拍品专文
Superbly designed and executed, this high chest of drawers is a rare survival of eighteenth-century American craftsmanship. Made in central Massachusetts on the eve of the American Revolution, the chest features design elements of urban style centers as well as regional preferences of the Connecticut River Valley. The scrolled pediment, corkscrew finials, and blocked fan-carved drawers all signal the influence of Boston/Salem craftsmanship; however, the meandering vine-carved pilasters flanking the drawers of the upper case illustrate a preference for that motif among communities situated along the Connecticut River. The motif is seen on other material survivals from the area, including furniture, architectural elements, and gravestones (William N. Hosley, "Regional Furniutre Regional Life," American Furniture (Hanover, NH, 1995), pp.18-21). The execution of the chest's finials, vine-carving and fan-carved drawers indicates the confidence of a carver who was a master of his craft. The fan-carved drawers in particular reveal time-consuming labor. The edge of the fan on each central drawer is raised above the surface of the drawer facade. To achieve this raised edge, the carver had to plane away most of the top of his stock, a labor-intensive task. Typical fan-carving from the era lacks the raised edge and thus entailed less work. As well as being superbly made, the chest survived the last two hundred years with minimal alteration, retaining its original finials and an old finish.
Similar vine-carved pilasters adorn approximately twelve related high chests and desk-and-bookcases. Together, they comprise a school of cabinetmaking that flourished in the Hadley-Springfield area during the mid- to late-eighteenth century. One cabinetmaker associated with this school is Eliakim Smith (1735-1775). Born in Suffield, Connecticut, Smith had moved to Hadley, Massachusetts by 1757. There, he was successful in his trade and catered to the local elite. He served as captain in the first few months of the Revolutionary War and died in army camp in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1775. Although Smith has long been associated with this school of vine-carved furniture, a pembroke table recently discovered by Philip Zea, Curator and Deputy Director of Historic Deerfield, Inc., provides the most convincing link. Found amongst the direct descendants of Smith, the table bears similar stop-fluting as that found at the base of this school's vine-carved pilasters (Zea, catalogue entry, The Great River: Art and Society of the Connecticut Valley (Hartford, 1985), cat. 106; Roger A. Schrenk, "Eliakim Smith and Mid-Eighteenth Century Vine Carved High Chests," summer fellowship paper (Historic Deerfield, Inc., 1994), fig. 3 and passim).
According to tradition, this chest descended in the Hawley-Clarke-Lyman family of Northampton, Massachusetts. As one of only a few Hawley's remaining in the area by the mid- to late-eighteenth century and closely allied with both the Clarke and Lyman families, Major Joseph Hawley (1723-1788) stands as the most likely first owner of this high chest. After graduating from Yale College in 1742, Hawley practiced law in Northamapton and beginning in 1751, was freqently elected to the General Court. He was a close friend of John Adams and widely respected for his ardent patriotism (James Russell Trumbull, "Major Joseph Hawley," in History of Northampton, Massachusetts (Northampton, 1902), pp.534-549; Helen C. Sergeant, "Majory Joseph Hawley," Early Northampton (Northampton, 1914), pp.160-174). In 1752, he married Mercy Lyman (1729-1806) whose sister, Eunice, married Samuel Clarke (b.1721). Brothers-in-law, Major Hawley and Samuel Clarke were also close friends. The Hawley's did not have any children of their own, but adopted Samuel's son, Joseph (b.1749-after 1826). According to Major Hawley's will, most of his personal estate passed to his wife for life use; upon her death, his personal estate was left to his adopted son, Joseph Clarke (Joseph Hawley, will, 17 May 1775, Historic Northampton, A.W.17.1-2). In the twentieth century, the high chest was owned by a family descendant, Evelyn Burke, who may have descended from one of the Burke families of Vermont that intermarried with the Clarke family (Thomas Bellows Peck, Richard Clarke of Rowlely, Massachusetts, and His Descendants (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1905), pp.13, 16, 23). Later in this century, the chest was part of the collection of the renowned pianist, Vladimir Horowitz.
Related examples include: a desk-and-bookcase Sold in these Rooms, The Collection of Kay and Richard Barrett, 17 June 1997, lot 318; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Sotheby's New York, 19-21 January 1996, lot 1633; a desk-and-bookcase at the Longmeadow Historical Society; a desk-and-bookcase owned by the Hartford Steam and Boiler Insurance Company and illustrated in The Great River: Art and Society of the Connecticut Valley (Hartford, 1985), cat. 106; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Sotheby's New York, 23 October 1982, lot 87; a desk-and-bookcase illustrated in Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury, vol. 2 (New York, 1928), no. 697; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Pook & Pook, Ludwig's Corners, PA, October 13-14, 1995 and now in a private collection; a high chest at Historic Deerfield, Inc. (fig. 2); a high chest illustrated in "Similar Connecticut Highboys," Antiques (December 1937), p.288; a high chest advertised by Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc. Antiques (April 1975), p.561; an unpublished high chest in a private collection; a high chest in the collection of the Ohio State Museum and illustrated in Schrenk, fig. 15; a chest-on-chest illustrated in Nutting, vol. 1, no. 313.
