"Marshall and Leimenstoll have researched Day's remarkable life and work thoroughly, identifying a great quantity of his known and attributed furniture and interior woodwork, finding myriad published sources for his design elements, and examining a wide range of documents to trace his career and describe his world. Their research, along with the wealth of images of Day's unique furniture and interiors, constitutes a book of major, lasting value. "Catherine Bishir, author of North Carolina Architecture.
"This book, featuring the story and workmanship of Thomas Day, a free man of color in slaveholding North Carolina, is a fascinating addition to the corpus of literature concerning the anomalies and complexities of life in the Old South. A slaveholder as well as a skilled craftsman, Thomas Day occupied an unusual and privileged position. These fine illustrations of his craftsmanship help to explain why. "Daniel c. Littlefield, University of South Carolina.
"Thomas Day's creative genius, his skill in the design and fabrication of furniture and decorative woodwork, and the scope of his business establish him as a major founder of the North Carolina furniture industry. "John H. Haley, Associate Professor of History Emeritus, University of North Carolina, Wilmington.
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