What Makes A Wallace Windsor Special?

The American Windsor has enjoyed uninterrupted popular usage for over 250 years beginning when the early colonists brought over the original English versions from which it evolved . Today, only a Windsor made using those 18th century style handtools and construction methods that pre-date manufacturing actually continues that heritage. Wallace adheres to those methods.

But tools and techniques are only part of what makes a fine reproduction Windsor. To "reproduce" means to replicate or recreate a specific Windsor based on long hours of firsthand study where these originals are housed at places like Winterthur, Historic Deerfield, Colonial Williamsburg and Historic Philadelphia or in the possession of premier antiques dealers and collectors.

With literally hundreds of photographs and voluminous documentation contained in the works of noted Windsor historians, the stylistic variety of chairs, settees, benches and rockers is enormous. Wallace offers this variety from which to select your reproduction.

There are readily distinguishable differences among Rhode Island, New York and Philadelphia turnings of a ring and vase style leg and further idiosyncratic differences in turnings done by the two Philadelphia Colonial master chairmakers, Henzey and Trumble. Knuckles, combs, volutes, and ears all reflect regional and individual differences. Generic turnings and randomly selected disparate elements cobbled into a "composite" chair do not make a reproduction Windsor. When you chose an American Windsor by Wallace you are assured that each piece will have the timeless beauty, light elegance, and proven durability of the original upon which it is based.

Named one of the top 200 best traditional craftsmen by Early American Life Magazine, his work can be seen pictured in several of their annual directories. According to Mimi Handler , former editor, "Peter has a remarkably good sense of proportion. Like all traditional craftspeople, he learned the standard from looking at the nuances of the old craftsmen. To be among the top 200 best craftsmen is not an honor to be taken lightly"

Wallace was profiled in Taunton Presses book THE CUSTOM FURNITURE SOURCE BOOK, A GUIDE TO 125 CRAFTSMEN. It's author , Kerry Pierce , states "The furnituremakers profiled in this book are some of the finest in North America. They have been chosen by a jury on the basis of their craftsmanship and the quality of their designs." Fine Woodworking Magazine featured Wallace's two drawer Writing -arm chair done in highly figured tiger maple in 2002. Other publications like Country Decorator and Woodshop News have done articles on his work. HGTV solicited his work for their "Modern Masters" series.

Professionals affiliated with Colonial Williamsburg and Historic Waterford have chosen Wallace's reproductions for their personal collections and his work is also in the permanent collection of the White House.

Wallace has had the distinguished honor of having his Windsors selected by the internationally acclaimed Landscape Architect and Garden Advisor to Hampton Court Palace, Todd Longstaffe-Gowan , of London , England to be included in a plan for a client's Sussex estate, where the pieces will once again be used as garden furniture. To appreciate this compliment see www.tlg-landscape.co.uk

He is often commissioned to reproduce an original Windsor whose cost or unavailability make it otherwise out of reach for an interested client.

Above all else, what makes a Wallace Windsor special is that it is a true reproduction with each nuance of the original recognized for its historic integrity.

A single piece by Peter which he named "the Nanny Rocker " is an adaptation of those rocking settees and southern rocking benches with removable gates made in the 1800's. Featured in many publications, it is now being copied in the belief that it was based on an actual historic example. While there is no historic antecedent for his Nanny Rocker, a full sized combination fixed cradle and rocker, it has come to be known as Peter's signature Windsor. It is still made with the same 18th century construction methods and materials. It too is special...a work of art infused with the unique creative perspective of a dedicated craftsman.