Susquehanna Antique Shop News — Duncan Phyfe

The term “Federal” references the period following the Revolutionary War rather than one specific style of furniture. During those subsequent decades when America was in its infancy, the country was not only defining its government but also its way of life. The decorative arts at this time moved away from the ornate looks of the past, such as the heavily carved and massive look of Rococo pieces, and embraced rising Neoclassicism. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, further defining the period as American Neoclassicism, Federal styles varied from town to town. Closely studying the styles popular...