years later. Quod
erat demonstrandum. This work is expensive and often requires a wait, two more casualties of modern commerce. While some pieces are available for immediate sale, it is not uncommon for customers to wait two years for a custom-built piece of Jeffrey Greene’s furniture. Their patience will be rewarded by the satisfaction of owning a piece well worth waiting for and enjoying it for generations. Inspection Services for Originals Because of Greene’s expertise in Newport furniture and the specific work of the individual Goddard and Townsend craftsmen, he is often asked to verify the originality of period pieces. With original antiques commanding unprecedented prices, owners and prospective buyers need an independent and unbiased opinion of a piece’s condition. Many fine originals have been tarnished by casually offered and unfounded opinions, while seriously compromised pieces have gone undetected. As a prolific furniture maker, Greene views a piece from a unique perspective and with a first-hand ability to understand makers’ marks. His examinations of originals have yielded surprising information, even on well-vetted examples. He has found both previously unnoticed signatures and replacements of major parts, both of which have significantly affected the value of the pieces. For better or worse, he makes sure his conclusions are based on physical evidence, not wishful thinking. Greene charges a flat fee for the examination and condition report, based solely on his time and travel. Please call for information. Some notes about the furniture and information shown on the website:
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While
some makers subcontract parts, he personally handcrafts everything from
beginning to end, from selecting the wood to the final polish. 