Henry Copeland facts for kids

Henry Copeland (around 1710 – 1754) was a talented English furniture designer and cabinetmaker in the 1700s. He was known for creating beautiful furniture, especially in the fancy Rococo style. Copeland often worked with another designer named Mathias Lock in London.

Interestingly, many of their designs ended up in a famous book by Thomas Chippendale, another well-known furniture maker. It's thought that Copeland, Lock, and Chippendale might have even worked together on some of these designs.

A Pioneer in Furniture Design

Henry Copeland was a skilled cabinetmaker, which means he built fine wooden furniture. He was also a brilliant designer. Around the mid-1700s, he teamed up with another designer, Mathias Lock, in London. Together, they created many furniture pieces in the popular Rococo style. Rococo furniture is known for its fancy curves, natural shapes, and playful designs.

Sharing Furniture Ideas

Copeland was likely the first furniture maker to publish his own designs. His collection, called A New Book of Ornaments, came out in 1746. We don't know if this was a full book or just a set of separate pictures. Only a few of these original pictures still exist today.

Between 1752 and 1769, Copeland and Mathias Lock released several more collections of designs. Some of Copeland's original drawings are kept at the National Art Library, which is part of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The Famous Chair Back

Henry Copeland probably invented a special kind of chair back that was very popular for a few years in the mid-1700s. This design featured a series of circles that were linked together.

Much of Copeland's work has sometimes been thought to be by Thomas Chippendale. It's clear that both designers got ideas from each other. However, it's not always clear who came up with the idea first and who copied it.

Copeland passed away in 1754. After his death, his wife, Elizabeth, continued his furniture business using his name.