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Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation
1988
A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness

Library Based on Historical Precedent and Modern Furniture
Requirements
Simon Herbert
University of Pennsylvania
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Herbert, Simon, "A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness Library Based on
Historical Precedent and Modern Furniture Requirements" (1988). Theses (Historic Preservation). 448.
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Herbert, Simon (1988). A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness Library Based on Historical
Precedent and Modern Furniture Requirements. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
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A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness Library Based
on Historical Precedent and Modern Furniture Requirements
Disciplines
Historic Preservation and Conservation
Comments
Copyright note: Penn School of Design permits distribution and display of this student work by University
of Pennsylvania Libraries.
Suggested Citation:
Herbert, Simon (1988). A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness Library Based on
Historical Precedent and Modern Furniture Requirements. (Masters Thesis). University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia, PA.
This thesis or dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/hp_theses/448

UNIVEKSITYT
PENNSYLVANIA.
UBKARIES
A PROPOSAL FOR FURNISHINGS
IN THE READING ROOMS OF THE FURNESS LIBRARY
BASED ON HISTORICAL PRECEDENT AND
MODERN FURNITURE REQUIREMENTS
Simon Herbert
A THESIS
In
The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation
Presented to the Faculties of

the University of Pennsylvania in
Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE
1988
CfO^Y ^^^^^^^^
Gail Caskey Winkler, Lecturer, Advisor
George c. Thomas, Lecturer, Reader
avid G. De- Long, Graduatle Groj/p Chairman
FINE arts/ma/o :iyi^«^//f15'37

IUNiVERSlTr 1
OF
PENNSYLVANIA
LIBRARIES
Copyright
© 1988 Simon Herbert
All Rights Reserved

Acknowledgements
I could not have completed this thesis without the
patient assistance of those who spent time supporting,
guiding and encouraging me towards a timely conclusion.

My thanks are extended to: Mark Lloyd and his staff
of the University of Pennsylvania Archives for photo-
graphic and research assistance; to Alan Morrison and the
staff of the Fine Arts Library, University of Penn-
sylvania; and to Nancy Trainer from the office of Venturis
Rauch and Scott Brown, architects.
My deep thanks go to Professor David DeLong who's
clear advice was always helpful and encouraging. George

E. Thomas, who has worked extensively on the Furness
Library, very kindly agreed to read this work and offered
rich ideas and suggestions for which I am most grateful.
To Gail Winkler, my advisor, I would like to give
special thanks for being both an advisor and exemplary
teacher. The lessons I learned will endure for a
lifetime. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife, Charla,
for her unending support and understanding.

List of Illustrations
1. View of the University Library by

Frank Furness in 1891. (Now Furness Library) . . vii
2. Library Company of Philadephia Reading
.
Room. Fraser, Furness and Hewitt, 1880 8
3. Plan of the Reading Rooms on the Main Floor

Furnishings in the Furness Library, 1891 10
4. A small reading table in the Rotunda Reading

Room. C.1898 14
5. An original reading table from one of the

Alcove Reading Rooms, 1891 15
6. Gothic Revival table in Furness Library.

Date of manufacture is unknown 16
7. Glass fronted case located on the

Main Floor of the Furness Library
which dates from the early years
of the building. Photo. 1988 18
8. Plan of the Main Floor showing the

rearranged seating. Furness and Evans, 1914 ... 20
9. Rotunda Reading Room showing the

carrels in use c. 1904 21
10. View of the Rotunda Reading Room and the

plainer tables used by the early 1970 s 22
11. Furnishings in the Crane Memorial

Library by H.H.Richardson ,1892 24
12. Bates Hall, the main reading room of the

Boston Public Library by Mckim,
Mead and White (1887-1898) 1895 25
13. The Main Reading Room prior to 1898 27

.
Â. A C.1893 view of the Main Reading

Room with reliance upon natural lighting 31
15. Main Reading Room c. 1898 32
16. Upper Seminar Room, c . 1903 35
17. Task lighting in the Boston Public

Library by McKim Mead and White (1887-98) .... 37
18. A view of the Main Reading Room and the

circulation area after the floor had been
inserted in 1922 40
19. Furness Library. Partial First Floor

Plan of the Furnishings. 1988 49
20. Pair of chairs designed by Frank

Furness for the Rodef Shalom Synagogue,
Philadelphia. 1869-71 75
20. Writing desk designed by Frank

Furness for his brother,
H.H. Furness c.1875 76
22. Side chair, c.1875 designed by

Furness for his brothers house 77
23. Round dining table designed by

Furness for Theodore Roosevelt Sr ,
c.1876 78
24. Chairs (and interior) designed by Furness

for the round dining table for Theodore
Roosevelt, Sr. c.1876 79
25. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Four-Seater,

Front Elevation 84

End Elevation 85

Plan 87
28. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Six-Seater,

Front Elevation & Plan 88
29. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Eight-
Seater, Front Elevation & Plan 89
30. Reading Chair, Basic dimensions 91
31. Reading Lamp, Basic dimensions of Fixture

for use with 4 & 8 Seater Reading Tables
Front and Side Elevations 94
32. Reading Lamp, Basic Dimensions of Fixture

for use with Six-Seater Reading Table 96
33. Table, Chair & Lamp Ensemble, Front Elevation . . 97
34. Table, Chair & Lamp Ensemble, End Elevation ... 98
35. Table, Chair & Lamp Ensemble, Plan 99

List of Appendix
Copy of the Original Specifications

of Furnishings for the Furness Library 104
Figure 1. View of the University Library by Frank
Furness in 1891. (Now Furness Library).
Photo. 1988.
.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ii
List of Illustrations iii
List of Appendix vi
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Methodology
Overview of the Chapter:
Chapter 1. Endnotes
Chapter 2
HISTORY OF THE FURNISHINGS

IN THE FURNESS LIBRARY 6
The Library of the University of

Pennsylvania, 1391. Frank Furness,
Architect 7
Furniture Specifications 11
Reading Tables 13
Chairs for the Reading Tables 26
Lighting 29
Conclusions 39
Chapter 2. Endnotes 43
Chapter 3
FORMULATION OF DESIGN PERAMETER3 47
Furnishing Plan 47
Ergonomic and Human Factors 52
Ergonomics 52
The Importance of Personal Space ... 55
Lighting Levels 56
Acoustics 58
Chapter 3. (Continued)
Reading Tables 60
Reading Chairs 62
Reading Lamps 65
Conclusion 67
Chapter 4.
DESIGN PROPOSALS 71
Furniture by Frank Furness 71

Design Proposals 81
Design for Reading Tables 82
Design for Reading Chair 90
Design for Reading Lamps 93
Conclusion 100
Chapter 5.
SUMMARY 102
Appendix 104
Bibliography 118
.
Chapter 1.
INTRODUCTION
My interest in the refurnishing of the Furness
Library at the University of Pennsylvania steins from my
undergraduate studies in furniture design and production
taken as part of my Baccalaureate degree from Ravens-
bourne College of Art, Chislehurst, Kent, England (1974-
1978). The work of restoration and renovation of the
Furness Library (1891) provided a "real" problem to
explore in this thesis. This study has been limited to
the choice of furnishings for the three major reading
areas on the main floor of the Library. It seems that
three different approaches can be employed when refurni-
shing an historic interior such as that of the Furness
Library. They are: to provide the same furniture which
existed there in 1891; or to provide a modern
alternative; To use a custom design specifically for the
Library. ^ Because of my interest in furniture design,
I have chosen the third alternative. This thesis
provides design solutions for a reading table, reading
chair and reading lamp that will both fulfill the needs
of modern students and compliment the nineteenth-century
space
Methodology
Types of libraries in the late nineteenth-century
may be grouped into three categories; large public
libraries, collegiate libraries and small regional
libraries. The Furness Library is a collegiate library
designed for use by a student population. The examined
sources for historical precedent were published accounts
of other libraries designed by Furness and his contem-
porary architects. The Library Journal . The American
Architect a nd Building Ne w s and the Architectural Record

of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
contained examples of library design and photographs of
reading rooms. These were mainly public libraries
located in the Northeast. Had time permitted, more
libraries of the collegiate type should have been
studied, not only on the east coast but in other parts of
the United States as well. Furthermore, a more in-depth
study could be made of the period literature on library
design and furnishings.
During this research, photographs, books and
documents relating to the history of the Library and its
furnishings were used from the Archives of the University
of Pennsylvania. None of the original Reading Room

furniture remains in use today, having been replaced by
other pieces in the intervening years since 1891. Nor
did Frank Furness design tables or chairs for the
library. The area of study is limited to providing
solutions for reading furniture and task lights and does
not address the need for choices of furniture in other
areas including recent suggestions for seating around the
fireplace in the Main Reading Room.
Finally, in designing the furnishings for

contemporary student use, several scientific studies were
consulted: Niels Diffrient's Humanscale 1/2/3 . which
looks at ergonomic data; Robert Sommer and Edward T.
Hall's examinations of psychological and personal space
requirements; and the Illuminating Engineers Society
recommendations for lighting levels.
Overview of the Chapters.
The second chapter is an historical analysis of the
furnishings and lighting in the Main Florr Reading Rooms
of the Furness Library. The analysis makes extensive use
of the historical reports produced for the project
architects by Clio Group Inc., under the direction of

George E. Thomas.
The third chapter is a scientific analysis

of the
requirements for seating, reading and task lighting.
It
explores issues of ergonomic needs based on Niels
Diffrient's Humansoale 1 /?/3 (1974) and recommended
specifications from the Enovnl nn^ edi a of T.ihrarv ^nH
Information SciencR (1972). The chapter also reviews

pschycological spaces and acoustical needs.
Chapter four begins with a brief survey of some of

Frank Furness's known furniture designs and looks at some
of the motifs he used. Furniture by Frank Furness is not

well documented to date, but several articles in
books
and magazines brought to light a selection of pieces
in
museums and private collections which have been
attributed to the architect. Furness apparently included

in his furniture designs many of his architectural ideas.
This is followed by an explanation of the design
proposals accompanied by eleven design illustrations.
The fifth chapter sums up the thesis and summarizes
the proposals.
Chapter 1
Endnotes
1. Marilynn Johnson, "Furnishing the Furness

Library, The University of Pennsylvania. A summary of
information and recommendations from a meeting on May 19,
1988." August 28, 1988. The report recommends that an
original design of chair and table be created for the
Furness Library furniture, pp. 2-3.
Chapter 2.
HISTORY OF THE FURNISHINGS IN THE FURNESS LIBRARY.
This chapter traces the history of the furnishings
in the main reading areas of the Furness Library at the
University of Pennsylvania. The reading areas are lo-

cated on the first floor of the building, and are com-
prised of three connected spaces; the Main Reading Room,
the Rotunda Reading Room, and the Study Alcoves. A
comparison is then made with reading rooms in other
libraries of the period by architects as notable as Frank
Furness, specifically McKim, Mead and White and

H.H.Richardson. The last quarter of the 19th century was
a period of widespread public library construction. The

assumption is that although the Furness Library is a
"collegiate" library designed for use by a student
population, the requirements for seating and reading
remain generally the same as for non-collegiate public
libraries. Public libraries of this period by other

architects are therefore valuable cross-references in
understanding the furnishings in the University of
Pennsylvania Library by Frank Furness.

The Library of the University of Pennsylvania, 1891
Frank Furness, Architect.
Philadelphia architect Frank Furness (1839-1912)

received the commission to design and build a new library
for the University of Pennsylvania in 1887. The library

opened for limited use in 1890, mostly as a proving
period for the building and library staff and was
dedicated in 1891. i Formerly the University Library, it

became the Fine Arts Library after the Van Pelt Library
opened in 1982. It is now called the Furness Library in
memory of Horace H. Furness, a noted Shakespearian
scholar and professor at Penn. In addition to being the
architect's brother, Horace Furness chaired the committee
which gave Frank Furness the commission. 2
This was the third library building that Furness had
designed; his first--for the Library Company of
Philadelphia--had been completed in 1880. It was
demolished in 1940 (fig. 2). 3 His second library was
built the same year as the Library for the University of
Pennsylvania in Newcastle, Delaware, but was a small

regional type of building with a single reading room. ^
As in the Library for the University, Furness used a

cieling skylight to allow light into the reading room
area. 5 Earlier, Furness had made alterations to the

Figure 2. Library Company of Philadephia Reading
.
Room. Eraser, Furness and Hewitt, 1880.

