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Furniture to be displayed in Smithsonian exhibit
Published Wednesday, February 13, 2008
NATCHEZ — A small but bulky and hard to move piece of Natchez history will be making its way to New York City.
A rosewood tête-à-tête —made about 1850 — from Melrose will be featured in the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York City as a part of the “Rococo: The Continuing Curve, 1730-2008” exhibit.
The tête-à-tête is essentially an ornate couch with an armrest in the middle
Photo by Marcus Frazier
Richmond and Lower Lodge Antiques owner Richard Branyan discuss the condition of the couch before it is packaged for transportation to the museum.
Characterized by scrolls, curves, carved shells, flowers and fruits, the Rococo style originated in France in the 1700s. The exhibit will explore the development of the style throughout the years.
The Natchez piece ended up in the exhibit because the show’s curator, Jason Busch, wrote his master’s thesis about Natchez furniture, Natchez National Historical Park Superintendent Kathleen Jenkins said.
“He spent an entire summer looking at every piece in Natchez,” Jenkins said.
“We find that our relationship with him is a win-win,” Jenkins said. “He gets to put on great shows and we get to show the great collection we are stewards of to the world.”
Photo by Marcus Frazier
Surround Art art handler and transporter Eric Richmond measures the dimensions of a 19th century couch for shipping Tuesday at Lower Lodge Antiques.
To move the piece, the involved parties worked with a furniture conservator and got strict instructions on how the piece should be crated and moved.
“It has to be supported from below so the fragile legs won’t give way and supported from the back so the crest won’t be anywhere near to touching the side of the crate,” Jenkins said.
Sending the piece off does make Jenkins a little nervous, she said.
“I feel the trepidation any mother feels when they send their babies away from home,” she said. “We are stewards of a great collection here, but we are dealing with professionals who have taken every step to make sure it is taken care of.”
A piece from Stanton Hall was also considered for the exhibit, but did not make it because there was no place where it could be kept without the risk of damage, Ethel Banta with Stanton Hall said.
“We really hate that they couldn’t find a place for it, but now we’ll have it for Pilgrimage,” Banta said.
The exhibit will run from March 7 through July 6.
Comments
Posted by eagles (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think that is great! I'm sure there are many pieces of furniture around our town that the public would be interested in seeing. Maybe there will be more to come.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 9:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)
That is a lovely piece of furniture and looks to be in excellent condition. I wish my furniture held up that well.
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It is gorgeous isn't it? It took my breath for a moment.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Natchez is a treasure vault of gorgeous antiques. It is wonderful to have a little part of lil' ol' Natchez--and us--in the exhibit
Posted by thetruthhurts (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree roberth33. I had an aunt, that has passed, but lived in Natchez for many, many years. She had a ton of antiques that she would carelessly (in my opinion) sell to my parents just to get some money. They were in excellent condition and my mother felt at least they would be taken care of, and they have been. They restored a nearly 200 year old home when I was a child, and it is wonderful to have original furniture to look at in it. Passerbys are constantly stopping to look. I am proud they have a bit of natchez heritage in their care.
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Which antebellum house in Natchez has the prettiest furniture and decorations inside? I used to have a book of the different houses in Natchez with pictures of the interiors, and I thought Auburn looked the best from the photos. But, it's been so long since I've personally toured any of the homes that I can't remember what they looked like on the inside...and then, I haven't been inside all that many of them. I like the way Longwood looks on the outside, but the inside?
Speaking of antebellum homes, it's just about time for Spring Pilgrimage. Used to, if you lived in Natchez and you took an out of town visitor into the pilgrimage headquarters to purchase tickets to tour the homes, you got your tickets free. I don't know if it is still that way or not.
Posted by roberth33 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 1:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Looking forward to Pilgrimmage.
As for best house? hmmmmm, too many to say.
Longwood is one, Melrose of course, Ellicot Hill.
Like a kid in a candy store!
Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Peace -
Best house Awards - (In Honor of Award Season)
Best Early House - Ellicot's Hill
Best Original Furnishings - Melrose
Best Tour - Rosalie
Best Gardens - Rosalie
Best Original Second Owner's Furniture - Rosalie
Most interesting house architecturally - Longwood
Saddest Story - Longwood
Best 18th Century furniture - Cottage Gardens - sadly off the Pilgrimage Tour now.
Best Black History tour - William Johnson House
Grandest Tour House - Stanton Hall
Best Family owned house - Routhland
Best House in same family for over 100 years - Greenleaves
Most depressing house now - Arlington
Most Photogenic - Dunlieth
I think that is enough awards!
Posted by Peace007 (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 6:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank you for that information Natchez1.
Posted by ijohnson (anonymous) on February 13, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That sofa is beautiful!! I love the Natchez Collection produced by Henredon. They have reproduced some very nice traditional pieces based on actual furnishings and photos of furnishings found in our antebellum homes in Natchez.
I toured Longwood quite a few years ago and found the architecture truly stunning!!!! It was very weird seeing all the carpenters' tools still lying on the floor where they left them when the Civil War began. There was also a lot of the owner's medicinal bottles on display -- I believe he was a doctor. Unfortunately, it was not finished, but it does stand as an outstanding example of craftsmanship. The octagonal dome is just breathtaking!!
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