The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, DE  19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Obbard, John.                                     

Title:               John Obbard furniture research papers

Dates:             ca.1995-2001

Call No.:         Col. 852

Acc. No.:        09x68, 10x103

Quantity:        19 boxes (7 linear feet)

Location:        10 H 5-6 and I 8

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

John W. Obbard was a collector of early American furniture.  He wrote two books: Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors, published in 2000, and Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When and Where, published in 2006.  John and his twin brother Peter were born on August 31, 1931, sons of Norman and Doris Obbard.  He grew up in Sewickley, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.  After graduating from Dennison College in 1955, he followed a career as a software engineer in the aerospace industry, working for such giants as Lockheed, Boeing, and Raytheon. 

 

John developed an interest in antique furniture after moving to Winchester, Massachusetts, but the interest may have been sparked much earlier when his mother brought home an inheritance of English and Flemish antiques.  He taught himself much about antiques, taking classes and attending auctions; he also collected furniture, and wrote the books mentioned above.  He retired to Cummaquid, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod, where he died in February 2008.  John Obbard was married twice, and had two daughters.

 

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

The collection contains materials which John Obbard amassed for his books on early American furniture, including a picture archive of materials from auction catalogs and antiques advertisements, drafts of his first book Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors (under the working title “A Guide to Collecting American Period Furniture”), and drawings for both of John Obbard’s books, which were executed by Brenda Bechtel.  As well, there is some correspondence with publishers and some Obbard family material.   The picture archive is arranged by furniture type (chairs, chests, tables, etc.), and then further broken down by region: New England, Middle Atlantic, and Southern.  

           

 

ORGANIZATION

 

Book drafts, notes, illustrations, and other papers are in Series I.  The picture archive, arranged by type of furniture and then by region, is in Series II.

 

The original drawings which came in accession 10x103 have been interfiled with the appropriate folders holding notes and drawings for Books I and II.  Original material from accession 10x103 is in separate folders.  Folders with materials from both accessions are marked with both numbers.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

Collection is open to the public.  Copyright restrictions may apply.

           

 

PROVENANCE

           

Both accessions: Gift of Evie (Mrs. John) Obbard.

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

            Bechtel, Brenda.

            Obbard family.

 

Topics:

            Furniture, American.

Furniture, Colonial.

Furniture – Federal period.

            Furniture – Middle Atlantic States.

Furniture – New England.

            Furniture – Southern States.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 10 H 5-6 and I 8

 

 

Series I:

 

 

Box 1:

 

Folders 1-4:    “A Guide to Collecting American Period Furniture”: typescript       

 

 

Box 2:

 

Folder 1:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 1: “The Furniture Trade”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 2:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 2: “Understanding Period and Style”: drawings and notes

 

Folders 3-4:    Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 5: “Identifying Period Workmanship”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 5:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 6: “Fakes and Frauds”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 6:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 8: “Cabinetmaker’s Chairs”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 7:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 9: “Turner’s Chairs”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 8:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 10: “Windsor Chairs” drawings and notes

 

Folder 9:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 11: “Wing Chairs and Sofas”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 10:       Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 12: “Chests and Blanket Chests”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 11:       Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 13: “Chests of Drawers”: drawings and notes

 

 

Box 3:

 

Folder 1:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 14: “Desks and Secretaries”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 2:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 15: “Highboys, Lowboys, Presses, and Dressing Tables”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 3:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 16: “Sideboards and Cupboards”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 4:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 17: “Dining and Side Tables”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 5:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 18: “Tea and Cards Tables”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 6:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 19: “Candlestands and Sewing Tables”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 7:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 20: “Beds”: drawings and notes

           

Folder 8:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 21: Mirrors”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 9:         Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 22: “Clocks and Barometers”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 10:       Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 23: “Shaker Furniture”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 11:       Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 24: “Miscellaneous Small Furniture”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 12:       Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide: chapter 26: Clean-up and Repair”: drawings and notes

 

Folder 13:       Book I: additional illustrations [for Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide] (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 14:       Book I: unused illustrations [for Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide] (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 15:       Drawings 1-4 [for book II: Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapters 1-4]

 

Folder 16:       Drawings 5 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 5: Framed chairs]

 

 

Box 4:

 

Folder 1:         Drawings 6 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 6: Turned chairs]

 

Folder 2:         Drawings 7 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 7: Windsor chairs]

 

Folder 3:         Drawings 8 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 8: Upholstered chairs]

 

Folder 4:         Drawings 9 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 9: Sofas]

 

Folder 5:         Drawings 10 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 10: Chests and Chests over drawers]

 

Folder 6:         Drawings 11 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 11: Chests of drawers]

 

Folder 7:         Drawings 12 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 12: High chests of drawers and Dressing tables]

 

Folder 8:         Drawings 13 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 13: Desks and Desk and bookcases]

 

Folder 9:         Drawings 14 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 14: Sideboards and serving tables]

 

Folder 10:       Drawings 15 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 15: Cupboards and Wardrobes]

 

Folder 11:       Drawings 16 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 16: Dining and breakfast tables]

 

Folder 12:       Drawings 17 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 17: Tea tables]

 

Folder 13:       Drawings 18 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 18: Card tables]