Demolished 1940. James F. 'Gorman, The
A rch itectu ce of Frank Furness
. (1973).
Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E
Thomas and James F. 'Gorman, p. 123.
Franklin Market Company building for the Mercantile
Library Company in Philadelphia between 1867-1869. ^
For the design of the Library at the University of
Pennsylvania, Furness sought the advice of Melvil Dewey
from Columbia University and Justin Winsor from Harvard
University, whom were also consulted by McKim, Mead and
White in the design for the Boston Public Library (1887-
1898). "7
Dewey and Winsor were both highly accomplished
librarians and responsible for founding the Library
Journal as well as improving library awareness nation-
wide .
s
While all the reading areas in the Furness Library
are connected, they form three distinct areas; the Main
Reading Room, the Rotunda Reading Room, and the Study
Alcoves (Fig. 3). In its original and restored form, the
Main Reading Room is the largest and most dramatic space
in the building, with a multi-windowed vertical space
rising to a skylight approximately four floors above.
Although an additional level was inserted in the early
1920's, its removal under the present restoration will
return the space to its original proportions. A fire-
place is situated on the west wall and to the south
behind two large arches is the circulation area, while to
the north through a corresponding pair of large arches

Figure 3. Plan of the Reading Rooms on the Main Floor
Furnishings in the Furness Library, 1891.
Proceedings nt, the Openi ng nf f\ê Univer-îtv nf
PennsYlvffnia. 7th Febrn»rv ircii 1391.
opposite .p 32
.
10
lies the Rotunda Reading Room. This room has an apsidal
north end with a two-story ceiling height. Around the
north wall are six smaller arches, each leading to a
Study Alcove.
Furniture Specifications .
Original schematic plans of the Furness Library do
not show furniture arrangements for the first floor
Reading Rooms and earliest photographs from 1890-91 show
utilitarian reading tables and chairs in place. These
pieces are described in an undated document from the
architectural firm of Furness, Evans & Co., which may be
the original furnishings specifications for the Univ-
ersity Library. ^ The following is a summary taken from
these specifications of the tables and chairs for the
three reading room areas:
Main Rea ding Room.

8" X 3' 6"
4 Tables seating seven per side 11'
40 Bent wood chairs without arms
12 additional arm chairs
Rotunda Reading Room .
(enameled canvass top) 5' 0" X 3' 0"

10 Tables
4" X 3' 6"
3 Tables (enameled canvass top) 8'
41 bent wood chairs without arms
Alcove Reading Rooms (six).

6 Tables (enameled canvass top) 3' 0" X 6' 8"
each table seating 10 students.
4 bent wood chairs and one arm chair with arms per
alcove (24 chairs, 6 arm chairs)
11
Mo other reference is made concerning the appearence or
design of the tables and chairs. (For a copy of the
original specifications, see Appendix). In addition to
tables and chairs, other furnishings for the Reading
Rooms included Iron grilles. These were to be placed in
arches of the six Alcoves to support curtains known as
"portieres" .
1° The grilles were omitted and the
curtains hung from rods. A number of free-standing book
and display cases were also included in the specifi-
cations. One glass fronted cabinet was located on the
main floor in the Stair Tower during the course of this
research, but it was is not clear whether this dates from
the opening of the library. (It may have been moved
since). Lighting is not mentioned in the specifications,
although according to research undertaken by Clio Group
for the project architects, the only lighting which was
not an after thought were two fixtures at the base of the
great stair near the entrance. ^^ A discussion of the
changes in lighting is made later in this chapter on the
following pages.
12
Reading TahlfiR
When the library opened in 1891, the tables used in

the main reading room were wood with simple turned legs,
plain side rails and had lockable drawers. The tops

overhung the frame and had an insert of enamelled canvas,
possibly an inexpensive substitute for leather. 12 While

most seated 16 readers (8 per side), smaller tables were
used such as in portions of the rotunda and alcove areas
to fit the appropriate space (Fig. 4). During the course

this research, one of the original Alcove tables was
found located in the basement of the Library. It seated
four persons per side and one on each end (Fig. 5). i3 The
original enameled canvass has been removed, and the inset
area replaced with plastic laminate on plywood. Each end

contains a single drawer which was lockable.
One table not listed in Furness and Evans specifi-
cations was found in the basement of the Library during
this research. The "Modern Gothic" table first appears
in a photograph of the Main Reading Room taken after
1922, but may well date from the Library's early years.
(Figs. 6) Some design motifs on the table such as the
chamfers and horizontal bands on the legs are similar to
those used on pieces of Furness furniture and to a
surving glass-front case on the main level of the stair
13
Figure 4. A small reading table in the Rotunda Reading
Room. 0.1898. Courtesy University of
Pennsylvania Archives.
14
Figure 5. An original reading table from one of the
Alcove Reading Rooms, 1891. Measures 72" X 42'
X 29"H. Basement of the Furness Library, Photo,
1988.
15
Figure 6. Gothic Revival table in the basement of the
Furness Library. Measures 156" X 42" X 29 1/2"H
Date of manufacture is unknown. Photo. 1988.
16
tower (Fig. 7). Whether or not Furness was in any way
responsible for designing the table, it is one of the few
"gothic" pieces in the Library. Unfortunately the table
is very uncomfortable to use as a reading table. It is
29 1/2" high, standard height for nineteenth century
reading tables, but is uncomfortable to sit at because
leg movement is restricted by the height of footrests and
the depth of the apron. Its dimensions are 42" wides by
156" long, suggest the table was intended for ceremonial
rather than reading purposes.
In 1898, the furntiture layout in the Rotunda
Reading Room was redesigned to provide study areas with
task lighting, and while it is unclear exactly when this
change was implemented, photographs of about 1904 show
reading tables replaced by reading carrels arranged in
single and facing rows (Fig. 8 & 9). ^^ Each carrel had
a low raised divider to separate it from the next. Alth-
ough study carrels had replaced the existing tables in
the Rotunda about 1898, the original tables remained in
the Main Reading Room until no later than the 1960 's, by
which time the reading tables had been replaced by other
wood tables which were plainer in design (Fig. 10). ^^
In general, reading tables in other libraries
contemporary with the Furness Library tended to follow
17
Figure 7. Glass fronted case located on the main floor
of the Furness Library which dates from the
early years of the building. Photo. 1988.
Figure 8. (Overleaf) Plan of the Main Floor showing the
rearranged seating. Furness and Evans, 1914.
Reprinted from Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown
Master Elan. Vol. IV. Bookstack Building
Analysis. Clio Group Inc. January, 1988.
19
2)
20
Figure 9. Rotunda Reading Room showing the carrels in use
c. 1904. Photo courtesy University of
Pennsylvania Archives.
21
Figure 10. View of the Rotunda Reading Room and the
plainer tables used by the early 1970 s.
James F. 'Gorman, The Architecture of Frank
Furness Catalogue of Selected Buildings by
(j-eorge E. Thomas and James F. 'Gorman, p 170
.
22
similar formats and designs. Strength of construction
and practicality in design seem to have been the guiding
principles with less emphasis on decoration. For

example, library tables designed by H.H.Richardson were
mostly rectangular, seating four, six or eight people
depending on the space. They have Solid wood tops,
decorative turned legs and a foot-rest built into the
sub-frame, a feature that appeared in most of the tables
Richardson used (Fig. 11). Tables in the Boston Public

Library by McKim, Mead and White in 1887-1898 were
eight-seaters , built with a solid top over a plain apron

mounted on two heavy, ornamental end supports (Fig. 12).
These supports had scrolled tops with ball-and-claw feet,
and their position promoted seating on the long sides
only, since the tables were arranged on each side of a
central aisle and end-seating would have disrupted
traffic-flow through the reading room. These tables are
classically styled, in much the way the Boston library
is itself a classical building. An almost identical
table was used in the Public Library at Madison, New
Jersey, designed by Boston architects Charles Brigham and
William P.Adden. le
23
zi&m I
Figure 11 Furnishings in the Crane Memorial Library by

H.H. Richardson 1892. Amer i'-;9.n Ar^'hiteot ana
Ri]i Iriing News Vol. 37, 1892.
24
Figure 12. Bates Hall, the main reading room of the
Boston Public Library by Mckim, Mead and
White (1887-1898). The Amer ican Architect
and Building News April 6, 1895. No. 1006.
25
Reading Chair?: .
Earliest photographs show that Thonet pattern chairs
were used in all three Reading Rooms of the Furness
Library (Fig. 13). Thonet furniture was generally of
bentwood using a technique developed by Michael Thonet in
Vienna from about middle of the 19th century. Thonet 's
sons formed the 'Gerbruder Thonet' company in 1853, and

^"^
began to mass-produce a variety of bentwood designs.
They were strong for their light weight, had woven cane
seats, and because they were made in component parts,
could be shipped flat anywhere in the world and assembled
with less than skilled labor at the point of sale.
Coupled with an affordable price-tag and an exclusive
patent, Thonet 's chairs sold in the hundreds of thou-
sands. ^^ Although the Thonet company made a wide range
of furniture, the simple bentwood chairs were the most
popular. These were being sold in America by 1871. ^^
As well as genuine Thonet imports, the bentwood process
was widely copied by other manufacturers when the
original patent ran out in 1869. 20 xhe Thonet chair
which most closely resembles the ones used in the Uni-
versity Library is the Chair No. 18 designed in 1876. It
was the second to least expensive Thonet chair, and
eventually became the largest selling model in the Thonet
26
V ,',
^MS^.
>-//
Figure 13. The Main Reading Boom prior to 1898. Courtesy-

University of Pennsylvania Archives.
27
catalogue. Today it is widely associated by many as the
Vienna cafe chair. 21 jt had supports to the back from
the seat, and an inner back insert giving back support
for the sitter and additional strength to the chair.
Bentwood chairs based on the Thonet patents were
manufactured in Philadelphia by the Heywood Chair
Manufacturing Company. 22 Frank Furness had chosen such
chairs for the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts building
in Philadelphia (1876) to be used by visitors for viewing
works of art. Similar chairs were also selected by the
architects Cope and Stewardson for the University of
Pennsylvania Law Library (1897) and the Thomas Library at
Bryn Mawr (1901) .

23
The bentwood chairs used in The Furness Library
were apparently not well suited for heavy continuous use,
and photographs of the early 1900 's indicate substantial
sag in many of them. (Fig. 9) Perhaps coinciding with the
1922 renovation the Thonet chairs were replaced by heavy,
office-type chairs with solid wooden seats, which were
later augmented by metal chairs of a similar design.
Until the library closed in 1987 for renovation, these
wood and metal chairs were the only ones in use.
Library chairs came in more variety than reading
tables, but like the tables, emphasis was still one of

practicality and durability. Perhaps for these reasons,
the most widely used library chair in the late 19th
century was the Windsor. This chair was strong, inex-

pensive, and available in a variety of patterns. An
early 20th-century photograph of the Library Company
building in Philadelphia by Furness (1880), shows sack-
back Windsor arm chairs in the Reading Room. 24 The

same type of Windsor chairs were also used in McKim, Mead
and White's Boston Public Library of 1887-1898. 25 The

Architectural Record published a special edition on lib-
raries in 1902, and many of the illustrations showed this
type of chair. 26 H.H.Richardson used fan-back Windsor

arm chairs in the Billings Memorial Library of c.l886,
but in the Crane and Converse Memorial Libraries, (c.l882

and 1885) he used chairs of his own design. 27 por the
Winn Memorial Library (c.l879), Richardson used an

armless chair with a padded seat. 28 if one compares
the Thonet chair used at the University Library to chairs
in other libraries (for example the Windsor type), they
appear less durable and lighter in weight.
29
The history of lighting in the three reading rooms
of the Furness Library is far more complex than the
history of the furniture alone. When the library first
opened for limited use in 1890, the reading rooms relied
upon natural light for illumination (Fig. 14). Vol. Ill
of the architects' report offers an explanation of
possible sources for the use of the skylight in the
Library building. 29 Furness planned to flood the
reading areas on the first floor with so much natural
light that artificial illumination would not be required. 3°
To accomplish this, he provided a large central
skylight four levels above the first floor to allow light
into the Main Reading Room and placed many additional
windows in the vertical walls. This created a kind of
lighted shaft with the reading tables at the bottom
(Fig. 15). The Rotunda Reading Room gained light from
windows at the second level and indirectly from the
central skylight and the alcove skylights. The Study
Alcoves around the apsidal end of the Rotunda Reading
Room received light through a lay light (the flat glass
area directly above the alcove) with a skylight above on
the roof.
During the fall of 1890, as the number of daylight
30
.
Figure 14. A c 1893 view of the Main Reading

