The Furniture of John Shearer

The Furniture of John Shearer, 1790-1820: “A True North Britain” in the Southern Backcountry is a full-color catalogue raisonne of the distinctive furniture made by John Shearer, a pro-British furniture maker during the post-Revolutionary period. It compiles all of Shearer’s known fifty-two pieces for the first time, cataloging in detail the thirty-two that Betsy was able to examine. The remaining pieces are recorded in the book with old photographs, thanks to MESDA’s (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts) extensive research files.

Since the book was published in January 2011, Betsy has lectured widely on Shearer’s message-laden furniture and the new pieces that have turned up since the books publication. She continues her search for the singular piece that might finally reveal this enigmatic craftsman.

Appearances/Lectures by Davison Purchase This Book

Related Links on John Shearer:

• A ‘True North Britain’: Messages and Meaning in John Shearer’s Furniture, 1790-1820, Chapter Two in the book, Rule Britannia? Britain and Britishness 1707-1901
• Research Note: Scottish Bedroom Tables from Scotland to the American South
• Shearer Loyalism and Heritage