| JOURNAL
OF THE SOCIETY OF AMERICAN PERIOD FURNITURE MAKERS
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| "Period Productivity" Abstract: 19th century cabinetmaker's price books are used to determine the labor costs for making furniture. Conversion of money into time suggests average productivity for journeymen furniture makers. The Declaration of Independence not only transformed the Colonies into the United States, but also set in motion social changes which led to an immediate and dramatic transformation of the trade of cabinet making. The medieval guild system which produced titles such as "master" and "journeyman" was, for the first time, modified with a collective bargaining agreement, as it would be known today. As a result of increasing unrest and complaints within the trade, committees were formed which represented the interests of both the employers and employees, and these committees presented their findings in the form of price books. These price books, published in all major cities, were a direct result of the organization of labor, and acceptance of arbitration which led to "agreements based on a piecework system of remuneration." (1) The 1817 New York price guide notes in its preface, "The Committee have endeavoured to equalize the prices in such manner, that two men working at different pieces of work, will not be paid, one more than the other, which has been hitherto, in many instances, the cause of much jealousy among men, working for the same employer."(2) Charles Montgomery was one of the earliest scholars to point out the existence and significance of these price books, in his 1966 book, American Furniture: The Federal Period. He notes that "On August 1, 1792, the first-known printed American price book appeared in Hartford...obviously a retail price agreement of a group 'who have formed ourselves into a Society for the purposes of regulating the prices of our work; on the principle of dealing in CASH, and of establishing a uniformity in our trade for the general interest of ourselves and customers: ...Resolved, That we will strictly conform to the prices which are or shall be affixed to our work; a deviation therefrom, shall be deemed a forfeiture of word and honour.'" (3) Mr. Montgomery points out that there was an effort by these early Societies to create a "language of workmanship" which served to connect the journeymen from various cities into a fraternity, allowing workers to go from shop to shop and city to city with recognizable skills. Winterthur Museum and Library has a great collection of these price books, from London, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Norwich to Hartford, Baltimore, New York, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Indianapolis. The dates of the American price guides range from from the Hartford price book of 1792 quoted above to that of Indianapolis, published by the Cabinetmaker's Union in 1887. Each of these guides is a rich source of working information on how much it cost and how long it must have taken to do any and all of the jobs required to make furniture. Mr. Montgomery notes: "In addition to citing 'the precise sum...for every particular piece of workmanship,' price books also give the present-day student an accurate list of each form commonly made and the many variations of ornament or parts that were optional. Besides that, they offer another extraordinary piece of information for the collector, economist, and scholar--by deduction, the approximate length of time required to make any piece of furniture can be determined! Conveniently, the prevailing journeyman cabinetmaker wage scale of seven shillings, six pence (in both New York and Philadelphia, 1795-1810) figures out to one dollar a day. By extension, any piecework rate from a price book when converted to dollars is equivalent to the number of days required to make that piece of furniture."(4) Also conserved at Winterthur is the Dominy workshop and records, which provide a great deal of information on the typical productivity of a small rural wood working shop. In his book, With Hammer in Hand, Charles Hummel notes: "The Dominy's often valued their labor at from 7 shillings to 7 shillings 6 pence a day...the average price for a maple stand was 10 shillings, indicating that about a half day's labor (albeit a long day) went into turning, joining, and finishing...The most expensive pieces of furniture were those requiring much cabinetwork and little or no turning...The desk and bookcase made for John Lyon Gardiner in 1800 cost L20 8s...Allowing about one-third each for labor, materials, and profit, it appears that approximately twenty days were spent on this piece of furniture." (5)(Illustration: Hummel page 328) One difficulty with using the price books to determine actual productivity is the fluctuations in currency values over time and from region to region. Morrison Hecksher, in an unpublished Master's thesis, notes that 7 shillings 6 pence was equal to $1.00 and 1 pound 2 shillings 6 pence was equal to $3.00. Further, he concludes that the retail value of furniture was 33% fabrication (labor), 20% materials, and 47% profit (used to pay overhead, etc.).