.
Room with reliance upon natural lighting

Francis Newton Thorpe, Ben.iamin Franklin
and the University of Pennsylvania 1893
Facing p 392
.
31
Figure 15. Main Reading Room c. 1898. Courtesy University
of Pennsylvania Archives.
32
hours decreased towards winter, light in the reading
rooms was found to be inadequate. 3i To compensate, gas
lighting fixtures were installed; gas wall sconces were
placed around the perimeter of the Main and Rotunda
Reading Rooms and a gaselier was suspended under each of
the four main arches in the Main Reading Room (Fig. 13).
Further modifications followed. Philadelphia was

generating electricity by 1889, and had a city-wide
electric system in 1902. 32 Before 1902 there were
individual electrical power generating plants in the
city, and in 1893, the University of Pennsylvania opened
its own generating plant on land immmediately south of
the Library. The plant provided electric power and heat
to the campus. ^3 With the introduction of electricity,

electric fittings were added to the existing gas fixtures
by 1896. While the gas lights were directed upwards, the
electric lights were attached under the gas mantles and
pointed pointed downwards (Fig. 4). In period photographs
they appear as smaller points of light. These fixtures

used hairpin-loop carbon-filament bulbs. This type of
bulb was an early form of electric light and was Edison's
first commercially successful lamp developed in 1879. ^^
The bulbs had a characteristic nipple on the end, created
in the manufacturing process by the drawing out of air to
33
form a vacuum inside the bulb. Early bulbs of this type
were brighter than gasoliers but compared with modern
lamps, were still of a low-intensity. ^^
The center of the Main Reading Room, which remained
dark from mid-afternoon in fall and winter months, re-
ceived a single lamp suspended from the central sky-
light. Photographs show it in place by 1898. Figure 15
shows a carbon arc lamp similar to those used in street
lighting, a glass shade surrounding the light bulb
itself. It is possible that installation of this light
was carried out in 1897 when the electric lamps were
proposed .
^^
In the late 19th century electricity was still an
uncertain form of energy prone to failure, which explains
why many buildings were often fitted with both gas and
electricity. ^'^ Once electricity had proved itself by
about 1910, existing gas fixtures were converted to
electricity or replaced. A 1903 photograph of one of the
upper seminar rooms in the Library shows gas fixtures
converted to electricity (Fig. 16). This seems to indi-
cate that the switch to the exclusive use of electricity
was already underway. When the carrels were installed in
the Rotunda Reading Room about 1898, each carrel had a
single shaded bulb for task lighting. The combination
34
Figure 16. Upper Seminar Room, c 1903 Courtesy
. .
University of Pennsylvania Archives.
35
i&s/e leczrzo fixtures arour.a the perireter vails vere
s-ill in use by zhe early 1900 's.
"----= r.ni--fr = pr;s of libraries c-cr.reiiporary with
the Universiry Library show a sinilar developcenral hist-
ory concern i.-.g z'r.e lighrir-g cf reading rocES. As elec-
tricity cecase Tiore availaoie, existing gas fixtures naa

-------ta:. _ight sockets attached tt thei. As electricty
cecar;e reliaole about 1910, the gas fixtures -ere ccn-
verteu ccr:?_etely cr replaced by new electrical fixtures,
.nis IS particular ly noticable in richardson's libraries,
where nctn wa_l sconces and cnanceliers are usee in a way
HiEîlar tc tne Ferness litrary. The =cston Public Lib-
rary appears tc nave used electric lighting frcn its
ceginning fig. 12,. rlccr lanps reached the neight of
wall sconces arouno tne peri:teter tf the roc:::, tasK
îgnts were attacnec tc tne reacing tables, ana a
windows in the reaaing rcor. fig. 17). The presence cf
tas .< _ t g .n t i n g at t .n e p t in t vne r e it was nest n e e c e c 'at
tne reacing tacles, neant that strong anoient lignting
was unnecessary. Task, lighting was also used extensively
in ether libraries and usually featured a sing.e stem
which oranoned into two lignt units. The top cf tne
fixture was invariably ornauental, with scrolled tuning

Figure 17. Task lighting in the Boston Public Library by
McKim Mead and White (1887-98). The American
Architect and Building News April 6, 1895,
No. 1006.
37
supporting the lamps which had shades of colored glass.
Other varieties used four lamps in tandem to illuminate
the entire reading table from a single point. ^^
The skylights in the six Study Alcoves of the
Furness Library became problematic and were altered
although the exact date is uncertain. According to

George E. Thomas, who has made extensive examination of
the Library's records, the lay lights were painted over
as a method of reducing cleaning maintenance on the
glass. 33 Apparently there was a continual problem with
dust particles and condensation settling on the upper
glass surface of lay light (the area between the skylight
and lay light). Painting the glass prevented those below
from seeing the dirt, but at the same time eliminated the
natural light. Furness's original concept for the
libary was for increasingly quieter areas the further one
penetrated the reading rooms, ô 'Yhe quietest areas
were the Study Alcoves, and across each hung a portiere
(curtain) to buffer sounds. ^^ These appear in a
photograph taken between 1898 and 1904, but they do not
appear in later photographs (Fig. 4).
In 1922, a floor was built above the main reading
room to create much needed extra floor space in the
building. ^2 xhe insertion of the floor excluded
38
natural light from the main skylight and additional
artificial lighting was required. A photograph taken

after 1922 shows new incandescent lamps suspended from
the underside of the new floor (Fig. 18). There is no

evidence of the earlier gas lighting and it is assumed
the sconces and gasoliers were removed as part of the
1922 renovation. (The points where the sconces attached
to the wall are still visible today). About 1960,

industrial fluorescent strip lighting replaced the
incandescent fixtures, giving a wide and more even

distribution of light than previously available. Since
wall sconces, task lighting, and natural illumination
disappeared from the reading rooms in 1922, strong
ambient lighting was required.
Conclusions
The history of the furnishings in the reading rooms
reflects an ad hoc approach to the changing needs of the
University Library. The original furnishings were not
custom designed for the architectural space and as pieces
wore out they were replaced by similarly utilitarian
chairs and tables. The end result after nearly a century
39
'igure 18. A view of the Main Beading Room
and the circulation area after the
floor had been inserted in 1922.
Courtesy University of Pennsylvania Archives
40
.
of incremental changes was a visual jumble of often
uncomfortable tables and chairs. The lighting systems
reflect a continual process of experimentation and
change. Underlit from the beginning, attempts were made
to adapt the latest advances in lighting technology. The

repeated changes and modifications throughout the reading
rooms resulted in a system which supplied a quantity of

light at the expense of the architectural space. There
are strong similarities between the original furnishings
of the Furness Library and those of other libraries of

the period. Furnishings in the Furness library were not
reflective of furniture that Furness is known to have
designed and therefore should be considered only one of
the many possible choices of furnishings available at the
time
In making a final comparison of furnishings in the
Furness Library with other libraries, the reading tables
appear to be very conventional and ordinary in quality
and design. The Thonet chairs, which appear in few
period reading rooms, were probably chosen more for their
economy than durabilty. Furthermore, artificial lighting
in the Furness Library was an after- thought , which meant
that its placement was decided by the layout of the exis-
ting building. However, the gas fixtures were typical of
41
the period, and their conversion to electricity follnwpd
the pattern similar to other libraries of the time.
42
.
Chapter 2-
ENDNOTES
1. Edward Potts Cheyney, History of the University

of Pennsylvania. 1740-1940 (Philadelphia: University of
Pennsylvania Press, 1940), pp. 323-324.
2. James F. 'Gorman, The Architecture of Frank

Furness Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George
E.Thomas and James F. O'Gorman, Checklist of the
Architecture and Projects of Frank Furness by George
E.Thomas and Hyman Myers, Addendum to Checklist by George
E.Thomas, Hyman Myers, and Jeffrey A.Cohen -(etc).
(Philadelphia: Falcon Press 1973), p. 165.
3. O'Gorman, The Architecture of Frank Furness

Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E. Thomas and
Hyman Myers, p. 123. I
4. The library building by Furness still stands in

Newcastle, Delaware but has been converted to a scultpure J
studio. In addition to a skylit ceiling, the library used ^
'
a glass floor to give light to the basement where the

bookstacks were kept. Conversation with George E.
Thomas. November, 1988.
i
5. O'Gorman, The Architecture of Fr ank Furness. \
Addendum to Checklist by George E. Thomas, Hyman Myers, :
and Jeffrey A. Cohen -(etc), p. 215. J
6. O'Gorman, The Architecture of Frank Furness

Checklist of the Architecture and Projects of Frank
Furness by George E. Thomas and Hyman Myers, p. 200.
7. The Library Journal August 1888. p. 237.
8. Who Was Who in America Vol. I

. (Chicago: The
A.N. Marquis Company, 1942), p. 319, and Dumas Malone, ed
Dictionary of American Biography Vol. XX. (New York:
.
Charles Scribner's & Sons, 1936), pp. 403-04.
43
.
Furness, Evans & Co. Specification of furniture

9.
etc for Library Building. University of Pennsylvania
. .
Philadelphia. Paul R.Brown, Stenographer. (Undated)

University of Pennsylvania Archives. Penciled on the top
right is a date: "1888 ?" The thirteen page document
lists furnishings on the main and second floors, and
includes museum showcases and pedements for sculpture.
(See Appendix for a copy of the original document).
10. Furness and Evans, Specification . p.l.
11. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown Hasterolan

Volume III, Clio Group, Historic Structures Report 1988
prepared by George E. Thomas et al. p. 83.
12. Furness & Evans, Specification . p. 2.
13. Furness & Evans, Specification . p. 2.
14. Venturi, Rauch & Scott Brown, Master Plan Vol.

Ill Clio Group Inc. Historic Structures Report compiled
by George E. Thomas et al. p. 87.
15. George E. Thomas. Dr. Thomas, who used the

Furness Library while a student at Penn in the 1960's,
and recalls that none of the original reading tables
remained in the Reading Rooms by that time. Discussion,
November, 1988.
16. Charles C. Soule, "Modern Library Buildings"

Architectural Review Vol. IX, No.l, 1902, p. 60.
17. Christopher Wilk. Thonet: 150 Years of

Furniture . (Woodbury, NY: Barron's, 1980), p. 22.

Furniture . (Woodbury, New York: Barron's, 1980), p . 28
19. Oscar P.Fitzgerald, Three Centuries of American

Furniture . (New York: Gramery Publishing Co, 1982), p. 265
20. Christopher Wilk, Thonet: 150 Years of

Furniture . p. 43.

Furniture . p. 43.
44
..
22. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown

Vol. Ill Historic Structures Report Clio Group, Inc
prepared by George E. Thomas at al 1986. p. 79. The
.
report on Interior Furnishings indicates The Heywood

Chair Manufacturing Company, which produced the bentwood
chair in their Philadelphia factory, exhibited the chair
at the Centennial Exhibition in 1876.
23. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown Masterplan Vol.

Ill Historic Structures Report Clio Group Inc. prepared
.
by George E. Thomas et al, 1986. p. 79.
24. 'Gorman, The Architectur e of Frank Furness

Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E. Thomas and
James F.O'Gorman. p. 123.
25. "Bates Hall: Public Library of the City of

Boston", in: The American Architect and Building News ,
April 6. 1895. No. 1006. ( Unpaginated )

Architectural Record Vol. IX, 1902. The whole issue was
on library buildings of the period.
27. Jeffrey Karl Oschner. H.H.Richardson: Complete

Architectural Works (Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 1982),
.
p. 305. 107f & 107g. Interior photographs of Billings

Memorial Library, c.1888; p. 230. 83e, photograph of the
interior of the Thomas Crane Library; p. 317. 112e,
photograph of reading room furniture in the Converse
Memorial Library; p 204 43g, sketch for Wooden Armchair
. .
for the Converse Library by H.H.Richardson.
28. Photograph of the reading room in the Winn

Memorial Public Library, in: Oschner, H .H Richardson
. ,
p. 179. 66f.
29.Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, Master Plan

Vol. III.Historic Structure Report. Clio Group Inc.,
George E. Thomas et al 1986. Brief discussion of
European influnces, including the work of Pierre-
Francois-Henri Labrouste (1801-75). p. 42.
30. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, Master Plan

Vol.1. Master Plan Report. 1986. p 24 .
. .
31. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown Master Plan Vol.

Ill Historic Structures Report, Clio Group Inc. prepared
by George E. Thomas et al, 1986. p. 15.
32. Edwin Wolf, Philadelphia Portrait of an

American City 2nd ed (Philadelphia: Stackpole Books,
. .
1975), p. 275.
33. George Nitzsche, University of Pennsylvania Its

History-Traditions and Memorials (Philadelphia: The John
.
C.Winston Co, 1914), pp. 106-07.
34. Roger W. Moss, Lighting For Historic Buildings .
(Washington D.C.: The Preservation Press, 1988). p. 124.
35. Roger Moss, Lighting, p. 103.

Vol. III.Historic Structures Report. Clio Group Inc.,
George E. Thomas et al. 1986. p. 90.
37. Roger Moss, Lighting , p. 125.

Architectural Review Volume IX January 1902. p. 60. The
illustration on the left shows a four-in-line electric
reading lamp fixture .supported in the center of the
table
39. Discussion with George E. Thomas. November 1986.
40. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown. Master Plan .
Vol.1, Master Plan Report 1986. p. 27.

