"While there have been occasional articles and references in general works, until now no one has brought together the great wealth of information to be found on pieces made specifically for voyage, camp, and travel in the British Empire. Traveling furniture was not only durable and practical, but it was elegant, designed in the most fashionable contemporary taste; it engaged the skills of the finest makers and designers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today, growing public interest has called for a thorough investigation into every aspect of these ingenious pieces and the circumstances in which they were made and used. ... Whether our interest lies in innovative design, the history of furniture-making, or the historical background of British colonial expansion, this comprehensive exploration of campaign furniture will add much to our knowledge not only of individual pieces, but of the cultural context from which they emerged."--Foreword.
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