Henry Copeland

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Henry Copeland was an 18th century English cabinetmaker and furniture designer. He appears to have been the first manufacturing cabinetmaker who published designs for furniture. A New Book of Ornaments appeared in 1746, but it is not clear whether the engravings with this title formed part of a book, or were issued only in separate plates; a few of the latter are all that are known to exist. Between 1752 and 1769 several collections of designs were produced by Copeland in conjunction with Matthias Lock; in one of them Copeland is described as of Cheapside. Some of the original drawings are in the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Copeland was probably the originator of a peculiar type of chair back, popular for a few years in the middle of the 18th century, consisting of a series of interlaced circles. Much of his work has been attributed to Thomas Chippendale, and it is certain that one derived many ideas from the other, but which was the originator and which the copyist is by no means clear. The dates of birth and death are unknown, but he was still living in 1768.