Similar vine-carved pilasters adorn approximately twelve related high chests and desk-and-bookcases. Together, they comprise a school of cabinetmaking that flourished in the Hadley-Springfield area during the mid- to late-eighteenth century. One cabinetmaker associated with this school is Eliakim Smith (1735-1775). Born in Suffield, Connecticut, Smith had moved to Hadley, Massachusetts by 1757. There, he was successful in his trade and catered to the local elite. He served as captain in the first few months of the Revolutionary War and died in army camp in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1775. Although Smith has long been associated with this school of vine-carved furniture, a pembroke table recently discovered by Philip Zea, Curator and Deputy Director of Historic Deerfield, Inc., provides the most convincing link. Found amongst the direct descendants of Smith, the table bears similar stop-fluting as that found at the base of this school's vine-carved pilasters (Zea, catalogue entry, The Great River: Art and Society of the Connecticut Valley (Hartford, 1985), cat. 106; Roger A. Schrenk, "Eliakim Smith and Mid-Eighteenth Century Vine Carved High Chests," summer fellowship paper (Historic Deerfield, Inc., 1994), fig. 3 and passim).
According to tradition, this chest descended in the Hawley-Clarke-Lyman family of Northampton, Massachusetts. As one of only a few Hawley's remaining in the area by the mid- to late-eighteenth century and closely allied with both the Clarke and Lyman families, Major Joseph Hawley (1723-1788) stands as the most likely first owner of this high chest. After graduating from Yale College in 1742, Hawley practiced law in Northamapton and beginning in 1751, was freqently elected to the General Court. He was a close friend of John Adams and widely respected for his ardent patriotism (James Russell Trumbull, "Major Joseph Hawley," in History of Northampton, Massachusetts (Northampton, 1902), pp.534-549; Helen C. Sergeant, "Majory Joseph Hawley," Early Northampton (Northampton, 1914), pp.160-174). In 1752, he married Mercy Lyman (1729-1806) whose sister, Eunice, married Samuel Clarke (b.1721). Brothers-in-law, Major Hawley and Samuel Clarke were also close friends. The Hawley's did not have any children of their own, but adopted Samuel's son, Joseph (b.1749-after 1826). According to Major Hawley's will, most of his personal estate passed to his wife for life use; upon her death, his personal estate was left to his adopted son, Joseph Clarke (Joseph Hawley, will, 17 May 1775, Historic Northampton, A.W.17.1-2). In the twentieth century, the high chest was owned by a family descendant, Evelyn Burke, who may have descended from one of the Burke families of Vermont that intermarried with the Clarke family (Thomas Bellows Peck, Richard Clarke of Rowlely, Massachusetts, and His Descendants (Boston: David Clapp & Son, 1905), pp.13, 16, 23). Later in this century, the chest was part of the collection of the renowned pianist, Vladimir Horowitz.
Related examples include: a desk-and-bookcase Sold in these Rooms, The Collection of Kay and Richard Barrett, 17 June 1997, lot 318; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Sotheby's New York, 19-21 January 1996, lot 1633; a desk-and-bookcase at the Longmeadow Historical Society; a desk-and-bookcase owned by the Hartford Steam and Boiler Insurance Company and illustrated in The Great River: Art and Society of the Connecticut Valley (Hartford, 1985), cat. 106; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Sotheby's New York, 23 October 1982, lot 87; a desk-and-bookcase illustrated in Wallace Nutting, Furniture Treasury, vol. 2 (New York, 1928), no. 697; a desk-and-bookcase sold at Pook & Pook, Ludwig's Corners, PA, October 13-14, 1995 and now in a private collection; a high chest at Historic Deerfield, Inc. (fig. 2); a high chest illustrated in "Similar Connecticut Highboys," Antiques (December 1937), p.288; a high chest advertised by Bernard and S. Dean Levy, Inc. Antiques (April 1975), p.561; an unpublished high chest in a private collection; a high chest in the collection of the Ohio State Museum and illustrated in Schrenk, fig. 15; a chest-on-chest illustrated in Nutting, vol. 1, no. 313.