West-indian Antique Furniture of the Lesser Antilles 1740-1940

Review by Toni Forsyth10/24/09Phillip Sturm's compilation of photographic images is an exciting find. It clearly stands as a colorful, historical record of a place and time both past and present that is too often overlooked. I dare say that the conventional contemporary contemplation of the islands of the Caribbean is more typically limited to an exuberance of appreciation for their white sand beaches, Bob Marley and reggae music -- distinctive treasures in themselves true enough but, relatively speaking, only the most recent symbols of what the West Indies represent. In Sturm's West Indian Antique Furniture of the Lesser Antilles: 1740-1940, we can see how the peoples and cultures of the Americas, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, China and India separately, distinctly, individually yet simultaneously blend into a mulatto/mestizo pastiche that exists nowhere else in the world. European styles and woods that were originally brought by masted sailing ships to the islands were gently modified over the years as they became more expressive of the native flora and fauna as reflected through the artistry and master craftsmanship of African slaves and their freed descendants. Georgian sensibilities yielded to tropical passion and functionality in elaborate carvings on four-poster beds while chair seats and backs made of woven cane allowed for a cooling flow of air in the hot, humid climate.I've been told how my grandfather, born in Nassau in the last quarter of the 19th century but having moved to Jamaica as a young man eager to establish himself, at the end of the day would sit on his front verandah in his plantation chair with first one leg then the other draped over its extended arm so that someone from the household staff could more easily remove each of his riding boots. And lest this image conjure up scenes of unrelenting oppression, it was a world without the soul-destroying racism that so pervaded the lives African descendants in the United States. All of these images played out in myriad parlors, dining rooms, sitting rooms, bedrooms and verandahs against the backdrop of dark, warm, mahogany, cedar and mango wood colonial furnishings serenely ensconced in the presence of white, lighter than air curtains gently billowing in the cool evening breeze.

Being a new collector and enthusiast for Caribbean furniture this book is a must have. A lot of my knowledge was done through research which is limited and tedious. However this book is a great start to having a comprehensive compilation on the pieces that are easily recognizable in great houses of the West Indies. I am happy that I stumbled upon it!

I fully enjoyed the book. A wonderful introduction into the history of classic Caribbean antiques! Highly recommend!

Nice book, nice pictures but could have included more earlier furniture and from more Caribbean islands.

This book was a gift and was loved by the person who received it. I am an international customer and the fact that I was able to have this book shipped straight to my door a few days before Christmas for very little extra cost was an added bonus.Beautifully laid out and very inspiring.

Exceptional Job to Philip Sturm for his continued dedication and wisdom on such a broad spectrum. Nicely written, informative and truly written by an aristocrat of this subject.