Rectilinear Modern Gothic furniture was simpler to manufacture than curvaceous Rococo Revival pieces based on 18th-century French prototypes – an important consideration for British and American firms wishing to capture market share from French furniture makers. Kimbel & Cabus benefitted from widespread American interest in Charles Locke Eastlake’s influential book Hints on Household Taste in Furniture, Upholstery, and other Details (London, 1868). Providing a sense of correct answers, Eastlake’s prescriptive text gave Gothic design elements, seen here, a moral twist that boosted sales. Straight lines were “sincere,” curving lines were not. Honest oak, according to Eastlake, was a superior choice of wood “for both appearance and durability.”