I noted the spice box that sold at Freeman’s last December was missing its door. The contents of most spice boxes were protected by doors having iron locks that could only be opened by someone in possession of the key. (Two surviving spice boxes are made in the form of a chest of drawers on … Continue reading The Missing Door
Furniture
Bartram Family Joiner Chest of Drawers
Lightening has struck twice. At least it has at Freeman's in Philadelphia. Another object that can be attributed to the Bartram Family Joiner is scheduled to be sold in their auction American Furniture, Folk, and Decorative Arts, 15 November 2017. In December 2016, less than a year ago, Freeman’s sold a spice box attributed to … Continue reading Bartram Family Joiner Chest of Drawers
Secondary Wood Species Part 2
In the previous post I characterized and illustrated the species that comprise the majority of the secondary woods encountered in Delaware River Valley furniture made before 1740 – white oak, Atlantic white cedar, and the hard pines. Another hardwood can be found used as a secondary wood in eighteenth century Delaware River Valley furniture more … Continue reading Secondary Wood Species Part 2
Secondary Wood Species, Part 1
The joiners who immigrated to the Delaware River Valley in the last quarter of the seventeenth and the first quarter of the eighteenth centuries, and the American-born joiners they trained, had a choice of timbers to use for secondary elements in their furniture. In Britain, the hardwood white oak (Quercus alba) and two softwoods, Red … Continue reading Secondary Wood Species, Part 1
“The Joiners say, that among the trees of this country they chiefly use the black walnut-trees…” Peter Kalm
“The Joiners say, that among the trees of this country they chiefly use the black walnut-trees, the wild cherry-trees, and the curled maple. Of the black walnut-trees (Juglans nigra) there is yet a sufficient quantity. However careless people take pains enough to destroy them, and some peasants even use them as fewel. The wood of … Continue reading “The Joiners say, that among the trees of this country they chiefly use the black walnut-trees…” Peter Kalm
In Proportion to the Trouble 