Brock Jobe and Clark Pearce
Sophistication in Rural Massachusetts: The Inlaid Cherry Furniture of Nathan Lombard

American Furniture 1998

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Desk-and-bookcase in an advertisement by C. W. Lyon, Inc., 1945. (Illustrated in Antiques 47, no. 5 [May 1945]: 249; photo, Winterthur Museum Library.) For a current view of the desk-and-bookcase, see fig. 32.

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Desk-and-bookcase with a label of Webb and Scott, southeastern Massachusetts or northern Rhode Island, 1790–1805. (Illustrated in American Art Association, The Collection of the Late Philip Flayderman, New York, January 2–4, 1930, lot 431; photo, Winterthur Museum Library.)

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Desk-and-bookcase attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 80 1/2", W. 44", D. 18 3/4". (Courtesy, Milwaukee Art Museum, Layton Art Collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Detail of the initials “ET” scratched into the inlaid decoration on the door of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 3. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Chest of drawers by Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 37 1/2", W. 41 3/8", D. 21 3/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The brasses are replaced, and the beaded strip on the back edge of the top is missing.

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Detail of the foot of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Detail of the foot of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in figs. 1 and 32.

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Detail of the inscription, “Made by Nathan Lombard Apl 20 1800/ Repaired by Enoch Pond March 21th 1837,” on the bottom of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Portrait of Nathan Lombard attributed to Zedekiah Belknap, possibly Sutton, Massachusetts, 1802–1815. (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The current location of this portrait is unknown; this illustration was copied from a photograph of the portrait in the collection of the Sutton Historical Society.

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Detail of A Map of the Most Inhabited Part of New England, published by Tobias Conrad Lotter, Augsburg, 1776. (Private collection; photo, Winterthur Museum.)

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    Detail of the interior of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    Drawing showing the three pine slats that form the sub-top of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Artwork, Wynne Patterson.)

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Detail of the bottom of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14

    Detail of the rear foot of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 5. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Chest of drawers attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light-and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 37", W. 41 7/8", D. 21 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Chest of drawers attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine, butternut, and basswood. H. 37 1/8", W. 44 7/8", D. 21 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Winterthur Museum.) The feet are modern replacements.

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Detail of the corner column on the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 16.

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Detail of the top of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 16.

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Detail of the decorative inlay surrounding the keyhole on the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 16.

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Detail of the applied strip along the upper back edge of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 16.

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Detail of the interior of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 16.

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Chest of drawers attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light-and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 33 7/8", W. 33 7/8", D. 20 3/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Chest of drawers attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light-and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 35", W. 40 1/4", D. 22 1/2". (Private collection; photo, Thomas Jenkins.)

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Chest of drawers attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 36", W. 43 5/8", D. 21". (Courtesy, Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village.)

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Detail of the top of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 24.

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Desk-and-bookcase attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, mahogany and cedrella banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine and yellow poplar. H. 102 1/16", W. 46 3/4", D. 32". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The pediment is a modern replacement based on the one on the desk-and-bookcase shown in fig. 32.

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Detail of the interior of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 26. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 28
    Figure 28

    Detail of the inlaid decoration on the corner column of the chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 24.

  • Figure 29
    Figure 29

    Detail of the inlaid decoration on the corner column of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 26. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 30
    Figure 30

    Detail of the foot of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 26. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 31
    Figure 31

    Detail of the bottom of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 26. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 32
    Figure 32

    Desk-and-bookcase attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 92 1/2", W. 41 1/4", D. 20 1/2". (Courtesy, Winterthur Museum.)

  • Figure 33
    Figure 33

    Detail of the cherry laminates that form the tympanum of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 32.

  • Figure 34
    Figure 34

    Detail of the eagle inlay on the door of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 32.

  • Figure 35
    Figure 35

    Detail of the corner column of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 32.

  • Figure 36
    Figure 36

    Detail of the pins that anchor the upper and lower cases of the desk-and-bookcase illustrated in fig. 26. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 37
    Figure 37

    Sideboard attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 40", W. 73 1/2", D. 28 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 38
    Figure 38

    Sideboard attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 40", W. 73 1/2", D. 28 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 39
    Figure 39

    Detail of the urn and flower inlay on the door of the sideboard illustrated in fig. 38. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 40
    Figure 40

    Sideboard possibly by Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, ash banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 39 1/4", W. 69 3/8", D. 27 1/4". (Courtesy, Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village.) The mahogany top is a replacement.

  • Figure 41
    Figure 41

    Sideboard attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 39 1/2", W. 76", D. 30 1/2". (Illustrated in Homer Eaton Keyes, “Little Known Masterpieces: IV. A Heppelwhite [sic] Sideboard,”Antiques 1, no. 4 [April 1922]: 157; photo, Winterthur Museum Library.)

  • Figure 42
    Figure 42

    Tall clock case attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light-and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 91", W. 21 1/4", D. 10 3/8". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The feet and finials are modern replacements, and the gallery is damaged.

  • Figure 43
    Figure 43

    Detail of the door of the tall clock case illustrated in fig. 42. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 44
    Figure 44

    Card table attributed to Nathan Lombard, Sutton, Massachusetts, 1803–1810. Cherry, mahogany veneer, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 29 1/2", W. 36", D. (closed) 17 3/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.) The table belonged to Abijah Woodward and has his name in chalk on the underside of the top.

  • Figure 45
    Figure 45

    Card table attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (probably Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1810. Cherry, cherry veneer, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 29 7/8", W. 29 5/16", D. (closed) 19 3/8". (Private collection; photo, Thomas Jenkins.)

  • Figure 46
    Figure 46

    Candle stand attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1801. Cherry, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 27 7/8", W. 17 5/8", D. 17 3/8". (Courtesy, Yale University Art Gallery, Mabel Brady Garvan Collection.)

  • Figure 47
    Figure 47

    Candle stand attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800. Cherry, mahogany banding, and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. H. 277/8", W. 17 3/8", D. 17 1/16". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 48
    Figure 48

    Detail of the top of the candle stand illustrated in fig. 47. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 49
    Figure 49

    Detail of the quarter-fan inlay on the top of the candle stand illustrated in fig. 47. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 50
    Figure 50

    Candle stand attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry and light- and darkwood inlays with white pine. Dimensions not recorded. (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 51
    Figure 51

    View of the candle stand illustrated in fig. 50 with the top up. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 52
    Figure 52

    Stand attributed to Nathan Lombard, Sutton, Massachusetts, 1803–1810. Mahogany with cherry. H. 27 3/4", W. 15", D. 24". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 53
    Figure 53

    Stand attributed to Nathan Lombard, Sutton, Massachusetts, 1803–1810. Cherry, mahogany veneer, and light- and darkwood inlays. H. 27 3/4", W. 14", D. 19 15/16". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 54
    Figure 54

    Firescreen attributed to Nathan Lombard, southern Worcester County (possibly Sutton), Massachusetts, 1800–1805. Cherry and light- and darkwood inlays with chestnut. H. 59 1/4". (Private collection; photo, Gavin Ashworth.)

  • Figure 55
    Figure 55

    Detail of the shield of the firescreen illustrated in fig. 54. (Photo, Gavin Ashworth.)