Vol. Ill Historic Structure Report. Clio Group Inc.,
Prepared by George E. Thomas et al. p 84 .
42. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, Master Plan .
Vol. Ill, Historic Structures Report. Clio Group Inc,

prepared by George E. Thomas et al. 1986. p. 136.
46
.
Chapter 3.
FORMULATION OF DESIGN PERAMETERS.
The approach for formulating designs of reading
tables, chairs and table lamps in the Main Reading Room
requires careful balancing of different criteria. This
chapter studies the architects' proposed plan for new
furnishings and considers modern ergonomic requirements
for physical comfort and other factors which affect
design. Using modern ergonomic data, use-specifications
and materials are defined which outline the approach
necessary for combining contemporary needs with designs
that are sympathetic with their historical architectural
setting
Furnishing Plan
The preliminary furnishing plan by Venturi, Rauch
and Scott Brown, architects, indicate a layout for the
Library Reading Rooms similar to the original arrangement
of 1891 (Fig. 19). 1 Because of the close similarity to
the original plan, the proposed furniture plan offers an
47
Figure 19. (Overleaf) Furness Library. Partial
First Floor Plan of the Furnishings.
The plan indicates the furniture plan for
reading tables and chairs only (June, 1988).
Re-drawn from "First Level Plan (Main Floor)
Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, Master Plan
Vol. IV. Bookstack Building Analysis.
Clio Group Inc. 1988.
48
oo
LL
IL
O
2
<
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(L
_1
ILI
>
IJJ
J
<
>
2 <
5 i CD
liJ o
2 J
Q u
ID
<
(0
< ;0
d 4 <j g
lij
-72 >Z J a UJ
J Q. Z
> ,< lU
UJ biiJ Jiu t lu D
iL a. IL
[§ [Q] E
49
ideal opportunity for reintroducing 19th century library
furniture. The contemporary plan however, allows for an
increased number of readers. This has been accomplished
by rearranging the layout of the furnishings, largely as

a result of the renovation and conversion of other areas
in the building to Library use. The periodical reading
area is to be moved from the Main Reading Room to the
north-east of the main floor; card catalogue and
commputer display terminals which occupied a large
portion of the Main Reading Room will be moved to an
adjacent cataloging area. In addition the number of
display cases have been reduced allowing additional
reading space in both the Main Reading Room and the
Rotunda Reading Room. The six alcoves remain unchanged,
with a reading table in each, as was the case in 1891.
Reading tables are spaced so that readers face one
other from each side of the table with no use of the
table ends. Photographs of reading tables in the Furness
Library of 1891 show some chairs on the table ends (figs.
4 & 13). The June 1988 revision to the proposed
furniture plan indicates the following five different
sized tables for the Reading Rooms:
50
.
Table Size No. of Tables No. Possible Total No. of

Size Readers Readers
3'6" X 7'0" 32
3'6" X 9'0" 48
4'0" X 9'0" 12
3'6" X 12'0' 32
4'0" X 12'0' 8
Total number of reading spaces available in

the Main, Rotunda and Alcove Reading Rooms: IM
The general recommendations for lighting in the Beading
Rooms have been outlined in a section of the architects'
report entitled Approaches to Lighting and Natural

Light .
2 The plan suggests a system of ambient and task
lighting to attain desired lighting levels, which also
lends itself to the "picturesque quality" of the
nineteenth-century space. This study focuses only on
task lighting for the reading tables in the three Reading
Rooms
51
^
Ergonomic and Human Factors
Ergonomics .
Ergonomics studies the relationship between the

human body and operative machinery (including furniture),
In the late 19th century there were no formal standards
for the design of library furnishings, but tradition
seems to have set the height of desks and tables at
aproximately 29 inches. Furnishings used in public

libraries of the period were chosen based on similar-use
situations, available furnishings and an empirical
working knowledge of design.
An out-growth of studies in machinery and weapons
design during the Second World War, ergonomics has
enabled designers in general to understand relationships
between man and machine. Humanscale 1/2/3 by Niels
Diffrient was developed using anthropometric data
gathered from U.S. military and civilian sources by
measuring the body in a number of different postures.
Humanscale 1/2/3 became the definitive guideline for
designers in the 1970's, covering a wide range of human
activities and the ergonomic formulae for safe and
comfortable perameters of operation.
Using the information in Humanscale 1/2/3 . overall
52
working measurements required for reading table, reading
chair, and lamp can be outlined based on dimensions for
the average adult. ^ The averages are attained by
measuring both male and female, and then averaging the
results. The figures take into consideration differences
between different races and their physical charac-
teristics. For example an average Japanese male is
shorter than the average U.S. white male, who is shorter
than the average U.S. black male. ^ The University of
Pennsylvania has a number of foreign students who re-
present a wide range of body heights and types, but as
Humanscale 1/2/3 points out, it is unrealistic to expect
all people to be completely satisfied with a piece of
equipement. The best one can hope for is to expect
satisfaction from 95% of the user population. A design
created for the average adult may be uncomfortable for a
very large or very small person, and yet it is impossible
to accommodate the needs of all individuals in one
design. ^
An additional consideration is use of the Reading
Rooms by those in wheelchairs. The table height for
wheelchair users is 31 inches which is uncomfortably high
for none non-wheelchair users. While tables must be
available for those in wheelchairs, it is not possible to
53
include both table heights in one design. While the
following designs of the proposed reading room tables
could be adapted for wheelchair users, the figures
outlined below are based on the average adult.
Recommended Dimensions for Library Use

from Diffrient's Humansc ale 1/2/3.
Table height 27 1/2"

Table width,
for two facing readers min. 32"
Length of workspace required
per reader min. 30"
Viewing angle of table top 0-20 deg,
Reading Chair .
Seat Height (front edge) 16-17

Seat Width 16
Seat Length 15-16
Seat Angle (front to rear) 0-5 deg.
Seat front edge,
prefered padded radius 1~2
Reading Lamp.
Height of eye level of seated
person, measured from top of
table to determine approximate
level of bottom of shade 16 1/2"
54
The Importance of Personal Sd^^hp
A common problem in reading rooms is the individual

who spreads his belongings out on the table, thus taking
up more than the alloted table space. This discourages
others from using the table, reducing valuable study
space. The practice has been studied by behavioural
psychologists, including Robert Sommer, author of
Personal Space: The Behavioral Ba s is of Design (1969). "^
According to Sommer, students observed using library
reading rooms in colleges were found to be extremely
territorial when it came to reading table use. A student

would nearly always go to an unoccupied table if one was
available, and "claim" a space to protect his privacy.
This claim to private space was defended in the following
two ways: firstly by placing books, coats or belongings
on the surrounding seats, and secondly by adopting an
expression or body posture which read "don't come near
me, I want to be alone." s Furthermore a student could

demonstrate his willingness to share the table with
others depending on where and how he sat. A student who
sat in the middle of a table and spread his belongings
out, was signalling that he was not as open to additional
company as a student who sat in the corner seat and
pulled his books close to him, thus effectively
55
displaying receptivity to others. 9
While a designer of reading tables cannot dictate

where students will sit, it is possible to discourage
territorial displays by more clearly defining each
reader's space. For example, the Rotunda Reading Room
carrels of c.1904 provided each reader with a low, raised
partition effectively preventing book-sprawl and making
maximum use out of available space (Fig. 9). Re-
introducing a low partition to define each study space
would accommadate territorial needs. Furthermore, in
providing a generous allowance of personal space, a
reader might feel less inclined to demonstrate his need
for it, with the result being that more reading space
would be available to a greater number of students.
Lighting Levels .
Lighting levels in the reading rooms of the Furness
Library have gone through numerous changes, and now that
the central skylight and the alcove skylights are being
restored, lighting levels must again be addressed. The
general history of lighting in the Furness Library has
been from from natural light to the addition of some
artificial light and task lighting. After the removal of
almost all natural light, stronger ambient lighting, was
56
in.^t.^neri , and finally the task lighting was removed for
stronger general lighting, intended to give levels of

light high enough to allow for the removal of task
lighting. This last solution is furthest away from the

intent of the reading room space, and seems the most
insensitivity to the building's historic fabric.
Obviously one cannot return to natural lighting since
this would reduce the usable hours, a problem recognized

in the months before the Library opened in 1891. ^° In
the interests of practical restoration, a combination of

natural, ambient and task lighting can fulfill the
readers' requirements and the need for a sensitive

lighting system. By using task-lighting for the reading
tables, a desirable lumin-level can be achieved without

requiring high levels of ambient lighting. Ambient
lighting may then be used to give a low overall lighting
in times of low natural light levels, especially at

night. The lighting system must be balanced in a way
that it does not result in cave-like situation or one
where a reader is overly aware of light sources other
that his own. With only low ambient light levels during
the hours of darkness, the reading room areas would
become cavernous and without definition, a sensation
which could be lessened by selective high-lighting from
57
well-located spot or flood lamps. Great care will need
to be made as to their placement in order to minimize the
visual intrusion both from lights and fixtures. Because
this is a complex area of study, the services of a quali-
fied lighting consultant have been engaged, n The
recommended level of task lighting for library study and
note-taking is measured as not lower than 70 foot
candles. ^^
Acoustics .
Since the Library opened in 1891, there has been no
covering on the concrete floor of the Reading Rooms,
although at times in the building's history floor
covering had been used in other areas. ^^ Bare concrete
floors in the Reading Room areas offer little protection
from scraping sounds produced by shuffling feet or moving
chairs. This is a significant problem for a library
where an acceptably quiet atmosphere is required. There
is almost no other noise which can unravel the concen-
tration of a reader quite so quickly as the screech of
furniture being dragged across a hard-surfaced floor. If
one of the goals of the Library is to encourage students
to study, then suppression of distracting and unnecessary

noises will rank high even if the solution conflicts with
certain preservation ideals.
Noise appears to have been a problem shared by other
libraries contemporary with the Furness Library. Photo-
graphs taken in 1895 of McKim, Mead and White s Boston
Public Library show a floor covering in the center aisle
which served as the main corridor of the reading room. ^^
A C.1888 photograph of the Billings Memorial Library by
H.H.Richardson also shows carpet in the traffic corridors
on either side of the reading room. ^^ These two
examples indicate a preference for reducing sound in the
traffic areas alone, rather than carpeting entire floors
including the areas under reading tables and chairs.
Economy and maintenance may have dictated this solution
and remain considerations affectiing the choice in floor
coverings today.
Following late nineteenth-century precedent,
carpeting only the traffic areas in the Furness Library
Reading Rooms would eliminate some of the noise. Of
course the carpet would become worn, dirty and discolored
over time, which would be especially noticable near the
exit to the main door where exterior dirt is tracked
inside. Although maintaining a f loorcovering would be
more difficult than cleaning a concrete floor, the
59
advantages of audio comfort should be weighed against
them. Furthermore, "traffic only" area carpet would be

far easier to maintain than a whole floor covering and
only a fraction of the replacement cost. While no

photographs show carpeting in the Reading Rooms of the
Furness Libarary portieres, which hung across the
openings of the six Alcove Reading Rooms, offered those
spaces some acoustical protection from noise. However,

their re-introduction might only discourage entry to the
Alcove areas that--besides being used for individual
study--contain important reference material. Their use

may also conflict with issues of life-safety including
fire and personal security.
Reading Tables.
The furniture plan calls for tables of slightly
different sizes within the three reading areas. These
should allow for these different sizes without change in
the basic design. Whether the table be for four, six or
eight readers, it should be recognizable as being a
derivative of the design. The original tables in the
Furness Library had drawers for storage. Drawers should
50
[-<!=! -iini ttftri . however, because they increase the depth of
the apron and the drawers would quickly become deposi-
tories for unwanted papers and other material. The
raised partition defining the study spaces is attached
from below the table top with screws. It should be low,
no higher than 1 1/2" at the highest point, and 1/2"
wide. This provides both a physical and visual defini-
tion of the reading space. The wooden bases of the lamps
serve as the intersections for the partitions.
Care should be taken in the design to locate addit-
ional supports between reader positions so that no one
would have to "straddle" a leg. On the six-seater table
this is an issue and one way to create needed support is
to place a fifth leg beneath the center of the table. To
give strength to the lower portion of the table frame,
especially the legs, a brace should be is inserted
between cross-rails. This does two additional things.
It provides a foot rest if a slight change of body
position is required, and it discourages use of the table
ends for seating which would block the traffic ways in
the Reading Rooms.
Main table frame, top edge, partition and subframe
should be made from a stable, close-grained hardwood
capable of taking a stain and finish. Oak appears to
61
have been the wood used in the original table found in
the basement of the Library during the course of this
research. While oak has good qualities of strength and
grain figure, it has a tendency to splinter, especially

on table edges where it receives abrasion. Other woods
with equal characteristics might be considered for the
construction material, such as northern birch, beech, ash
or similar, i^ These examples can also accept stain and
be readily turned or steam-bent, i'^ The center part of

the table should be of similar (or contrasting) wood
veneer over a particle board base secured to the sub-
frame. 19 In this way, a table top can be re-finished if
necessary simply by removing the lamps and lip sections.
Small repairs may be easily carried out without dis-
assembly. Plastic laminate, although highly durable,
might be difficult to match if repairs were necessary to
the surface and partial repairs are nearly impossible.
Reading Chairs.
Windsors were one of the most common library chairs,
used during the late nineteenth century. They were
available in different styles, with and without arms. The
62
have been the wood used in the original table found in
the basement of the Library during the course of this
research. While oak has good qualities of strength and
grain figure, it has a tendency to splinter, especially

on table edges where it receives abrasion. Other woods
with equal characteristics might be considered for the
construction material, such as northern birch, beech, ash
or similar, is These examples can also accept stain and

be readily turned or steam-bent, i^ The center part of
the table should be of similar (or contrasting) wood
veneer over a particle board base secured to the sub-
frame, le In this way, a table top can be re-finished if

necessary simply by removing the lamps and lip sections.
Small repairs may be easily carried out without dis-
assembly. Plastic laminate, although highly durable,

