Page:Southern Antiques - Burroughs - 1931.djvu/36

12  it to incite others to follow my Example" he continued; "I dropt my manufacture & laid aside my Cloathes upon the repeal of the Stamp Act. I have this year Built a Commodious House for as many Manufacturers as will be able to Cloathe between three & four hundred slaves."

Copies were made of best furniture imported, even that imported by so great a person as Peter Manigault, at the time of his death, one of the richest men in America, and listed as merchant, factor, trader, manufacturer and planter, who went to sea in his own ships, to England, the Barbadoes or North American ports. And one MacGrath was bold enough to believe that work that went out from his shop was of sufficient merit to be announced as following importations of the great Manigault into Charles Town.

In 1772 Richard MacGrath was offering goods which "he will engage to be as good as any imported from Europe and will sell them at the lowest prices for cash or short credit—Double Chest of Drawers with neat and light pediment Heads which take off and put on occasionally. Dining Tables; Commode Card Tables, Breakfast Ditto with Stretchers; China Tables; Sophas with commode fronts, divided into three sweeps which give them a noble look; carved chairs of the newest fashion, splat Backs, with hollow slats and commode Fronts of the same pattern as those imported by Peter Manigault, Esq.—He is now making some Hollow-Seated Chairs, the seats to take in and out, and nearly the Pattern of another set of chairs imported by the same Gentleman, which have a light, airy look and make the sitting easy beyond expression."