Expert: Eileen Cronk - 9/20/2006

Question
I have a handcarved - seems to be cherry - Duncan Pfife loveseat numbered 129.

Could this be the real deal.  An orignal DF.

Larry Sparks

Answer
Hi Larry
Nice to hear from you.
I found this bit of history on Duncan Phyfe

The world of antiques is littered with famous maker’s names and one of those names is Duncan Fife (or Phyfe). Any given weekend you can find an auction that offers a piece of furniture by this prolific American craftsman
Duncan Fife started life in Scotland; he was born in 1768 near Loch Fannich. When he was 16, his family immigrated to Albany, New York and young Duncan was apprenticed in a cabinetmaker’s shop, probably his father’s. By 1792, Duncan had moved to New York City and was listed as a furniture joiner. Two years later, he opened his own shop and changed his name to Duncan Phyfe, probably to distance himself from his British heritage in this post Revolutionary War period.  
The workshop of the newly named Phyfe seems to have taken off almost immediately. At its height, the shop boasted 100 craftsmen and over the years they produced numerous pieces of furniture of every variety. Phyfe’s furniture shows an absolute dedication to quality in workmanship. Each piece is made of the best available materials and exhibits fine crafting. Joints are tight and each piece is exquisitely formed and carved. Phyfe’s work encompassed a broad range of the period’s classical styles, Empire, Sheraton, Regency and French Classical among them, yet a keen observer will soon learn to detect the elegant lines and perfect proportions that he made his signature.
A 1922 exhibition of Phyfe’s work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the 1929 Loan Exhibition in New York City solidified the enduring popularity of Phyfe’s work. Forty-eight pieces of Duncan Phyfe furniture were featured at the Loan Exhibition comprising an entire section of the catalogue. Though Phyfe had long since died a wealthy man (in 1854) the graceful furniture remained as his legacy. The work received well-deserved praise and his work has since been sought and valued by collectors.
The Phyfe workshop produced numerous pieces of high-quality furniture but only about 20 labeled pieces are known. This makes provenance (the documentation of an object) an extremely important issue for the collector. Scrupulous and unscrupulous makers alike have heavily reproduced Phyfe’s graceful designs. While a thorough investigation and examination by an expert could result in an undocumented piece of furniture being attributed to Phyfe, this is a costly procedure. New collectors are wise to spend a great deal of time reading and researching the work of Phyfe and examining known pieces in museums or historical houses before shopping for furniture to buy.
Duncan Phyfe furniture is almost definitive of Federal period furniture. His amalgamation of Regency, Sheraton and Neoclassical styles into work that was uniquely and identifiably his own has left us a model for elegant and exquisitely crafted Federal period furnishings. Many pieces of furniture sold now with the description “Duncan Phyfe” actually are in the style of Duncan Phyfe. This is an important point to sort out with a dealer who offers you a Duncan Phyfe table, for example. Is the table Duncan Phyfe, made in the Duncan Phyfe workshop or is it made in the style of Duncan Phyfe? Be sure that the dealer is very clear about this point and puts the information in a written guarantee if you buy the piece.
Always mindful of quality, the Duncan Phyfe workshop used the finest woods. Most often, furnishings will be made from mahogany and may incorporate mahogany veneers. Walnut, rosewood, satinwood and maple are some of the other woods one might find in a Phyfe creation. Finishes are generally dark and will show their age if they are true early to mid-19th century. Wood and wood finishes take on a patina as they age. Patina is the warm glow that wood takes on when it has aged, been handled, touched, rubbed, and polished. It gives the wood a deeper look somehow. If you are new to antique collecting, you will want to spend some time learning about patination. Original finish always adds to the value of a piece of antique furniture.
Ornamental carving is another element found in Duncan Phyfe furnishings. Popular motifs in Phyfe furniture are the drapery swag (carving that looks like draped fabric), acanthus leaves, oak leaves, reeding, claws and paws, wheat and lyres. Pedestals are typically vase shaped with three or four feet extending from them. Flat surfaces will often have one or more bead cuts along the edge. Pulls and knobs were specific in style, often brass, oval in shape and incorporating Grecian motifs.

Also found this example of one of his sofas

http://www.mfa.org/collections/search_art.asp?recview=true&id=44327
Larry I'm sure after you read the above article you will understand there is no way I could answer your question accurately. In fact one of the Keno brothers from Antiques Road show could not LOL
Hope this helps
Kindest Regards
Eileen