might be difficult to match if repairs were necessary to
the surface and partial repairs are nearly impossible.
Reading Chairs.
Windsors were one of the most common library chairs,
used during the late nineteenth century. They were

available in different styles, with and without arms. The
62
arms provided comfort as well as adding to genRrnl
strength and stability. The main disadvantage of armed
reading chairs is that the chair must be drawn out from
the table to enable a user to sit in it. To get up from

an arm chair, the user must clutch the chair and move
away from the table until there is sufficient clearence
from the adjacent seats. Since most chairs will be

occupied at least 50% of the time the library is open,
this will be a disadvantage. In a chair without arms,
the user can swivel the body around and exit with a
minimum of chair-reversing. Arms on reading chairs in a

collegiate setting might also limit the number of sitting
positions a student wishes to adopt. For example arms
prevent sitting side ways to the table or turning the
chair around and sitting on it backwards to read.
Padded seats are recommended for library use in
Human Scale 1/2/3 . A hard, flat seat can be tolerated
for approximately one hour before the user experiences
discomfort, la A student who spends a large part of the
time seated requires a level of comfort while doing so.
Effective study demands concentration with the minimum of
distractions or discomforts. While research recognizes

the desirability of padding for chair seats, there are
strong arguments against its use on the reading chairs in
63
.
the Furness Library. First, the present student
environment does little to discourage such practices as
putting feet on chairs. Seat covers would quickly become
soiled or worn and require replacement. Maintenance

would likely be a constant problem. Second, a large
number of spare seat pads and covers would be required to
replace those which were dirty, damaged or missing.
Other considerations involve fabric flammabiltiy ratings
and abrasion resistance, to name only two. An alternative
approach is to use a contoured seat similar to the dished

surface (saddle seat) of Windsor chairs. The shape of
this seat is generally contoured to fit the body in the
seated position and offers more comfort than a flat
surface. Such a compromise is also easy to clean and
maintain
In addition to satisfying ergonomic considerations,
the chair must tolerate heavy use, such as being tilted

back by occupants or used as a coat and bag rack. From
observation, students will rarely use a coat check to
hang belongings unless they feel it is secure. Since

coat racks tend to be located away from users, the chair-
back is the next safest place for coats and bags which
students may need while studying. Any chair will fall
backward if overlaiden, but it should be capable of
64
remaining upright while supporting a coat or light hag.
The woods, stains and protectie finishes used should
match the table especially if a matched set is desired.
Reading Lamps.
The form of the task lighting should be sympathetic
with the period of library design in which the Furness
Library was built. The original reading lamps were only
for shedding light on the reading tables, and were not
part of the ambient lighting of the Reading Room space.
Although it is entirely feasable to combine task (down-
ward) lighting with ambient lighting (upwards) in the
same fixture, this arrangement seem inappropriate. First,
unless the upward-pointing lamps were above eye-level,
passers-by would be distracted by brightness. Second,
dust would gather in the opening, as might other
material. Third, this sort of lamp is hardly basea on
historic design. Photographs of period electric task
lighting used in libraries provide examples on which to
base new fixtures. The standard task lighting was
apparently two down-lights branching from a single

vertical stem secured through the table top (fig. 17).
65
This arrangement was typically made from solid brass or
brass plated tubing. Covering each bulb was a glass

shade, the traditional color being green. To replicate
this lighting in the Furness Library today, the floor
recepticles below the tables would have to be wired
through the concrete floor from the vaulted basement
cieling or from channels cut in the concrete floor for

the electrical conduit. For reasons of safety, the wire
will need to be conveyed from the floor recepticle to the
lamp in a steel conduit run up the inside of one table
leg following UL and local Fire Code specifications.
The height of the light bulb and glass shade are
important for the efficiency of the lamp and to prevent
glare. The bottom of the shade should be just below eye
level which for the average adult, is 16 1/2" above table

height. Switching lamps on and off should be possible
from two locations, first at the lamp itself and second
from a "Master Switch" allowing all the task lighting to
be "on" or "off" from one location. This would prevent

the person closing up the library at night, from having
to attend each light and switch it off manually (the open
hours of the Library sometimes extend all night towards
the end of a semester and task lighting would not need to
be switched off). While using three-way bulbs would give
66
.
students a choice of lighting levels, it has been notioed

that in library situations users tend to experiment with
the different bulb intensities by turning the switch.
The flashing of bulbs can be very distracting to other
students and it is therefore recommended that a single

intensity bulb of the correct wattage be used.
Fixtures would attach to wooden bases which are
fastened to the table surface. The bases would also
provide a solid connection for the ends of the low wooden
partitions. On the four seater table, a single two light

fixture would be sufficient. On the six-seater table,
two fixtures would support three lights, the middle one
suspended between the other two. The eight seater table

would have two separate fixtures.
Conclusion
In general, the restoration of the Reading Rooms in
the Furness Library has been towards removing changes
made since 1891 and returning to Furness's original
designs. Selecting modern library furnishings would
appear to detract from the general restoration scheme.
Therfore, this thesis recommends library furniture--the

.
reading tables and chairs--and task lights that are
strongly suggestive of nineteenth-century designs.
Furthermore, as this study suggests, adherance to rules
of ergonomics, issues of personal space, light levels,
acoustics and maintenance need not compromise the
creation of furnishings sympathetic to the unique
nineteenth-century architectural space of the Furness
Library
68
. .
Chapter 3.
ENDNOTES
1. Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown, Furness

Building: Preliminary Furnishings Plan First Level .
(partial) May 1988, Revised June 1988. The drawing (24" X

36") is keyed, with a separate set of explanatory notes.
2. Venturi, Rauch & Scott Brown. Master Plan for the

Selective Restoration and Continued Use of the Furness
Library Vol.1
. Master Plan Report, 1986. p 24 .
3. Niels Diffrient, Alvin r.Tilley & Joan

C.Bardadjy, Humanscale 1/2/3 (Boston, MIT & Henry
.
Dreyfuss Associates, 1974), p. 4.
4. Niels Diffrient, Humanscale 1/2/3 . 1974.

Selector 2b, seat/table guide.
5. Niels Diffrient, Humanscale 1/2/3 . 1974. p. 5.
6. Niels Diffrient, Humanscale 1/2/3 . p. 4.
7. Robert Sommer, Personal Space: The Behavioral

Basis of Design (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice
.
Hall Inc. 1969).
8. Robert Sommer, Personal Space , p. 46
9. Robert Sommer, Personal Space p. 47

Vol.1 Master Plan Report, 1986. "Approaches to Lighting
and Natural Light" p 24 .
11. The New York firm of Jewels Fisher and Paul

Marante Inc., were retained as lighting consultants.
Conversation with Nancy Trainer, November, 1988.
69
. . . . :
12. Illuminating Engineers Society, Lighting

Handbook 5th ed, (New York: I.E.S. 1984), p86
Vol. III.Historic Structure Report. Clio Group Inc.,
prepared by George E. Thomas et al. The building
Chronology list beginning on p. 87. mentions several other
areas of the library which received some kind of floor
covering, including linoleum for offices and Cocoa
matting for seminary (sic) rooms in 1900 (p. 92).
14 The American Architect and Rnil ding Nftws .
No. 1006. April 6, 1895.
15. Oschsner, H.H. Richardson: Compriete

Architectural Works 107e, Billings Memorial Library,
.
interior p 304. .
16. Allen Kent and Harold Lancour, eds.

of Library and Information Science (New York: Marcel
Decker, Inc., 1972) Vol. 3, pp. 154-155.
17. R.Bruce Hoadley, Understa nding Wood (Newton, CT

Taunton Press, 1981), p. 199.
18. Allen Kent and Harold Lancour, Encyclopedia of

Library and Information Science (1972) Vol.8, p. 149.
19. Niels Diffrient, Human Scale 1/2/.3 .

p 20
.
70
Chapter 4.
DESIGN PROPOSALS
This chapter reviews some of the furniture which
Furness is known to have designed, and discusses the
sources available to him. The furniture of Furness, like

his buildings, underwent a process of change as his style
developed, important aspects to consider when designing
furniture for the Furness Library. The chapter continues
with design proposals for reading tables, a reading chair
and reading lamps, accompanied by explanatory notes.
Furniture by Frank Furness.
Frank Furness designed several pieces of furniture,
some of which survive in museums or private collections.
Of the examples found during the course of this research,
almost all were designed for personal aquaintances or
wealthy clients, often for interiors he had also
designed. In many respects, the furniture of Frank
Furness resembled scaled-down versions of his buildings,
with use of strong geometric forms and ornate detailing. ^
71
2
A strong use of ornament pervades all of Furness's work,
and one finds a wide assortment of natural forms in both
the designs of his buildings and his furniture. These

include floral motifs, stars, birds, and Gothic forms in
a number of variations, which are most often abstracted
rather than naturalistic. In addition to these, he used
several methods of surface decoration. The corner
chamfer occurred in a number of designs as did a three
line motif in both raised and encised forms. The simpli-
city of this approach was often masked by sheer number
and density, for the overall effect is one of "business"
and complexity. Because of the amount of skill and
handwork required in the execution of Furness pieces, his
furniture was unsuited to large-scale production. A
Philadelphia cabinet maker, Daniel Pabst was employed to
make much of his furniture.
Frank Furness used many of the same resources in his
furniture designs as he did in his buildings. Like other
architects of his time, he evidenced an interest in
Gothic design. English and American architects were
influenced by similar design books, published during the
third quarter of the nineteenth century. Furness is
known to have been influenced by three in particular:
Bruce Talbot's Gothic Forms Applied to Furniture (1867),
72
Charles Eastlake's Hints on HousRhnld T^^t ..
(London
,
1868: Boston 1872), and Christopher Dresser's Principlfts
of Decorfative Pe^j f^ p (1873). 3 Eastlake strongly

encouraged traditional woodworking joinery which he
defined as the honest use of the materials and simple
angular construction. Both Furness and his contemporary,

H.H. Richardson, were influenced by these appeals for
reform to simplicity and based their own designs on the
Gothic Revival style. ^ x^g furniture by Furness is

hardly simple, however, and this may suggest that Furness
used these ideas as only a basis for his designs before
adding his own unique touch, s Furniture designed by

Furness has a solid and geometric quality. He often
allowed the open construction details of a building to
show themselves (particularly in iron work), and this
approach is sometimes displayed in his furniture. Geo-
metric form is emphasised, especially in the horizontal
seats and vertical backs of the chairs. During the early

years of his furniture designs in the 1870 's, Furness saw
ornament as intrinsic to the design and not as something
applied to it.
As Wendy Kaplan has noted, Furness 's furniture

tended to reflect the architectural styles of the period.
Therefore one would assume that as his architectural
73
styles changed, so did his furniture. One of the
earliest pieces of furniture known to be designed by
Furness were the two ceremonial chairs for the Rodef
Shalom Synagogue in Philadelphia by Fraser, Furness and
Hewitt (1871). "^

The chairs were heavy with high backs
for ceremonial use only, and almost every surface was
covered with ornamentation (fig. 20). Buildings by

Furness such as the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts,
(1876), offer a profusion of geometric detailing which is
also apparent in his furniture of the period. A good

example is the desk designed for his brother, Horace H.
Furness about 1875, which exhibits an abundance of
surface decoration including use of a moorish arch (fig.

