Quoted from the post, Country Furniture from the Canadian Encyclopedia.

The phrase "country furniture" aptly describes most surviving antique Ontario furniture held privately and in museum collections. Settlement began after the American Revolution and intensified during the 19th century. In those first years, the pressures of pioneering life ensured that most families had little time or money for high-style furniture, let alone access to it.

Ontario country furniture was fashioned of native woods (eg, walnut, maple, cherry, birch, oak, basswood, pine), by hand, usually with some skill. It can be divided into 3 categories: copies of high-style furniture of British and American derivation; furniture with form and decoration of French, German and other European ethnic origin; and sturdy utilitarian furniture that was used almost universally in town and country and in the less important rooms of city homes.

All of the Georgian, Empire and Victorian styles were reproduced, alone or in combination, with varying degrees of success. Ontario cherry and figured maple provided excellent substitutes for imported mahogany and satinwood. Stain and paint were employed to simulate costly woods, veneers, inlay and carving, when cost or lack of skill or tools forbade such embellishments. Especially during the early years, cabinetmakers were more likely to use hardware (ie, hinges, handles, etc) that was readily available rather than what matched the style of the furniture. Decorative motifs such as the German 6-sided star and French diamond-shaped panels sometimes were used on country furniture that was British or American in form and style.

Relatively few tools were needed to construct utilitarian furniture so it could be undertaken by most carpenters as well as joiners and cabinetmakers. Dual-purpose, space-saving forms included a chair with a back that could be lowered to form a table top, and a bench with a seat that unfolded to a full bed.

Country chairs fall into 3 groups: slat-backs, Windsors and Fancy chairs. Slat-back chairs had 4 turned legs, the rear ones extended and joined by several slats at the top to form a ladder back. A variation, the banister-back, had 2 slats, pierced by several vertical spindles. Woven ash splints or elm bark formed the seats.

The Windsor, a chair of English derivation, was constructed like a stool with a back attached to the seat. Such chairs were named according to either the style or the shape of the back, eg, Sheraton, loop- or bow-back, arrow-back, low-back or Captain's, comb-back, spindle-back, short spindle-back or chicken coop, and gunstock. Slat-backs and Windsors were made as side chairs, armchairs and rockers; most were painted.

Fancy chairs were side chairs with back, seat and leg patterns derived, at least in part, from Georgian and Victorian styles. Decorative, figured wood often was used; the seats were made of cane or rush. Many Windsors and Fancy chairs also were produced in early Ontario furniture factories.

The high, heavy, 4-post, rope-spring bedstead and accompanying trundle bed were succeeded by a lower, lighter spool-turned bed with slats. Hired-man cots, with spool-turned ends, became country settees when spooled or solid backs were added. Tables and stands of all sizes and for all purposes had tops that tilted, lifted, pivoted or were detachable, and leaves that could be dropped, drawn out or detached.

Country schoolmaster desks with slanted lift tops might be attached to or detachable from a long- or short-legged frame below and a postmaster cupboard with pigeonholes above. Drop-front desks were composed of a cupboard front that dropped to form a writing surface, supported by a table or a lower cupboard.

Country cupboards of one or 2 pieces, with glazed, solid, or no doors, some having a pie shelf sandwiched between the upper and lower parts, were built into corners or walls or were free-standing. They were made in many sizes and shapes for storage of food or dishes and as dry sinks. Linen presses and wardrobes were constructed with fixed parts or, for ease of relocation, detachable ones. Most cupboards were painted or stained dark. Lift-top box chests, the earliest and best made of 6 dovetailed boards, were numerous and even incorporated into the top part of early chests of drawers.

Written by Elizabeth Ingolfsrud

Elizabeth Ingolfsrud wrote several books about Ontario furniture.

Ontario Cryptozoology. an abandoned blog. I could not find it continued somewhere else. But, it might have become larger, focusing on all of Canada. This site only had two posts about the topic, others were about forming a group.

Monday, June 16, 2008 Igopogo

Everyones heard the story of there being a creature that lives in Lake Simcoe. Most descriptions of said creature state that its about 12 feet in length, has a long neck, and a head resembling that of a dog. A few descriptions also claim that it has fins.

Not too many pictures around of this creature, however floating around somewhere is a video that has been seen by some very big names. The most I can find on this video is a description so here it is. "According to the unnamed videographer, while a friend was preparing for a hydroplane race, he suffered a mechanical breakdown and was forced to pause for repairs near the south end of the lake. As the racer lifted the engine hatch in order to assess the damage, a large animal suddenly surfaced directly in front of him - stunning the racer as well as the spectators on the shoreline. The viewers began to panic as the creature slowly lowered its head into the water. It continued to stare at the racer before disappearing completely"

any thoughts?

Tuesday, July 8, 2008 Lake Erie Monster

Since August of 2001, an unknown, aquatic predator has been savagely attacking swimmers - especially those unlucky enough to go swimming off the Pump House beach, near Port Dover, Ontario. In a span of less that 24 hours - no less than three people were bitten by a large, unseen animal.

Dr. Harold Hynscht treated three patients recently who suffered major bites on their legs after swimming in Lake Erie beside the Port Dover pump house. All were in about a meter of water when the attacks occurred. Hynscht, a diver with extensive knowledge of aquatic life, is at a loss to identify the animal that caused them. The bites were not minor. Six inches separated the wounds inflicted by the top and bottom teeth, suggesting the animal has a large mouth.

It wasn't long before rumors began to spread through Port Dover and its neighbouring communities, regarding the source of these vicious attacks. Wildly speculative theories from a rogue school of piranhas, which may have been released into the wild after they grew too big for their owner's aquarium, to a baby nessie-like creature which may have been swimming closer to shore in search of prey. Other researchers have suggest that the animals may be similar to the eel-like cryptids which allegedly haunt Newfoundland's Crescent Lake.