Furniture Today Part 1 An inside story by Jeremy Broun, who was amongst a handful of pioneers of the 1970s Furniture Craft Revival. He uniquely documents this exciting ground breaking period, setting it against a historical backcloth of furniture dating back to the Magna Carta and covering the Milestones of Modern Design to focus on the designer maker revolution. This first part of a 3 part series leads up to the end of the 1970s.

Furniture images of designer makers: Fred Baier, Edward Barnsley, Jeremy Broun, Matthew Burt, Ashley Cartwright, John Coleman, David Colwell (Trannon), Jakki Dehn, David Field, Paul Gower, David Gregson, Martin Grierson, Ralph Hampton, Jeremy Higson, Robert Ingham, Richard La Trobe Bateman John Makepeace, Gareth Neal, Declan O'Donoghue, Alan Peters, Silver Lining Workshops, Andrew Varah, Joseph Walsh, Waywood Furniture, Rupert Williamson, Michael Wainwright, Tim Wells,Toby Winteringham.

Historical images:

Alvar Aalto, Robert Adam, Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Harry Bertoia, Marcel Breuer, Cassina, Thomas Chippendale, Terence Conran (Conran & Benchmark), Charles Eames, Eileen Gray, Ambrose Heal, IKEA, George Hepplewhite, Le Corbusier, Magistretti, Carl Malmsten, William Morris, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Gerrit Rietveld, Thomas Sheraton, Sottsass, Mies Van der Rohe, Hans Wegner.

Introduction

Jeremy Broun (in 2003) gives a personal appraisal of Furniture Today ‘in context’ demonstrating that it is no ‘here today gone tomorrow fashion thing’ but a quiet and solid underground movement that has been going on for the past 30 years or so, with its roots deep in history. He challenges such prejudices that old cannot mix with new or that old is better than new.

From Magna Carta to Victoriana

A snapshot diagrammatic tour of English Period Furniture History from Gothic dug out chests through to the 18th Century Golden Age of furniture and to the vulgarity of mass produced Victorian design, putting the furniture of today in a historical context.

Twentieth Century Design Milestones

Highlights of the major Design movements from Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and de Stihl to Scandinavian, Italian Memphis, Terence Conran and IKEA.

A brief history of designer makers 17 mins (from a lecture at CREATE 2005)

Jeremy Broun was one of a handful of pioneers of the 1970s British Craft Furniture Revival and gives a personal account. Makers include Rupert Williamson, Martin Grierson, David Field, Ashley Cartwright, David Colwell, Fred Baier, An interview with the crafts journalist/writer Peta Levi.

John Makepeace OBE

A brief profile of ‘The greatest living furniture designer maker today’ and his influence as an innovator and entrepreneur.

Alan Peters OBE

One of the few direct links with the Arts * Crafts Movement Peters is regarded as the craftsman’s craftsman. He talks to Jeremy Broun in 2005 (a clip from The Makers’ Maker).

There is one important oversight - Gordon Russell (covered in Furniture Today 3)

About Jeremy Broun

A brief biography of the author and his passion for wood, design and music

What they said about the original lectures: Would make a good TV series' (2002). 'An absolute must for anyone interested in modern furniture'.