21). A side chair, also designed by Furness for his
brother's house is shown in figure 22. For the interior
of the house for Theodore Roosevelt, Sr. in New York
(1876), Furness designed many of the furnishings
including a dining room table with dining chairs (figs.
23 and 24).
These pieces are all of the 1870's, however, and
research revealed only a few pieces of furniture which
would indicate the styles Furness might have designed in
the late 1880's and 1890's. From his buildings, however,
a change is more clearly noticable. His buildings cons-
74
Figure 20. Pair of chairs designed by Frank Furness for
the Rodef Shalom Synagogue, Philadelphia,
1869-71. Marion Page, Furnitur e designRri hv
Architects (;New York: Whitney Library of
.
Design, 1983) p. 71.
75
Figure 21. Writing desk designed by Frank Furness for his
brother, H.H. Furness c.1375. Courtesy of
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia.
76
.
Figure 22. Side chair, c.1875 designed by Furness for his

brothers house. Marian Page, Furniture Designed
bv Architents. p 74
.
77
.
Figure 23. Round dining table designed by

Furness for Theodore Rooseve It Sr
,
C.1876. David A. Hanks and Donald Peirce,

The Virginia Carrol Crawford Colle ction:
American Decorative Arts 1825-1917
. .
(Atlanta: High Museum of Art, 1983). p. 79

Figure 24. Chairs ('and interior) designed hv
Furness for the round dining table for
Theodore Roosevelt Sr c 1876 Wendy
. . . .
Kaplan, "The furniture of Frank Furness"

in Antiques May, 1987, p. 1091.
79
tructed in the 1870 's contain more surface detail and
ornament coupled with variations of Moorish designs than
do his later buildings such as for the Library for the
University of Pennsylvania built in 1891. The nearest

example of documented furnishings to the later date may
be the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia by Furness
and Evans C1886). The example, a reading desk, which
supports a lectern (a later addition), is unlike a
conventional table or chair and therefore only limited
information can be applied to the design of reading
tables and reading chairs for the Furness Library, s In
buildings of the late 1880's and 1890's, Furness
apparently used less ornament. These simplified designs
used more semi-circular and eliptical curves for arch and
window details, especially noticeable in the Library for
the University of Pennsylvania (1891) where such curves
are greatly in evidence. Here all available space is not
ornamented. This simplicity accentuates the feeling of
mass achieved in the Library. If the early furniture
designs of Furness were complex like his architecture,
then we can hypothesize that his later furniture designs
would have tended towards simplicity.
It is difficult to know the best method to use in
combining known designs of Furness 's earlier furniture
80
.
with the few examples of his furniture of the ISan'R-
possibly non-existent furnture of the 1890's.; the period
of the Furness Library. The assumption made in this

thesis is that his furniture designs like his archit-
ecture were taking a simpler direction.
Based on what we now know about modern ergonomics
(discussed in Chapter 3 Formulation of Design Perameters)

little of Furness 's surviving furniture appears comfor-
table. The right-angle in many of the seats and backs is
generally uncomfortable for sitting over long periods of
time. In the following proposals, an attempt has been

made to incorporate current ergonomic data in the
designs
Design Proposals
Methods of production affect the cost of furniture.
If the number of pieces to be produced are too limited to

economically tool up for, or involve an excessive amount
of hand-work, the finished price will be high. Choice of

materials can also affect the final cost. While explicit
methods of manufacture are up to a manufacturer, the
designer can aid the process by eliminating unnecessary
or labor-intensive work. A successful approach combines

ease of manufacture with aesthetic goals, including in
this case, historic precedent as well. This chapter
proposes designs for furnishings in the Reading Rooms of
the Furness Library incorporating all three goals.
The designs stop at the point where full-size mock-
ups and prototypes would be constructed and tested based
on the scale drawings. The designs would then go through
an "editorial" process to eliminate any problems in the
aesthetic, ergonomic and production requirements. The

scale drawings included here would then be modified as
necessary to become production working drawings and
passed to the manufacturer as building plans.
Design for Reading Tables.
The size of the Reading Tables are based upon
multiples of the space required for an individual reader
The furnishings plans of Venturi, Rauch and Scott Brown,
indicate reading tables seating four, six and eight
82
readers. While only three groups of tables, there are
six different table sizes. A simplification of the sizes

will grant equal space to students, and produce fewer
components of different sizes for manufacture. All the

reading tables have chairs along two sides but not at the
ends, and therefore the table width can remain constant.
Varying the length of the reading table by "adding"
another space allowance, the desired number of readers
may be accommadated . The length-measurements for four,
six and eight reader-tables occure as multiple lengths of
one work-space: 34 1/4" (fig. 25 & 26). The length of

the work spaces when combined is intended to conform as
closely as possible to the architects' specifications

for table length without sacrificing the space uniformity
for each student. As a result, fractions enter into some

of the basic overall measurements. The dimensions for
the tables are as follows.
Standard Height 27 1/2"

Standard Width 42"
Length for four readers 75 1/2"
Length for six readers 110"
Length for eight readers 144 3/4"
Height of footrest 5"
To allow for uncomplicated extension of the different
83
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lengths required for reading tables, the edge of the
table top does not extent out far from the apron. If the
table-top extends too far, space would be lost to leg
room at the side nearest the end. The readers' study

space, which defined by the raised partition, needs to
remain within several inches of the leg position.
The type of top used on the original tables in the
Furness Library consisted of a framed edge with a painted

canvass insert. The edge, about one inch thick by three
inches wide held the middle panel with the canvassed
surface. The advantage in this design, apart from cost,

was that solid wood was reserved for the area most
abraided and worn, while the inner part of the table was
for placing books and other materials. Using the same

concept of materials/space differentiation the edge is
also solid wood, while the infill panel is wood veneer
over particle board (fig. 27). The particle board is
resistent to movement, and receives support from addi-
tional cross framing between the side rails. (Not shown
in the drawings). The six-seater reading table requires
a fifth leg for support in the center of the table, held
rigid by the foot-rest and a rail between between the
side rails (fig. 28), while the eight seater is simply a
repeat of the four-seater version (fig. 29).
86
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3sc3use the raised partition on the surface of the

table IS attached after assembly and is not a structural
component, the same basic table may be used in other
parts of the Library, for example offices, thereby
providing an element of consistency, which also decreases
the cost of production because of the number of tables
required
Design for Reading Chair.
Chairs are designed for the average adult based upon
Humanscale 1/2/3 specifications. With the design of a
"Furness Library" reading table, it is appropriate to

design a chair which complements the table. The orna-
mental surfaces of the chair face toward the table.
While the scale of ornament on the chair is "lighter"
than that of the table, there are three ornamental
details in the chair which are derived from the table.
First is the three-ring design which forms a slightly
bulbous center on the side stretchers (fig. 30). This

also provides a stronger joint for the cross-rail
connecting the two sides of the chair. Second are the
90
-he
<
m
squared tops and leg intersections, and third are the six
"pin-head" darts on the inside of the head rail. The

darts are shallow indents, and do not go through the
thickness of the back. The rear (room-side) of the back-

rest is plain. The chair draws its strength from the
shaped solid wooden seat, and a near right-angle .joints

at the intersection of stretchers, seat rails, and legs.
The slight reverse angle towards the back of the seat,
combined with the angle of the seat back create a good

body position (95 deg.) for both forward- leaning and
upright reading. 3
The dimensions for the reading chair are as follows:
Seat height 16 1/2"

Height of Back from seat... 18"
Width of seat 17"
Degree of back-slope 2 1/2 deg.
Combined angleso f seat/back ... 95 deg.
The chair is made from the same wood as the table frame;
a beech hardwood is recommended, except the seat, which
may be of either the chosen hardwood solid white pine,
stained and finished to match the table frame.
92
Design for Reading Lamps.
The design of the lamp is intended to harmonise with
the simple lines of the table and chair while also
echoing known historic examples illustrated in Chapter
One. This is accomplished by including elements of the
motifs used in the table and chair. The turned-wood

column of the lamp is also made using birch (or other
chosen hardwood), and finished to match the table and
chair frames. The three-ring design placed in the middle
of the column, is a continuation of the ornamental theme

(fig. 31). The lamps are made from component parts and
can therfore be assembled on site if necessary. The

advantage of this design is principally one of shipping
and storage, but also facilitates repair and maintenance.
Plated brass is used instead of solid brass increase the
stability of the whole fixture because it is less likely
to bend if maltreated. The lamp consists of a plated
brass base, turned wooden column and a plated brass top

piece through which the main arm is secured. Attached to
this main arm are a pair of curved supports which prevent
deflection over the length the arm. The lamp fixtures
and glass shades attach to the end of the brass arm by
sliding over the solid ends of the main arm tubing.
93
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Wiring is carried through approved electrical conduit in
the wooden column to the main arm tubing, and from there
to the lamp fixtures. Switching for the lamp is on the
top of the lamp base rather than on the lamp itself to
ensure easy reach and minimal contact with the area
around the glass shade. Persons on both sides of the

reading table may easily reach the on/off switch.
Finally, the assembled lamp attaches to the turned wooden
base (which also holds the raised partitions) by means of
screws through the plated brass base.
The same table lamp design is used unchanged for the
four and eight-seater , but requires special adaptation
for use with the six-seater table, by the suspension of a
third (middle) lamp for the two center readers (fig. 32).
Switches for use by the center readers are located on one
of the the other lamp bases. Dimensions for the lamp are
as follows:
Width between lamp centers 34 3/4"

Height to glass shade 16 1/2"
Diameter of glass shade 8"
Total Length of single fixture 43"
Total height of lamp fixture 28"
The last set of drawings (Figs. 33, 34 & 35) show the
combination of complete reading table, chair and lamp for
a four-seater study table.
95
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Conclusion
While Frank Furness did not design original
furniture for the Library, these proposals are readily
mass-produced and in the spirit of functional, unfussy
furniture for student use. Since some abuse of the

furniture is anticipated, maintenance and repair by solid
construction using quality materials. (While quality

construction may have an initial higher cost, the pay-
back is evident when repairs must be made). The designs

compliment the motifs in the building and are also
sympathetic to the architectural spaces. Comfort for

the reader is aided by use of ergonomic principles and
inclusion of study spaces making best use of avilable
table space.
100
.
Chapter 4
Endnotes
1. Wendy Kaplan, "The furniture of Frank Furness"

Antiques (May 1987) p. 1091.
2. Marion Page, Furniture Desig ned hv Architent.R .
(New York: Whitney Library of Design. 1983), p 75

.
3. Jonathon L. Fairbanks & Elisabeth Bidwell Bates,

American Furniture R2n to the Prpspnt (New York:
1
Richard Marek Publishers, 1981), p. 454.
4. Marion Page, Furniture Design ed hv Architects

(New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1983) p. 65.
5. Marion Page, Furniture Designed hv Architects

(New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1983) p. 75.

AnitQues Msv. 1987. p. 1090.
7. James F. 'Gorman, The Architecture of Fr;^nk

Furne ss Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E.
Thomas and James F. 'Gorman and Checklist of the
Architecture and Pro.jects of Frank Furness by George E.
Thomas and Hyman Myers. (Philadelphia: Philadelphia
Museum of Art, 1973), p. 79.

Antiques May 1987, pl094. A photograph of the reading
desk for the First Unitarian Church (1886) also appears
in James F. O'Gorman's book, The Architecture of Frank
Furness Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E.
Thomas and James F. 'Gorman, Checklist of the Archi-
tecture and Projects of Frank Furness by George E.
Thomas and Hyman Myers, (Philadelphia: The Falcon Press,
1973). p. 148
9. Allen Kent and Harold Lancour eds. Encyclopedia

of Library and Information Science (New York: Marcel
Dekker Inc. 1972) p. 155.
,
101
Chapter 5.
SUMMARY
It would be easy to reintroduce the furnishings of
the Furness Library that first greeted the public in
1391: simple work tables and Thonet chairs. Equally,
there are sufficient reasons to use similar tables with
other chairs which were widely used in other libraries
such as the Windsor. A third possibility was to use
modern furnishings designed by architects such as Marcel
Breuers Cesca chair. The fourth possibility was to
design appropriate furnishings for the Library using
ideas gleaned from Frank Furness and combine them with
requirements necessary to students using the Library
today. Of all the possibilities available, designing
replacement furniture for the Furness Library Reading
Rooms seemed the most challenging.
A review of the history of the furnishings in the
Reading Rooms of the Furness Library reveals that many
factors influenced the initial and subsequent choices for
reading tables, chairs and especially the lighting. The
results after nearly one hundred years of incremental
changes were not ideal. However, the rehabilitation of
102
the Library offers the University an ideal opportunity to
reverse this trend.
As discussed in the Introduction, there are three

possible routes one may take in refurnishing the Reading
Rooms: reintroduct ion of the nineteenth-century designs;

using modern furnishings; or creating a custom design
specifically for the Furness Library. While no Furness
furniture designs were found for this Library, historical
examples give a rich source of possibilities for finding
suitable designs for the Library by Frank Furness. Other

libraries of the late nineteenth-century have been a val-
uable source of example in compiling information and
ideas leading to the proposals given in this paper.
In Chapter 3, different criteria for the
rehabilitation were outlined. The scientific basis for
the library furniture was discussed along with such
realities as student behaviour and a number of guidelines
formulated which helped define the type of designs
suitable for the Library. Chapter 4 pulled both the
historical and practical aspects together into the
designs in a way which served both the needs of the
students and the requirements for furnishings to
compliment the architectural space.
103
Appendix
Copy of the Original Spet of Furnishings for the

