The
The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and
Printed Ephemera
Henry Francis du Pont
5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur,
Delaware 19735
Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883
OVERVIEW OF
THE COLLECTION
Creator: Hill, Oliver C. (Oliver Clark), 1876-1940
Title: Papers
Dates: ca.1902-1930.
Call No.: Col. 684
Acc. No.: 02x145
Quantity: 20 items
Location: 34 J 4
BIOGRAPHICAL
STATEMENT
Oliver Clark Hill was an antiques dealer and
furniture restorer in Bethlehem and Waterbury, Connecticut. The Waterbury shop was located at 38 or 39
Willow Street. He specialized in
Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Empire furniture, plus accessories to go with
them.
Oliver was born in 1876 in Bethlehem, Conn., the son
of Elizabeth Jackson and Henry Clay Hill.
In the 1900 census, he was listed as a farm laborer, living with his
parents. However, in 1903, he married
Caroline (Carrie) Spencer, and lived in Torrington, Conn. In the 1910 and subsequent censuses, they
were living in Waterbury, Conn., and he was an antiques dealer. However, when Oliver registered for the draft
for World War I, he listed his occupation as furniture manufacturer. By 1940, he was again living in Bethlehem,
where he died on June 17, 1940.
SCOPE AND
CONTENT
The collection contains inventories, business cards,
record books, an advertisement, correspondence, and photographs. The inventories are of stock on hand in 1902
and 1909, plus undated lists of engravings and ceramics; all inventories
include prices. There are three letters
with customers, two of which regard payments on an account. The advertisement announces the opening of
Hill’s shop in Waterbury. The business
cards declare Hill to be a “collector of antiquities.” They locate him in Bethlehem and are
hand-written. One of the photographs
shows the interior of his shop (taken ca.1912); most of the others depict
furniture for sale and include prices. A
couple of photos have notes that were written much later (one note was dated
1972); four photos of a chest of drawers were taken much later than the others.
One of the record books (acc. 02x145.21) records
purchases made from Mr. Hill, as well as purchases made by him (section headed
“I have at these different places furniture as mentioned”). The records are dated 1903-1907. Another record book (02x145.22) begins with a
list of names, ceramic pieces, and prices, but it is not clear if Hill is
buying, selling, or perhaps just recording prices asked by other dealers. The bulk of this book is a list of pictorial
china pieces with prices. The other two
books record sales of furniture, charges for repairs, and other miscellaneous
charges; they cover the years ca.1920-1931 (most entries do not have years).
ORGANIZATION
The items are arranged by type of material:
inventories, business cards, correspondence, photographs, record books.
LANGUAGE OF
MATERIALS
The materials are in English.
RESTRICTIONS
ON ACCESS
Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.
PROVENANCE
Purchased from Franklin Gilliam.
ACCESS POINTS
Topics:
Antique dealers - Connecticut.
Stores, Retail - Connecticut.
Advertisements - Furniture.
Commercial correspondence.
Inventories, Retail - Connecticut.
Ceramics - Prices.
Stores, Retail – Photographs.
Business cards.
Black-and-white photographs.
DETAILED
DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION
Location: 34 J 4
All accession numbers begin with 02x145.
Folder 1:
inventory
.1 “Inventory,
Feb. 1, 1902” – FRAGILE – HANDLE WITH
CARE
At this time, Hill had in his shop
such items as a highboy, a maple Dutch desk, a high-post cherry bedstead, a
mahogany mantle clock, a Colt rifle, three swords, plus a sword with belt, a
rosewood jewelry case, double-back arm chair, some books (short titles given),
a blue wash bowl and pitcher, two brown teapots, a gold watch, etc. Little description is given, with “half-round
cherry table,” and “cherry table, hoof feet” being among the most descriptive
listings. Prices are listed.
Folder 2:
inventory
.2a-c “Antique
furniture on Hand, June 22nd, ‘09”
A typed list, with 51
items. This list gives description of
items, plus their prices. A sample entry
is “massive octagon column wardrobe in mahogany, mirror, doors, beautiful carved
top, in excellent condition,” for $50.00.
Five “Colonial bed room chairs, in mahogany, graceful backs” cost $3
each, or one could purchase all five for $14.
Much of the furniture was mahogany, although rosewood, hickory (Windsor
chair), and walnut pieces were also available.
Folder 3:
inventory
.3a-c Undated list with no title, but the
inventory lists broadsides, engravings, and ceramics (mostly pitchers), with
prices.
Among the engravings were portraits
of George Washington, Israel Putnam, and Benjamin Franklin. Many of the pitchers bore portraits as well:
Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, etc.
