The Byrdcliffe tall case clock, in situ at White Pines
The good thing about the internet is the access it provides to images and resources. Twenty years ago when I was working on my first book Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture, finding good images to use as references was a chore, and I did a lot of the work with scanned images from old books and auction catalogs. That task was far easier for my latest book Shop Drawings for Byrdcliffe Furniture but it still required a lot of detective work. Off and on for eight years I searched the internet for images of Byrdcliffe Furniture that I hadn’t seen before. I’m fortunate to have a job where searching for interesting things online is called “research”. The bad thing about the internet is that you can never be sure you’re done. Last winter, as I was putting the new book together I decided it would be a good time for one more search. That proved to be a good decision as I came across a blog called “All I Need Is My Passport”.
There is a photographic tour of the Byrdcliffe colony that is well worth looking at. When you’ve had your fill of that, the rest of the site takes you on a tour of the world focusing on World Heritage Sites, art and architecture. Among the excellent photos were two pictures of Byrdcliffe furniture pieces that are rarely seen; the tall case clock and the dining table and chairs made for the home of the founders of Byrdcliffe, Ralph and Jane Whitehead. These pieces are seen in the home of the Whiteheads, where they have been since the early 1900s.
The original dining table and chairs, made in the Byrdcliffe colony in the early 1900s.
I quickly realized that the inclusion of these photos would be a valuable addition to my work, and reached out to the photographer/author of the blog. After a bit of correspondence, she graciously agreed to allow the use of her images. In my work I try to give credit where credit is due, and point people to the resources that I use.
My thanks to Cindy, both for these images and for the opportunity to see places in the world I likely will never see in person. I encourage my readers to visit “All I Need Is My Passport” and enjoy.
If you’re intrigued by the furniture from the Byrdcliffe colony, and the story behind its design and creation you can order a signed copy of Shop Drawings for Byrdcliffe Furniture directly from me.