Furness Library:
Furness, Evans & Co., Specification of Furniture etc for

Library Building. University of Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia: Paul Brown, Stenographer. (Undated).
104
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^\' and AlooYM Blx,t-6) on th« roroid. T»o (RJ stralnht (into Prof.
Tullcrton's al«OT«> }\
CXJBTAllTS:- BMh nrllls to b» flurtalned.
DOOHr- Baeh srlllo to hsro n <Seor S' a« wide in the centre of
iQTonviiy*
( BOOK CASES:- Qook Oassn for eaeoves to ^9 llKa proBCnt o»Tjen In
\uJ\ ^^ lilUrsry, thoao now In old taildlntT to be trskcn fioTm and put up
j'^Mi m thoso oleoTOB aa far aa thoy cm bo uaed.
j
Iheoe hoolc-oaaaa to b« piaeed ocalnat aldo walle nriA ouvcido
, I vail on the round, tho eaaeo to r-idlat« proporJiy Mth the curve of
n' th« wall.
PBRIODICALS:* Tha eaaeo in one of thcno nlcovco to ho fitted up
•
with en «R*ra nanbor of eholTon to brj uoed foi- "rorlodlcUc.
TABLB:- Sewh alaore to have a tabic ''>' 0" x o' J* (so inches)
to hare In thaa ona drawer at oaoh end ri th loek, hev Tid dr-iwer
105
puila with ahalves botvssn dravars undemoath \op of âblo. Table
to havo Bniaalod ourvui topa- Draarors to b« 8 In. J>ôp. P. ft.
long. (Pour atudenia on aaah slda of the table and ono at oaoh
undt ton In all. )
CHAIBS:- Pour (4) boat mod chairs «rlthout ama to oaoh aloora.
Ono (1) arm ohair for aoch alcove.
Six (o) aloovea to bo oa sbovs.
LarQo aloora (Prof .Pullartona I
TABLKS:- To hawe table »* 0" x II' b» (140 Inohea ) (to allow
39V«n atudontn at oaoh aide ono nt aaah ond, Iti in all* )
Ofl£ drawer at eaeh end with look koy- drawer pulla with
dielvea betwian drawers unrtom«ath top of table.
TiOOK CASTS. Tlook Cuoofl nâlnnt the aldo ^rallu only of IMa aloovo
;iQiM denian aa thoao in other aloovos.
ClIATRSj- Ten (10) ohâlra to thiu oloove baot wood.
One (1) arm oholr-
Two erllles to thla alaova with doors end aurt^.<^3 aane as
other aiooweo. On thn strmlRht.
BOTtimA SBADJ1K3 ROOM.
TARIiXS!- To have ten (10) omallor tablea 3' 0* x tt* 0* and
three (S) lamer tablea d' i* x »* 0"- All tables to havu ono (1)
drawer at oaoh end with ehelf undomonth drawera with koy look and
drawer pulla*
All tablea to hanro enoaiolud cenvao tops.
-A.
].Ofi
CHAIBSj- ?orty ons (41 J tsnt wood oh»im without
raypaWTTB BOOK CASBC.
BOOK cases:- P1t« (0) blank Krohea to hsnro Book Cues for p.ooXb
of Baforsnds*
Hook «>« to be aa hlsh aa tho lover •dRn of terra eotta.
braokoto*
Shelves IB in- deep woodan. Three {^) dtviciona ohelvue on
raeheta*
Twp arehoa in Laree RoadinR Room on vest wall. Three (3)
aroheo In Rotunda Readlnt; Hocm one (1) on vest wall, two {ii] on
99MI wall.
LADIES CBESSim ROOUS.
Ulrrer, otet- To have pin redl mirror, one onaJI round table,
one lounae, two {u) bant wood chalro.
CASD CATALOQUBS.
To be aa hlflh ea the bottom torra ootta bam.
riBAWBBS!- a—4 In. oaalnfi' •'^-4 \r\ ;'artltlon between drawero.
Dr'iwera lil In. In olnar in lencth ah In. dooi> In clonr fsiju <!. l-U
in.
Oarda Oi In. wide, partition i in. botwoen earda.
Hoven (7) rows of draworn throe (Ji) rovn docp. -^ttity-ono
(ai) ».
107
in oaeh alcore. Plxty-^hroe («)ft) jn ail i^roe (») (Uoctob.
These aurA cataioguoo to ho plnerd In the three nrohoe In the uast
1^11 nsnreot the oounter of delivery deek>
HTTrclL'^ ain.:-':- Each olccivc to Kavo t iihoif octlr.c in-

hJr-.-c-.". r rc.j
•wO Cntolcguoirv: Roon each thelf to bo larner than one Cataloouo
Drawer.
RODS:- Fifty cents ($.30) gddttlonal for esoh drawer for rod
throunh curds to be rJJowed In oatim&ic.
CUWTAIliS:- Tho spree ttoove CsltA Catalot;u«B to bo ourxiinod vrt ih
rod ffid rint;3 in the dddia af th« .J aaiS to the louonedao of torra
cotta brxckoto. The apcoe brJow em*a cataJoKUOB to bu curtained
to ^he floor.
RAILS:- Hallg and baluetrsdft in til three of t)« srehae rofflolnltx!
oftor those filled by csrd catnloguso to bo ourtRlned to the oazne
heli^-;, as tcches over oanl cataJoauoB«
GATSa:- Two (a) Bates 1m ih t balustrades , or\9 in tn s aroh into
Kotunda Beadina Boom, ind one in the aroh nearest to the card oata-
lOQUO.
CATAl.OOUBItia KOOU.
TAEJ.W.:- To have uhrno (.s) iRrtia tabloe 11* «• x !i' b" on roll ere
.rlth dmwere at onds, lock, key and driwcr puHa.

rHAIBS:- Cix (t;) bant \-ood ohalru.
j
nOOK CASr;3:- Eook cnaonlto bo iirtwya.jd frof-, Old I. ibrai'y '.o bo iût
lip hero 7' 6". S' 0* dlvlaiona olonn coat and «£>th walls.
4.
108
LIRBAHIAKS SOOU.
To here ons loak rolling do8k<
SOVA, oto.:- Sofa, rag, twok oaaoB aJonn eouth wall like xhose in
old lltareory 7' o* high vlth ourtalna behind gla«s>
CHAIHS:- tee reNfolvlnn ahair*
Four (i) Bank of England chairs with upholatorad Bw tei

TASLB:- Office TaMo fWh drawem on oittoor al do to cha floor.
COAT OI.OSET:. Oloaax for hat and eoate in east oomor of book
oaaa- a' u* longt with dranrar bolov and ehelf abovo, opaoe ft)r
ooat>
PiaSOK HOLZS:. Qdc half of adjoining book oaae to be flttad tip
«lth plgaon holos about b* x U*>
RACK:. Ulrror nd towal raok*
CSI.IVHRT BObU.
BAXLi- To have r«ll with baluetrada in eent arohway* Bedl at
halght of the lower nnuldlng to atone capitals
COinTTEH:- Dalivsry counter to havo doek In the niiddlo of It with
ahalvea bolov.
Shelf to b« 5* a* high eounter ahelf a ft. wide. Tao looao
dravara for ooanter to h«r« tho folloving dlntenalonai-
DIAVBBS:- Oaa drawer 1 ft. u in. long In the eloar, containing
three (») oooparttsenta eaeh 8 in, wide and 44 In. dpwj. in the
clear.
8*
TOP
On« Drawar. 1 ft- loag In tJie oloor, with four (4) oompart-
ments oaoh » in. wl da and » in- doop in xha oienr.
CARPET - Carpot baali of counter.
Dallvwy Boon to hava lour (1) reôlTlnB etoola.
table:- Ona (1) tablB 13' a" x ti' 6".
chairs:- Pour (4) ohalra, ba^t Tood without arwo.
fi A T R ;.I.
To h«ra pigeon-hola raoK for coati o ft-

high, nnd ui»-
BACKS:-
Urollaa. Onbralla raak to hold ftO wabreilaa with drain to oallar.
Two floantora ono ft)r recaivinc and one for dellvorin; t^th doaJt ir-.
the 0lddlo«
STOOL, Eto.;- Stool and small lahla for boy attoniorit.
and rest of ooat

Rail *1 th g»to between apaee for attendant
roc Ok
LABCE EF.»rii:o SOOU.
tables:- To hwo four (4) larRO tablco 11' u- x B' 6" with no
drawora>
aiAIRS:- Pony (40) bont wood chalra, without anna.
B 1? STACK.
two (E) tshloa B' o- x B' u-. Two (y) chalx. to

TABLES,. To h«.
oooh taslo. (your (4) ohalrn, )
6.
110
To hawe thr«o i^) ttblofl 11* » x 8' 0" In BMoment of Book
Staak with two drawBra 1r. a*oh end of each tablo>
Four (4) ohnlrs to •nch table (Twolvo (13) ohalre)*
To havo twalTo (IH) naall taUea » ft. lona by 1 .' u in.
«ldO'
GHATSS:- Twelve (12) ehai r« bonX wood without orma for anioll
tiftlea OTB ohalr for oaoh tabla.
KSVS7AFEB RACKS.
In baaaoem of book atask«
To be S' 0* hlsh; a* o* daop; 5' 0* dlvlalon ahelwea 7 in.
In the olaari
ollera In itialTta.
S»T« of dxalraa £7 ft. Ions. Six rowa*
OOHYBBSATTOH BOOy.
To hawajaatilea onder Vsat windowa aa shown in skateh.
TOILET HOOliS: - Tn. Entresol to havo two (P.) ohalra mirror
and towel rack.
Tn. i'lrot floor to Kara Uirror towel raok.
BUBBEB UAT:- A largo nibber mil at outeide door.
y IIOK BCRAPBR8:- Six (o) iron aorapera at top of otopa two (2)
In aaoh arohway.
ADDITTOHAL CHAIRS:- 1 ifty ( '0) additional bent wood ohalra with-

out araa. 7*
111
TwelTt (la) addlllonai arm ohalra for Main
BeadlnH Room.
SECOTJT) K.OOR. ROOIl V. Prof. Jaavrow.
Bwilatort lo be cnuigoJ IVom l.yriii nindowi, vu 1 orth *66i nn-

ttova. )
SliELVlS:- Uook bhoivoo In twc (j;) north windonn Irom liocr vo

vlndov sill hoinlit.
-halvoa the dopih of Jamb.
vnuj *'"°" ^""^ o^«l twiltllna, or no« on«« to b« pioaod in or

((f''°"*'
mado for tiio eaot wail. Vwo uaooo 6' U" Uuh uii Ujo aiioivcu of
«hleh are to ba 1 ft. d*«p (no countor sholf. )
^ lAIlLi;:- One (1) tubie 11' a* x &' ^,» „ith tvo drafc«-a w,c ohoif
betueon dr»worc under tablo top lock, Xoy una druwur p-.UlL.
CHAIRS'- O»o (1) orni ohoir.
Ten (10) Rmallfr bont wood ohalrs without ax-ou-
_^,, SKJOTOJ n.OOR.
Dr. Abbott. Uuatiuia.
(Tha omall lobby ndjolrlm to hd partitioned off rtth pnenaee
laft for witranoa into UUBoum from atftlr hall. )
\ '"
To hwo m nnall rocoi,
CIIAIRT:- Two (PI chnirs bent vc-.cti rt thout sia».
tABLX:> Ona (1) aaall round tabic.

V
112
UDEGUU TVnrtVHE.
Tall aaaea batvaoaWlmtev* 7 ft. Mr^-

GA8B A. Oaaa A. lower t"*^ *S In. dirp nppcr par*. 18 <r..in\^\i,
roantar ahelf 8* 0» from floor.
Ctxmtar riielf to ba of
. slma WnrTKi 8 ft. lorr ta pltah froa
7 In. to 4i tn* api^r part to hara oorchlo ahalvaa.
Lowar part to hare four (4) dravera of a<M«l donth Intordhans-
abla drawara 8 ft« lonn.
All drortra to hara Tala looka. Sldas of uppar part of eaae
vo bo fliasad ior alda light*
TnTEBTOB OASXSt-
CASU B. Oaaa B. to ba Ilka lovar part of Oaaa A. i<it doubled six
(6) ft. aid* at botvon*
iiaroiod vep of aaaa to ba of bobo diaiaBalons aa Oaae A. slop*
Ina both troy*. Oaaaa on tha round to ba mada polygonal*
CASE c. aaaa 0. tc bo Ilka ahovn on dravlnaa with oountor ahelf
Olaaad nnd drasara balow like 8.
SBTOWD yLOOl.
Aaayrlon Uuaouai. Prof.Hilpraaht.
Oaaa Ko.l. ?lo*J. Wall Care with ocuntor ftjolf of i'Jmbb mi\
sleplni to ba 4' *• »l«e U* »• hlfih urpnr nhffJvee to ho atl3ua*abl«.
1 ft* doop with Rlaaa doora. lower ehelTâ to ô n' 0» docp r^lth
Blaaa doora. Counter shelf t« ba IS' 0* frost floor.
113
CASK HO. a. Ho. a. T»o (8) Bhov anaas under arallar east vlndowa.
Thdso to be tha middle aeatlon of eua Ho.l sat upon a taJUa
»lth leno. tha top of eaae to be »' 0« froB floor to bwel from
4i m. at front to 7 In. at baok.
Baoh eaaa to ba ft. lono and » ft. deep. Vertical front to