Most of the broadsides were printed versions of the Declaration of
Independence. Several entries have the
note “see catalogue.”
Folder 4:
inventory
.4a-i undated list of ceramics, each piece
numbered and priced.
Ceramics were described as
being Chinese, Lowestoft, Satsuma, salt glaze, tortoise shell, Whieldon, black
basalt, Leeds, Wedgwood, Staffordshire, cream ware, Liverpool, etc. Ceramics were numbered 1-233, then 250-299. After number 230, there are several
unnumbered items, including a Thomas Jefferson Sheraton arm chair (“see
catalog”), teakwood arm chairs, Thomas Jefferson iron pipe tongs, Washington
banquet table and sideboard, Washington porch chair, some Washington ceramics,
etc.
Folder 5: correspondence
.5a-b letter from Mrs. C. B. Hotchkiss, New York,
March 19, 1916, to Mr. Hill: asking for price of a set of books; with envelope
Note on inside: price
given, sent on approval
.6a-b letter from E. Steer, Dec. 15, 1929, to Mr.
Hill: trying to clear up his account
.7 from Ernest J. Steer, New York, June
23, 1930, to Mr. Hill: more about his account
Folder 6: advertisement
.8a-e “Our Forefathers Chair, 1750”: advertising
pamphlet, announcing opening of shop at 38 Willow St., Waterbury, Conn. (five copies)
Hill advertised himself as a dealer
in colonial furniture in Chippendale, Hepplewhite, and Empire furniture, with
“other articles tend to complete: at Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe; also restored and
refinished pieces. Front of pamphlet has
picture of a Chippendale arm chair
Folder 7: business cards
.9a-v “Oliver C. Hill, Collector of Antiquities,
Bethlehem, Conn.” – hand-written cards, so they are not identical. Some have the initials O.C. rather than the
name Oliver C.
Folder 8: photographs
.10 serving table sitting on top of a
sideboard, in front of a store; note on back is not entirely easy to read, but
mentions walnut and the price 60.00. To
the left of the furniture, one can read the word Antiques on the store window;
behind the sideboard, one can see candlesticks in the store window.
.11 bureau (40.00) and round table (50.00),
taken inside a shop
.12 a Windsor chair ($12) and a mahogany
inlaid wash stand ($15); photo taken inside store, and other pieces of
furniture and andirons are seen; “Oliver C. Hill, Bethlehem, Conn.” is written
on back
.13 silver luster tea service on a card
table, and a Queen Anne side chair; note on back states that picture was taken
about 1905, and gives the name of the person (a daughter of Oliver C. Hill) who
owned the items in 1972
.14 a slant-top desk, with ball-and-claw
feet; parts of other pieces also visible in photo (mounted on card stock)
.15 a card table, taken in front of a
coverlet (mounted on card stock)
.16 “O.C. Hills’ Show Room, 38 Willow St.,
about 1912”: interior of antique shop, with side chair, several kinds of
tables, lamp, tall case and mantel clocks, side boards, mirrors, andirons,
ceramics, and other pieces on display (photo is torn)
.17-20 chest of drawers, with close-ups, including
drawer interior
Folder 9: record books
.21 records, 1903-1907
Apparently mostly a record of people
who paid for their purchases over time.
The book has alphabet dividers, and people are written under the first letter
of their surnames.
Under the letter
I is found a list headed “I have at these different places furniture as
mentioned.” This appears to be a list of
furniture purchased by Hill; sometimes shipping is mentioned.
Under the letter
S are found many entries for Mr. R.P. Smith of Litchfield. He may have been hired by Hill to work on
furniture, as his purchases are partly paid by work or finishing on furniture
and clocks.
.22 records,
undated
This volume begins with five pages
of names, with priced items (chiefly ceramics) listed under each name. The rest of the volume lists pictorial china,
with prices. Each piece also has a
catalog number. The catalog numbers are
not in order, and the pieces are not always under a letter that makes sense
(so, pictorial china related to Lafayette is under L, but the Stevens Mansion
in Hoboken, New Jersey, is under I, and a view of Trenton Falls is under E).
Folder 10: record books
.23 A record of people and their purchases,
some of whom definitely paid their bills over time, but it is not clear that
that was the case for everyone. The book
has alphabet dividers, and people are written under the first letter of their
surnames.
A very few years are
found, mostly 1921-1922.
.24 This is like .23 above; on the front
flyleaf is found the note “commenced Dec. 1, 1924.”
Under the divider for W, but towards
the end of that section, are found accounts for Harry Arons. Attached to that page was a business card for
Hill, noting that he offered “antique furniture, historical china, old silver,
pewter, glass and rare old books.”