A short piece of rail mounted on the wall against which the right end of the cupboard butted also has a cut out that allowed the front of the cupboard to fit against that wall. There are two cuts in this rail – one that allowed the left end of the cupboard to fit tight against the wall and one where the board dividing the two compartments was likewise fit against the wall. The wall against which the cupboard was built in retains a rail with iron hooks. A quick trip to Hancock Shaker Village and an examination of that location provided further information on the history of the piece. Winter, Jr., now in the collection of the Historic American Buildings Survey, show the cupboard in its original location. Photographs of the ironing room taken in 1931 by William F. Ironing Room, Laundry and Machine Shop, Church Family, Hancock, MA, 1931, Historic American Buildings Survey, HABS MASS,2-HANC,14-12, William F. This piece had last been used by Sister Emma J. The case of drawers was acquired prior to 1947 by the Museum’s founder John S. Betrayed only by its pulls, every other element in the design and construction of this piece speaks clearly to the most classic period of Shaker furniture-making. Apparently, in an effort to help the older case of drawers fit with the new furnishings, the same decorative pulls were installed on the cupboard doors and drawers of the 1820s piece.Ī present day consequence of this decision by the Shakers is that this particular piece has not often been selected by curators seeking classic pieces of Shaker furniture for exhibitions. Some of these tables had drawers and the pulls that were used on these drawers were more decorative than was typical of Shaker pieces. Carpenters were hired to build a number of round and oval pedestal tables for the Brethren’s rooms. In keeping with the style of the building some of the older furniture was “upgraded” to better fit with the new furniture that was used. The new dwelling house, while not built in the most elaborate style of the period, was certainly a more modern structure than the one it replaced. Pedestal Table, Church Family, Mount Lebanon, NY, 1877, Published in Shaker: The Art of Craftsmanship, The Mount Lebanon Collection, (Alexandria VA: Art Services International, 1995), p. By this date, several of the families had lost significant numbers of members and it is certain that there was surplus furniture. The case of drawers discussed here may have seen in service in a building not damaged by fire or possibly it was donated to the Church Family by one of the other families at Mount Lebanon. These essential pieces of furniture were supplemented with older Shaker pieces no longer needed in other places. As a consequence, beds, tables, and cases of drawers were commissioned from outside cabinetmakers.
The resulting building, completed in 1877, was built of brick with a slate roof to make it as impervious to fire as possible.Īt this period in Shaker history it would have been difficult for the Shakers to replace with their own labor the quantity of furniture that had been lost. Nearly 100 Shakers were displaced and the Shakers rebuilt as quickly as possible.
All of these were total losses but the greatest loss was the Dwelling House with its furniture and personal possessions. It started in the family’s Wood House / Sisters’ Workshop due to the careless disposal of hot ashes and soon spread to the Dwelling, the Ministry’s Workshop, the Ice House, a Barn, the Gas House, and a Storehouse. On February 6, 1875, the Church Family at Mount Lebanon experienced a devastating fire.
The reason for this modification is part of a significant event in the history of the Mount Lebanon Shakers. This work was undoubtedly done by or for Shakers. In this instance, most likely common wooden drawer pulls were replaced by commercially-made decorative wooden drawer pulls. The piece being considered in this blog post, a case of drawers with cupboards above the drawers, was similarly modified. 1820, Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon: 1950.596.1. John Mulligan, photographer. Case of Drawers, Church Family, Mount Lebanon, NY, Ca.
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