be of glaas.
CAr>t. Wo. a, A. Ho.a.A. Three (8) ehov aaaaa to bo oat easlnat
Bouth wall. To be tt ft. lono S ft. deep, other dlBKmuiona to be
the aatno aa Caaa tTo-B and to be aet upon a tidila In the sane manner.
CASK NO.S. No. ft. Two (8) ohow eaaea to ba aat undar wlndowB In
norUj wall, to be 10 ft. lono .> ft. deep to ait upon a '.able In the
Z
aano nannar aa Qiô Ko.tt Tha top of eaae to bwol from o in.
at front to 11 in: at baok.
CASE no. 4. So.«. Six (0) aho* emaoa to aat baok to bwk in om-
tr« of TOcm» To be 7 ft. lonR IS ft. deep to aet upon a table In
aaae namer aa Caaa No. a. The top of eaaa to berel from 4,i in.
at front to 7 in. at back. Iheae saaea to hanre ahelf H< in. wide
alend the top at tho bo«k«
CASE KO.S. No.O. Two (8) ahov emaaa to be art at the ends of
eaaaa Ko.i; ihaao to ba polygonal am ahovn on drearinea. The eaoo
at tha vaat end to ba ft. wide and .% ft. deep the one at the
eaat end ft. wide «td 1 ft. daap. Tho top of eaeh ooaa to bevel
from 4i in. at front to 7 in. at baak.
CASE NO.O. Ko.ti. Three (5) ohow eaaea to have three sidea of
glaaa baok top md bottom of wood* To aat upon taM ea or Icea
10.
114
tht tattOB of •«•• to b« B ft. from floor. Bvh eaae to bo 4 ft .
high H ft. b m. (l««p md B f t- O In. wide, to how doorss It. front.
Jho Bholres Insldo to bo of Rlaas and plosed 1 ft- on centres.
SHKL? NO. 6 a. Ko.ti. "a". Shelf for Aoayrlan Slab wl vh two (H)
podeatals fbr buats aa ahoim In draalnQ.
Slao of Blsb, (i&s m.hlflh, Mi In. wide. Bhelf for olnb to bo
e in.wide 1' 0" from floor t5 fi. ovor oil podeatiUa to b« h in.
In dtaaator at top and '6' 6* from floor.
PIUEETAL Ko.7. TIo.?. Ono Podootna of irood for obeliak, to haro
tnoorlptlon In gold upon Ito :Q8e. To ba 4 In. hlRh from floor,
the raeasurctnenta at bottom tu b<* S ft. n In. by 1 ft* 9 ln> ;3t
top to be :! i"t. a in. by l ft. u in. Tho oioylnj oida i\jr In-
eoflrtion to bo at on onRl a of about 43 Aoerooo.
riDERTAL Ho.d. Vo.ti. Six (o) poduetila for bania and ono (3 )
Pedoetel with bvvclod tor- for Roabtta !;tono.
The podoutrila fbr ^lota to be oojiuuu vi tli baa «i and oapa to bo
a ft. 8 In. from floor dlaiMtor uf oojiuun to bo 7jk Inohoa.
Tho tqpa of three (S) podeatuja to be uquaro la inohso on aaoh
aide. The topo of tho rarutinini: throo (K) padootuia to ba roemton-
CUlor with the followinr ncaourcrionu::
Tvo (e) to be RO In. by Hh inehos.
Onn (1) to ba in in. by id Inohea.
ROSBTTA PISESTALt- Pedoatni I'or Itosottu Utone lo be i> ft. a In.
at lower part of top from tho floor. Top to be at an annla of
11.
115
•boat 80 d«rtM. Slat et ItoatUk et«n« la Uk ln< by B9i In.
nd Bi ia tldok. (Una top arar Boaatta BtOM.

aAS£ FOI COT148. Mo.u. OMa ftir Colna. To ba 4 f V hi«h and
HO.fe. b ft. b In.wlao, to nut upon u baao B ft. fron faoor.
Rioks for eolna to b6 of vood with ploeo for labal for nme of
ooln* Bôko to fao 8 Inohoa on oaitroa •id H Inohea aoop* to bar-
«1 at Br ar^lo of 4J degrees.
S£COND 7L00B. Oanirmr. Prof.Hllpraaht.
TA5IT GTAJTD Ota. ITach atind to ba oot In South-Eaat oom«r to ba
curt-încd vlth rod and rlnns north aida to ba of baaded boarda.
To hara toval raalct mirror and pla rslla for aoata.
orrOT CASES:- T«e (a) ahov aaaaa om la fi« lon(t oat aeolnet aouth
wall the other 11 ft. lonn a««lr>at north wall.
Counter Bhalf to be 6 ft. frnn floor to-^ *clf ^bovo ecuntar
to be K ft' hl^. All ntialvea to b« adjuotable tha uppar oneo I
ft. doej), lower rnon n ft. deap.
All to bo onolOMd hr nl'>aa doox>8.
SEVOLVirn book OASSSt* lorolvlnQ booK oaaa 8 ft. la* aooara to
ba lUe akatoh*
(OTTCXDraK;- Offlo* roak 8 ft. by 8 ft. Ilka ek«toh ^rtth two
oata of drawara. PlRoon holaa In all of one side.
STBP8t«. Pair of ladder otepa about B ft. t» in. hlith.
(WAIBj- Two (8) rowolvlno Deak ehalra with arraa.
18.
116
CHAiBSt* 9ir»a (A) am»ll %mi\ «ood ehain*
STARD:- Ihabrcllft BtanA for four (4) ucArclla8>

'
riKS>::- tttandim: %Titii« Aeak. a f v e ia« «ia« h ft. t> in> dcop,
OB in 8k*toh; p&ir or dravert vl-lh £iTlslotio In Atwrnaem tttr esrd
oataloguca ^vIilIoiui m in- v-iio, -rdth rode ftor ««rdBt dmr«ra,t.o
honra looks, kuyn uid draater pulls.
arASIS:- AU vlnaow* 1b th« noes above Bpe«in«A to bo oanslned
with ahadooi «lth patont oprlns rollora SKooptlrr In book a took,
oonvarsatlon loorn* ooat rooM* Shadoa to .bo of analln, ooler to
b« aoleatod tv avehltoota*
/y. VT-r
117
BIBLIOGRAPHY
American Art Collection. Philadelphia Museum of Art,

Philadelphia.
Cheyney, Edward Potts. History of the University nf
Pennsy l vani?i^, 174n-1R4n Philadelphia: University of
.
Pennsylvania Press, 1940.

Crawford, Virginia Carroll. Collection. High Museum of
Art, Atlanta, Georgia.
Diffrient, Niels, Alvin R. Tilley & Joan C. Bardagjy.

Humanscfale ]/?./3. Boston: MIT & Henry Dreyfuss
Associates, 1974.
Dowlin, Cornell M. ed The University nf Penn.qy van a

.
1 i
Today. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania

Press, 1940.
Fairbanks, Jonathon L. & Elisabeth Bidwell Bates. American

Furniture 1F?;^n to the Pre^Pnt New York: Richard
Marek Publishers, 1981.
Fitzgerald, Oscar P. Three Centurie.s nf American

Furniture. New York: Gramery Publishing Co, 1982.
Goyne, Nancy A. "American Windsor chairs: a style

survey." Anitaues April 1969, pp. 538-43.
.
Hall, Edward T. The Hidden Dimen.c;inn Garden City,

.
NY:Doubleday & Company Inc., 1966.
Hanks, David A. and Donald C. Peirce. The Virginia Carrol 1
Crawford Collection: Ameri can Decorative Arts. 1825-

191 7
. Atlanta: High Museum of Art, 1983.
Hoadley, R. Bruce. Understa nding Wnnd .

Newton, CT : Taunton
Press, 1981.
Illuminating Engineers Society. Lighting Handbook .
5th ed. New York: I.E.S. 1984.
118
Johnson, Marilynn. "Furnishing the
Furness Library, The
University of Pennsylvania. A summary of
and recommendations from a meeting information
on May 19 1988 "
August 28, 1988.
Kaplan, Wendy "The furniture of Frank Furness

May, 1987. pp. 1088-1095.
Kent, Allen. Harold Lancour, eds Encvolnpedia r,f T.ihr^^y

and i nformation— .
Science- New York: Marcel Dekker

Inc., 1972. Vol.8.
A Monograph of th e Works of M cKim. Mp«d & WhitP ir7,s-

12JL5.. Introduction by Paul Goldburger. New York: Da
Capo, 1985.
Nitzsche, George E. University of Pennc^y] y^ni ^ Ttc;

History, Traditions and Memnri^lR Philadelphia:
1914.
Ochsner, Jeffrey Karl. H.H. Rich ard.c^nn Hnmnl^t^

Architeotursi Wprkf? Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press
1982.
'Gorman, James F. H.H. Rin hard.snn »nd His Offir-P
Boston: Harvard College Library, 1974.
'Gorman, James F. The Architecture of Frank Furness .
Catalogue of Selected Buildings by George E. Thomas

and James F. O'Gorman, Checklist of the Architecture
and Projects of Frank Furness by George E. Thomas
and Hyman Myers, and Addendum to Checklist by George
E. Thomas, Hyman Myers, and Jeffrey A Cohen -(etc).
Philadelphia: The Falcon Press, 1973.
Page, Marian. Furniture Designe d bv Archi tect.=; .
New York: Whitney Library of Design, 1983.
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia: Three Centnrie.^;

of American Axi. Bicentenial Exhibition. April 11-
October 10, 1978. Philadelphia: 1976.
Proceedings at the Open ing of the University nf

Pennsylvania, 7th of February 1891 Philadelphia:
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•Public Library of the City of Boston" The Am^rir-.n
Arcniteot and Rnilding Nrh f No. 1006. April 6, 1895.
;
Sommer Robert. Personal Space: The Behavioral R^r^^ ^f

Ussigll. Englewood Cliffs N J Prentice Hall Inc.,
:
Soule, Charles C. "Modern Library Buildings".

Archit-,entnr?^1 Review Volume IX January,
.
1902.
Talbert Bruce J. Victorian Deoor^tivp Arte. ^ facsimile
of Gothic Forms" (1867) and "Examples of Ancient
and Modern Furniture" (1876) Watkins Glen, New
York: The American Life Foundation, 1978.
Tatman, Sandra L. & Roger W. Moss. Biographical Dictionary

of Phll;^de1phiq Architec ts. 1700-19:^0 Boston: The
Athenaeum, Philadelphia. G.K.Hall & Co. 1985.
Thorpe, Francis Newton. Ben.iamin Franklin r.n,i th^
Un i versity of PennF^vl vani p Washington: 1893.
Venturi, Robert. John Rauch & Denise Scott Brown. Master
P an for the Selective Restoration and Cnntinned npie
l
Cf the Furness Library April 1986.
Vol. I. Master Plan Report. David Mahrone,
Principle in Charge.
Vol. II. Building Conditions Reports. Thomas &
Newswanger. Marianna Thomas, Principle in Charge.
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Inc., George E. Thomas, Principle in Charge.
Vol. IV. Bookstack Building Preservation Analysis.
Clio Group, Inc. George E. Thomas, Principle in
Charge. January, 1988.
Venturi, Robert. John Rauch & Denise Scott Brown. Furness

Bu il d i ng: Pre l J mina r v Furni shings Plan. First Level
(partial) May 1988. Revised June 1988.
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University of Pennsylvania", The Librarv Journal ,
August 1888.
Wilk, Christopher. Thonet 150: Years of Furniture .
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Wilson, Richard Guy. McKim. Mead & White. Architects . New
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Anne& Jerome Fisher
FINE ARTS LIBRARY
Pennsylvania
University of
CluokAiE
FINE ARTS LIBRARY

FURNESS 91,06.
MAR 1 6 1989
UNIV. OF PENNA.
N/infi/DlS71/DQ7TX
mi

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University of Pennsylvania

Theses (Historic Preservation) Graduate Program in Historic Preservation

A Proposal for Furnishings in the Reading Rooms of the Furness

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The Graduate Program in Historic Preservation

Presented to the Faculties of

Gail Caskey Winkler, Lecturer, Advisor

George c. Thomas, Lecturer, Reader

avid G. De- Long, Graduatle Groj/p Chairman

FINE arts/ma/o :iyi^«^//f15'37

© 1988 Simon Herbert

All Rights Reserved

I could not have completed this thesis without the

patient assistance of those who spent time supporting,

guiding and encouraging me towards a timely conclusion.

graphic and research assistance; to Alan Morrison and the

staff of the Fine Arts Library, University of Penn-

sylvania; and to Nancy Trainer from the office of Venturis

Rauch and Scott Brown, architects.

My deep thanks go to Professor David DeLong who's

clear advice was always helpful and encouraging. George

Library, very kindly agreed to read this work and offered

rich ideas and suggestions for which I am most grateful.

To Gail Winkler, my advisor, I would like to give

special thanks for being both an advisor and exemplary

teacher. The lessons I learned will endure for a

lifetime. Lastly, I would like to thank my wife, Charla,

for her unending support and understanding.

1. View of the University Library by

Room. Fraser, Furness and Hewitt, 1880 8

3. Plan of the Reading Rooms on the Main Floor

4. A small reading table in the Rotunda Reading

5. An original reading table from one of the

6. Gothic Revival table in Furness Library.

7. Glass fronted case located on the

8. Plan of the Main Floor showing the

9. Rotunda Reading Room showing the

10. View of the Rotunda Reading Room and the

11. Furnishings in the Crane Memorial

12. Bates Hall, the main reading room of the

13. The Main Reading Room prior to 1898 27

^A. A C.1893 view of the Main Reading

15. Main Reading Room c. 1898 32

16. Upper Seminar Room, c . 1903 35

17. Task lighting in the Boston Public

18. A view of the Main Reading Room and the

19. Furness Library. Partial First Floor

20. Pair of chairs designed by Frank

20. Writing desk designed by Frank

22. Side chair, c.1875 designed by

23. Round dining table designed by

24. Chairs (and interior) designed by Furness

25. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Four-Seater,

26. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Four-Seater,

27. Reading Table, Basic dimensions of Four-Seater,