Connecticut Valley Furniture
by Eliphalet Chapin and His Contemporaries, 1750-1800 

Detail, High chest with scrolled pediment; Eliphalet Chapin shop, East Windsor, Conn.  Signed by Eli Roberts, probably 1782-1788, possibly 1782; cherry, with white pine; private collection.   Photograph by Helga Studios, © The Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT

January 29 - June 5, 2005

Eliphalet Chapin (1741-1807) of East Windsor has long been a legendary name among furniture makers.  Ranking among the most intriguing 18th-century craftsmen, Chapin’s East Windsor style marked a radical departure from the Wethersfield designs that had prevailed in the 1750s and 1760s.  His ingenious abstraction of the ornate Philadelphia Chippendale patterns influenced the tastes of his contemporaries (and consumers) throughout his home region, a style that remains highly sought after, more than two centuries later.

“This exhibition is a landmark project that makes a significant contribution to decorative arts scholarship and our understanding of New England life.” 

-  Désirée Caldwell, Executive Director

This exhibition is sure to appeal to thrill-of-the-hunt antique mavens, woodworkers, and all those with an appreciation for superb detailing, from finial artistry to dovetail craftsmanship. The twenty-three pieces shown in the exhibition are drawn from both private and public collections from New England to California, including the Yale University Art Gallery, the H.F. duPont Winterthur Museum, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and Historic Deerfield. 

Connecticut Valley Furniture by Eliphalet Chapin and His Contemporaries, 1750-1800 is made possible by a generous grant awarded to the Connecticut Historical Society Museum from The Henry Luce Foundation, Inc.  Additional funding has been contributed by The Connecticut Humanities Council; The National Endowment for the Arts; The Edward C. & Ann T. Roberts Foundation; The Americana Foundation; The Hartford Steam Boiler Insurance and Inspection Company; and numerous other donors.

 The exhibition at the Concord Museum is sponsored in part by Northeast Auctions by Ron Bourgeault.

Dates to Remember:

• Gallery Talk with Dr. Susan Schoelwer.  Director of Museum Collections at Connecticut Historical Society Museum and Project Director for Connecticut Valley Furniture, provides an in-depth look at the work of Eliphalet Chapin during a walk through the galleries. Refreshments to follow.  Saturday, January 29, 10:00 a.m.
  

• If These Chairs Could Talk: 50 Years in the Antiques Business.  Ron Bourgeault, owner of Northeast Auctions, presents the Museum’s 2005 Lesneski Memorial Decorative Arts Lecture, followed by afternoon tea.  Friday, February 11, 1:00 p.m. 
  

• Truly American with Alice K. and Thomas P. Kugelman and Robert Lionetti.   Learn about the intensive 14-year research project which led to the Connecticut Valley Furniture exhibition and explore the furniture-making traditions and complex shop structure of the Connecticut Valley with independent furniture scholars Alice and Thomas Kugelman and furniture consultant and restorer Robert Lionetti. Saturday, April 9, 2:00 p.m.
  

• Object Study with Leigh and Leslie Keno.  You’ve seen them on Find! and on Antiques Roadshow.  You’ve visited the Connecticut Valley Furniture exhibition and seen them engage us in gallery videos.  Now, meet the well-known Keno brothers in person and hear what they have to say about the beauty, craftsmanship and inventive spirit of this truly American furniture. Sunday, May 1, 7:00 p.m.
  

 For prices and more information about these and additional programs, check the Online Calendar.  To make reservations, please call the Museum office at (978) 369-9763.

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