The Dynamics of Outport Furniture Design: Adaptation and Culture. By Walter W. Peddle. (Hull: Canadian Museum of Civilization, Mercury Series History Division Paper 51, 2002. Pp. viii + 169, abstract/résumé, bibliography, photographs, ISBN 0-660-18802-3, pbk.)

This book reflects the extensive research, resources and energy that Walter Peddle has devoted to the subject area of vernacular furniture. The author places a great deal of value on Newfoundland and Labrador’s regional furniture and its tradition. Obviously, the study of outport furniture is his passion, and thus his expertise and experience in this area are unequalled and invaluable, and is shown in this text. In a sense, The Dynamics of Outport Furniture Design: Adaptation and Culture has evolved from two of Peddle’s previous texts. The Traditional Furniture of Outport Newfoundland (1983) focused mostly on pieces of local domestic furniture and from whence they came. The furniture was presented in the typical format of categories commonly seen in furniture texts. It was like a registry of vernacular furniture with some description for every “plate.” Necessary contextual information could be gleaned from the brief text preceding the chapters. The Forgotten Craftsmen (1984) emphasized some of the builders of Newfoundland furniture and their business practises. In other words, these were craftsmen who had received formal training in cabinetmaking, and had almost factory-size businesses. This text featured only one non-professional furniture maker. Thus, from this foundation, The Dynamics of Outport Furniture Design: Adaptation and Culture has emerged. It is newer and improved. This writing is tantamount to a giant step forward. As the title suggests, the book is about “adaptation and culture.” Newfoundland outport furniture is presented as being regional, something which is historically grounded in traditions as expressed in the regional models of the British Isles and in the milieu of pre-confederation nineteenth and twentieth century Newfoundland. It is important to note that in the forward, Matt McNulty states, “The study and appreciation of vernacular furniture is in its infancy and requires more attention and study by scholars ...” This leads to a focal purpose of this book — to create an awareness of the potential of outport furniture, and to reveal insights that can go beyond the regional jurisdictions of Newfoundland. This book has a wealth of information for the novice and the academic. The material is neither too dry nor too complex. It is well written and organized. In addition, it is refreshing to see the inclusion of social history, and some narratives about personal experiences of ordinary people. In a sense, this text has preserved the information about outport furniture for future generations that might otherwise be lost. The introduction gives the history behind the furniture in question. It explains influences on furniture making, like the population demographics of settlers in Newfoundland and that this “unorganized” craft was mostly of simple joinery. Also, it is stressed that historically the making of outport furniture demonstrates the strong will of the people to solve problems, while dealing with meagre resources and living a subsistence lifestyle. As a matter of fact, the historical connection is the common thread throughout the text. The first chapter explains in great detail how outport furniture has been influenced by Irish and British regional designs and by the realities of the regions of the New World. The connection to the motherland may be illustrated in the forms of motifs or the physical construction of the furniture. Incidentally, this book is filled with 350 photos to show such features. These photos give the necessary visual contrast and recognition for the reader to understand what is being discussed. Typical examples of such elements are motifs like an incised star, a flying wheel and a pierced heart; and details like chipped carving, or a hobnail pattern; and a physical feature like a shallow Irish dresser. Essentially, the photos allow …