(6) Converting dollars to pounds, note that one English pound is 20 shillings, and one shilling is 12 pence, thus in 1800 one pound is equal to 2 dollars 66 and 2/3 cents. By 1828 wages had improved such that a worker was paid 1 dollar 33 and 1/3 cents a day, for an 11 hour day. Since all workers worked 6 days a week, this meant that a journeyman furniture maker could earn $8.00 in a 66 hour work week. By 1830 the hourly rate had risen to 12.5 cents an hour and the work day had reduced to 10 hours a week, but the 6 day work week remained in effect. It is important to note that design and complexity of the furniture forms evolved as well over time and from city to city. Thus the prices listed for standard forms must be considered in context to the current taste for fashion. Each price guide lists a brief description for each form of furniture, and the variations in details are reflected in the prices. As examples of how the price books can be used to calculate average productivity of the pre industrial worker, consider the following common forms: A PLAIN FOUR DRAWER BUREAU 1802 New York, "A plain Dressing Chest or Bureau. Three feet six inches long, two feet seven inches high between the mouldings; four drawers in ditto; the front veneer'd and cock-beaded or a single string; the top edge of the drawer fronts slipt with mahogany; the top thickened up, and a moulding round ditto, or cross banded with a string in each corner, on common brackets,...L2 s12 d0." This price converts to $6.93 or works out to 57 hours. 1811 Philadelphia, "A Straight Front Bureau. Three feet long, two feet six inches high on the carcase, the ends one foot seven inches wide, four drawers in ditto, cock-beaded, astragal on the edge of the top, or the edge veneered on fast plinth, or common brackets, all solid,...$6.32." This price works out to 52 hours. 1817 New York, "A Bureau. Three feet six inches long, two feet seven inches high, including top and bottom rails; four long drawers, slipped and veneered; the top thickened up, and edge of ditto banded; the ends solid, the front edges of ditto and rails banded, on plain stump feet formed by the ends, or plain tapered stumps framed in, the front of ditto veneered, front and top polished...L3 s6 d0." This price converts to $8.80 and works out to 72.5 hours. 1828 Philadelphia, "Plain Bureau with Turned Feet. A bureau three feet six inches long, framing two feet six inches high, ends one foot eight inches wide, ends and back framed, with one pannel each, with four long drawers, the top edge of drawer fronts slipped, and fronts plain veneered, with locks and handles on do. the top thickened up, and flat banded...$6.00." Total time: 49.5 hours. 1830 Pittsburgh, "A Plain Bureau. Made of cherry, three feet four inches and a half long, three feet high in framing, ends eighteen inches wide, with three long drawers, all solid, edge of top square...$4.50." Total time only 36 hours. 1834 New York, (Same description as 1817), price reduced to $6.70, which equals 53.5 hours. 1836 Cincinnati, "A Cherry Bureau. Three feet six inches long, two feet seven inches high, in framing nineteen inches wide, four long drawers, and ends back frame with one panel...$5.00." This piece took 40 hours to make. At the same time, "A Mahogany Bureau. A plain straight front, three feet six inches long, two feet seven inches high, in framing, ends nineteen inches wide, ends and back framed with one panel each, four long drawers, solid top, front plain veneered...$6.75." Time: 54 hours. The eight examples listed above represent a standard form, which was frequently in demand, and span the first four decades of the 19th century. Considering that the form evolved during that time, and that tastes certainly varied from city to city, it is instructive to note that the average time required to produce the average bureau was 52 hours. Closer examination of the price books indicates that it took about 7 hours to make a drawer for this bureau, or 28 hours for four. Thus, the time allowed to frame the carcase was 24 hours. A PILLAR AND CLAW DINING TABLE 1802 New York, "A Pillar and Claw Dining Table. Four feet long, two feet wide; a solid block; screw'd to the top; three claws, as No. 2 in plate...L1 s2 d0." This price converts to $3.10 and equals 25.5 hours of work. 1811 Philadelphia, "A Pillar and Claw Dining Table. Four feet long, two feet wide, solid block screwed to the top, three claws as No. 1...$2.94." This works out to 24 hours. 