Gerald W. R. Ward and Karin E. Cullity
The Wendell Family Furniture at Strawbery Banke Museum

American Furniture 1993

Full Article
Contents
  • Figure 1
    Figure 1

    Jacob Wendell house, Pleasant Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, built 1789. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 2
    Figure 2

    Front hallway, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 3
    Figure 3

    Dining room, Wendell house. Photograph by Arthur T. Greenwood, August 1887. (Courtesy, Ronald Bourgeault.)

  • Figure 4
    Figure 4

    Dining room, Wendell house. Photograph, ca. 1900. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 5
    Figure 5

    Dining room, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 6
    Figure 6

    Dining room, Wendell house. Photograph by Douglas Armsden, ca. 1940. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

     

  • Figure 7
    Figure 7

    Parlor, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 8
    Figure 8

    Parlor, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 9
    Figure 9

    Parlor, Wendell house. Photograph by Douglas Armsden, ca. 1940. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 10
    Figure 10

    Parlor chamber, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902 (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 11
    Figure 11

    John Wendell (1737—1820). Taken from a modern photograph of a drawing (current location unknown) dated 1791. (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 12
    Figure 12

    High chest of drawers, New England, probably Massachusetts, 1700—1730. Walnut, walnut veneer, and maple with pine. H. 65 1/2", W. 39 3/4, D. 22 1/4. (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 13
    Figure 13

    Stretcher-base table, probably Portsmouth, 1740—1780. Maple and pine. H. 27", W. 54", D. 36". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmoutn, New Hampshire; gift of Richard L. Mills; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 14
    Figure 14

    China table attributed to Robert Harrold, Portsmouth, 1760—1775. Mahogany with soft maple and eastern white pine. H. 27 1/4", W. 35 9/16", D. 23 3/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 15
    Figure 15

    Side table, Portsmouth, 1760—1777. Mahogany with birch. H. 37", W. 60 3/4", D. 27 1/4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; lent by Ronald Bourgeault; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 16
    Figure 16

    Pair of armchairs, Portsmouth, 1760—1775. Mahogany with birch. H. 40 1/2", W. 27", D. 23". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der oude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 17
    Figure 17

    Card table (one of a pair), Portsmouth, 1760—1775. Mahogany with eastern white pine, red pine, and birch. H. 27 5/8", W 35 5/16, D. 17 3/16".(Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 18
    Figure 18

    Side chair, Portsmouth, 1760—1790. Birch and maple. H. 35 1/2", W. 21 5/8", D. 16 3/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 19
    Figure 19

    Fan-back Windsor side chair (one of a set of six), branded by Joseph Henzey (b. I743), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, I775—I790. Hickory, white oak, yellow poplar, and soft maple. H. 36 5/8 ", W. 22 7/8", D. I6". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Kenneth E. and Evelyn S. Barrett; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 20
    Figure 20

    Box, with three drawers, probable Portsmouth, ca. 1770. Walnut with eastern white pine. H. 14 5/8", W. 11 15/16", D. 17 1/4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 21
    Figure 21

    Jacob Wendell (1788—1865). Taken from a modern photograph of a crayon portrait by Seth Wells Cheney (1810—1856) of Boston, ca. 1854. (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 22
    Figure 22

    Chest of drawers, attributed to Langley Boardman (1774—1833), Portsmouth, 1795—1810. Mahogany with eastern white pine. H. 35 3/4", W. 43", D. 22 7/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der VVoude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 23
    Figure 23

    Card table (one of a pair), by Judkins and Senter (fl. 1808—1826), Portsmouth, 1816. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, and rosewood veneer with eastern white pine, birch, and white oak. H. 30", W 37", D. 18". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 24
    Figure 24

    Sofa, by Judkins and Senter, Portsmouth, 1816. Mahogany with beech, birch, eastern white pine, and ash. H. 35 5/8 ", W. 73 3/4 ", D. 24 1/4. (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 25
    Figure 25

    Detail of sofa illustrated in fig. 24. (Photo, New Hampshire Historical Society.)

