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Share Old York cares for 16 buildings, 20 properties, more than 20,000 artifacts, 50,000 archival objects in the library, and serves thousands of people annually through tours, educational programs, exhibitions, and special events.
Description
Early settlers in Southern Maine made all sorts of goods, including household furnishings. Yet historians have not attributed a single piece of furniture made in 17th century Maine...until now.
Old York's executive director and chief curator, Joel Lefever, will present a brief survey of joiners (who made case furniture) and turners (who turned furniture legs and made chairs) active in the Towns of Kittery, Eliot, York, and Portland between 1670 and 1750. The talk will focus primarily on the towns of Kittery and Eliot, which were the center of furniture manufacturing in Maine before 1720. For the past decade, Lefever has combed through early York County deeds, searching for references to regional furniture makers, whose names are unfamiliar to most scholars. In the early 20th century, antiques dealers and summer residents scoured Maine for examples of colonial furniture. Much of what they discovered disappeared into museum collections, and the history of the furniture largely was forgotten. But now, by combining his recent research, along with information about pieces that descended in local families, and those in major museum collections, Lefever is able to tell the story of Maine's early furniture makers.
Date & Time
Wed, Jan 25, 2023 6:30 PM