1817 New York, "A Pillar and Claw Dining Table. Four feet long, two feet wide, three claws, as in plate No. 2, figure 1; a solid block screwed to the top, one foot four inches long, ten inches wide, upper side of top polished...L1 s11 d6." Converting to dollars gives $4.20 and represents 34.5 hours. 1828 Philadelphia, "Pillar and Claw Breakfast Table. The top to contain fourteen superficial feet, or under, framing five inches deep, one drawer in do. single flys, square edges to the top leaves hung with rule joints, four claws with castors as No. 1, dovetailed in the pillar...$6.00." Time necessary: 49.5 hours. 1830 Pittsburgh, "A Pillar and Claw Breakfast Table. Made of cherry, three feet two inches long, to open three feet nine inches wide, or under, frame four and a half inches deep with two swivels to support leaves, four claws, as No. 1, dovetailed in pillar, corners of top rounded, with square edge...$4.50." This is equal to 36 hours of time. 1830 Pittsburgh, "A Square Pillar and Claw Dining Table. Made of cherry, three feet nine inches long, to open five feet, or under, framing five inches deep, with four plain claws dovetailed in pillar, as No.1. edges of top square, with one fly joint on each side, all solid...$5.25." More work than the previous table, and more time necessary: 42 hours. 1834 New York, "A Pillar and Claw Dining Table. Four feet long, two feet wide, three claws as in plate No. 2, figure 1, a solid block screwed to the top, one foot four inches long, ten inches wide, upper side of the top polished...$3.87." 31 hours. 1836 Cincinnati, "A Square Dining Table. Three feet eight inches long, four feet four inches wide, when open the framing five inches deep, hung with rule joints, four fast and two fly legs, square edge to top...$3.45." Note there is no pedestal or claws and the time is reduced to 28 hours. The average time required for the journeyman to fabricate the "average" dining table made between 1800 and 1840 is 34 hours. A PLAIN SOFA As a final example, consider the plain sofa form. Note, however, that there was much more flexibility and variation of details in this form then the simple bureau or dining table. In addition to the prices quoted for making the sofa, there were other costs, not mentioned in the price books for polishing and upholstery, both of which were special trades. 1802 New York, "A Plain Square Sofa, No.I. Six feet six inches long; straight front; eight plain legs; two sweeps in the arms for stuffing over the rails...L1 s8 d0." Converting to dollars gives $3.75 and equals 31 hours. 1802 New York, "A Square Back Sofa, No. II. Six feet six inches long; straight front; eight plain legs; two sweeps in the arms; mahogany on the top and down the sweeps...L2 s0 d0." Add mahogany trim and increase the price to $5.33 or 44 hours. 1811 Philadelphia, "A Plain Sofa. Six feet long, made for stuffing over the rail, with six plain legs, and short mahogany stump elbows on the front legs...$3.90." Time required: 32 hours. 1828 Philadelphia, "A Plain Sofa. Six feet on the seat, straight back, with inch mahogany glued on to form the scroll, scroll No.1, back and front all solid on four turned stump feet, tenons prepared by the turner...$5.00." Time required: 40 hours. 1830 Pittsburgh, "Sofa. All solid, six feet long on the seat, one foot ten inches wide, straight back, inch mahogany glued on to form a scroll. Scroll arms as No. 1 on four turned stump feet...$5.50" Time necessary: 44 hours. Using the same procedure as in the previous examples, it is determined that the "average" plain sofa required 38 hours to make. Once the sofa was made, additional costs were required for the polishing and upholstery before it could be sold. CONCLUSION As scholars in the field of Decorative Arts, it is necessary to study the surviving examples of early furniture forms to gain a deeper comprehension of how and why they were made. As period furniture makers it is important to understand and work with original tools which were used by all furniture makers to practice their trade. By using the important information contained in the Price Books, a deeper understanding and appreciation of the work ethics and skill common among period journeymen can be gained. I wish to thank Eleanor Thompson, National Endowment for the Humanities Librarian, Winterthur Museum, for her personal assistance in the research for this paper. She may be contacted at nthompson@winterthur.org.
1. Montgomery p.19 Montgomery, Charles F., American Furniture: The Federal Period,
New York, The Viking Press, 1966 Hecksher, Morrison H., The Organization and Practice of Philadelphia Cabinetmaking Establishments 1790-1820, Unpublished Master's Thesis, University of Delaware, 1964 Hummel, Charles F., With Hammer in Hand, The University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1968 Price Books:
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