  • Figure 26
    Figure 26

    Sideboard, by Judkins and Senter (fl. 1808—1826), Portsmouth, 1815. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, birch veneer, bird's-eve maple veneer, Casuarina spp. veneer, and light and dark-wood inlays, with eastern white pine, basswood, yellow birch, and unidentified tropical hardwood. H. 43", W. 70 1/2", D. 22 l/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 27
    Figure 27

    Lolling chair, Portsmouth, 1815—1825. Mahogany with soft maple and eastern white pine. H. 44", W. 26 3/8". D. 21 3/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 28
    Figure 28

    Lolling chair, Portsmouth, 1810—1820. Mahogany and birch veneer with soft maple, beech, and eastern white pine. H. 44", W. 22 1/2", D. 18 1/4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 29
    Figure 29

    Desk, Portsmouth, 1810—1820. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, birch veneer, and rosewood veneer with eastern white pine. H. 34 1/4", W. 30", D. 17 7/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 30
    Figure 30

    Desk illustrated in fig. 29 in open position. (Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.) Photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 31
    Figure 31

    Card table, Portsmouth, 1820—1825. Mahogany with eastern white pine, basswood, and birch. H. 31", W. 36 1/2", D. 18 1/4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 32
    Figure 32

    Dressing table and dressing glass, Portsmouth (table) and England or Portsmouth (glass), 1815—1825. Mahogany and mahogany veneer with pine. (Table), H. 37 3/4", W. 39 1/4", D. 18 1/4"; (glass), H. 21 1/4", W. 15 1/4", D. 7 7/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 33
    Figure 33

    High-post bedstead, Massachusetts, probably Boston or Salem, 1800—1810, with later cornice, ca. 1830. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, and light- and dark-wood inlay with pine. H. 88 3/4, W 56 11/16", D. 79". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 34
    Figure 34

    Bedchamber, Wendell house. Photograph by Lafayette Newell and Co., ca. 1902. (Wendell Collection; Image courtesy of Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.)

  • Figure 35
    Figure 35

    Double settee, Portsmouth, ca. 1815. Sweet gum, soft maple, birch, and hickory. H. 35", W. 45 3/4", D. 18". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 36
    Figure 36

    Triple settee, New York City, 1816. Hickory, yellow poplar, soft maple, and ash. H. 34", W. 71 5/8", D. 19 3/4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 37
    Figure 37

    Armchair, New York City, 1816. Hickory, yellow poplar, soft maple, and ash. H. 33 3/8", W. 19 3/4", D. 16 1/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 38
    Figure 38

    Side chair (detail), New York City, 1816. Hickory, yellow poplar, soft maple, and ash. H. 33 5/8", W. 18", D. 16 1/8". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 39
    Figure 39

    Windsor side chair, Portsmouth, 1815—1820. Later painted decoration by George N. Porter (fl. 1856—1867), Portsmouth, 1856—1860. Birch, eastern white pine, and soft maple. H. 34", W. 15 3/4, D. 15 1/4 ". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 40
    Figure 40

    Stenciled label of George N. Porter on bottom of chair illustrated in fig. 39 (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 41
    Figure 41

    Canterbury, by James C. Brown, Portsmouth, 1846 (before restoration). Mahogany and mahogany veneer with eastern white pine. H. 21", W. 20", D. 17". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; gift of Gerrit van der Woude; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 42
    Figure 42

    Patent timepiece, by Simon Willard (1753—1848), with painting by John R. Penniman (1782—1841), Boston, Massachusetts, 1811. Mahogany, gilded wood, and glass. H. 43", W. 10 1/2", D. 4". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; lent by Ronald Bourgeault; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 43
    Figure 43

    Chest of drawers, Portsmouth, 1815—1820. Mahogany and mahogany veneer with eastern white pine. H. 39", W. 45", D. 20". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; lent by Ronald Bourgeault; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 44
    Figure 44

    Back of chest of drawers illustrated in fig. 43. ((Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 45
    Figure 45

    Dining table, Portsmouth, 1810—1820. Mahogany with birch. H. 29 1/4", W. (open) 67 1/2", W. (closed) 17 1/2", D. 56". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; lent by Ronald Bourgeault; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)

  • Figure 46
    Figure 46

    Cradle, Portsmouth, 1810—1820. Mahogany with pine. H. 26 1/2", W 38", D. 23 1/2". (Strawbery Banke Museum, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; lent by Ronald Bourgeault; photo, Bruce Alexander Photography.)