The most important influence on the style of English furniture was that of the Chippendale family. Chippendale furniture is the creation of Thomas Chippendale, a London-based cabinet-maker. His Gentleman and Cabinet-Maker’s Director, a folio of furniture designs, was published in 1754 and had a wide circulation. Chippendale himself never marked his creations, making it harder today for collectors to locate original pieces. One of the best ways to find original Chippendale furniture is to look for uneven joints and tool marks, as the furniture was made entirely by hand and does not have the perfect angles of a mass-produced product. Though an article of furniture made in Chippendale’s manner may bear his name, it is by no means an indication that it was actually made in his workshop. The 18th century was a time when artisans were beginning to exploit various styles, leading to widespread adoption of his name in revivals of his style, so much so that dealers spoke of “Chinese Chippendale”, “Gothic Chippendale”, and even “Irish Chippendale”. Many of these later designs that attach his name bear little relationship to his original concepts.