 

Folder 14:       Drawings 19 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 19: Candle stands, Light stands, Worktables]

 

 

 

Box 5:

 

Folder 1:         Drawings 20 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 20: Tavern and farm tables]

 

Folder 2:         Drawings 21 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 21: Daybeds and bedsteads]

 

Folder 3:         Drawings 22 [for book II, Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where, chapter 22: Miscellaneous regional furniture]

 

Folder 4:         Maps

 

Folder 5:         Obbard antiques collection (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 6:         Obbard family (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 7:         Porcelain, metalware (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 8:         Publishers: Book I: correspondence (acc. 10x103)

                        [Early American Furniture: A Practical Guide for Collectors]

 

 

Box 6:

 

Folder 1:         Publishers: Book II: correspondence (acc. 10x103)

                        [Early American Furniture: A Guide to Who, When, and Where]

 

Folder 2:         Publishers: Book II: cover letter and pitch (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 3:         Publishers: Book II: illustrations for proposal (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 4:         Publishers: Book II: marketing (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 5:         Publishers: Book III: correspondence (acc. 10x103)

                        [this book was not published]

 

Folder 6:         Reference material (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 7:         Winterthur project, including negatives

[furniture of southeastern Massachusetts] (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 8:         Winterthur project: object examination forms 

[furniture of southeastern Massachusetts] (acc. 10x103)

 

Folder 9:         Writing workshop (acc. 10x103)

 

 

 


Series II: Picture Archive

 

Box 6:

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Bedsteads: New England

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Bedsteads: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 12:       Furniture: Canadian

 

 

Box 7:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Chests and Chests over drawers: New England

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Chests and Chests over drawers: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Chests and Chests over drawers: illustrations

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: New England

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Connecticut

 

 

Box 8:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Massachusetts

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: New Hampshire

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: New York

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Pennsylvania

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Ohio

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: Southern

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Chests of drawers: illustrations

 

 

Box 9:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Chairs: construction

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Chairs: Jacobean and William and Mary styles

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Chairs: Queen Anne style

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Chairs: Chippendale style: Pennsylvania

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Chairs: Chippendale style: other states, and ladderback chairs

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Chairs: Federal style: Massachusetts

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Chairs: Federal style: New York

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Chairs: Federal style: other states

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: illustrations

 

 

Box 10:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: ladderback and corner chairs

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: Cromwell and Queen Anne

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: Queen Anne and Chippendale

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: Chippendale

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Chairs: cabinetmakers’ chairs: Federal

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Chairs: campeche chairs

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Chairs: corner chairs

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Chairs: fancy chairs

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Chairs: framed chairs: New England

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Chairs: framed chairs: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Chairs: turned chairs: New England

 

Folder 12:       Furniture: Chairs: turned chairs: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 13:       Furniture: Chairs: turned chairs: illustrations

 

Folder 14:       Furniture: Chairs: Easy chairs, upholstered chairs: New England

 

 

Box 11:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Chairs: Easy chairs, upholstered chairs: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Chairs: Easy chairs, upholstered chairs: illustrations

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Chairs: Windsor chairs: New England

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Chairs: Windsor chairs: New England, by state

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Chairs: Windsor chairs: Middle Atlantic, Southern, and American

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Chairs: Windsor chairs: by type

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Chairs: Windsor chairs: illustrations

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Clocks and barometers

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Cupboards: New England

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Cupboards: Middle Atlantic

 

 

Box 12:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Cupboards: Middle Atlantic: Pennsylvania

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Cupboards: Southern

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Cupboards: illustrations

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Daybeds

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: New England

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: New England, by state

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: New England: Massachusetts

 

 

Box 13:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: Secretaries

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: illustrations

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Desks and secretaries: butler and cylinder desks

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: English: case furniture

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: English: chairs and sofas/settees

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: English: tables and miscellaneous pieces

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Foreign (non-English, non-Canadian)

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: New England

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: New England, by state

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: New England: Connecticut

 

 

Box 14:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: New England: Massachusetts

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: Middle Atlantic and Southern

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: Middle Atlantic: Pennsylvania

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Highboys and lowboys: illustrations

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Mirrors (American and English)

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: miscellaneous pieces: cabinets, small chests, storage boxes, Bible box; bookcases; bottle cases and cellarettes; Canterburys; chair tables; children’s and baby furniture; commodes; dressing mirrors; etageres; fire screens; globes; knife boxes and urns; hanging wall cupboards; hutch tables

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: miscellaneous pieces: miniatures; miscellaneous items; pianos and pianofortes; pipe boxes; settles, benches; spice boxes; stools; sugar chests; table top desks; tea caddies (American); wall shelves; wash stands

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: miscellaneous pieces: illustrations

 

 

Box 15:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Settees, sofas, couches: New England

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Settees, sofas, couches: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Settees, sofas, couches: Southern

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Settees, sofas, couches: camelback sofas; and illustrations

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Shaker

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Shaker: auction catalogs

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Sideboards and serving tables: New England

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Sideboards and serving tables: New England: Massachusetts

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Sideboards and serving tables: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Sideboards and serving tables: Southern

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Sideboards and serving tables: illustrations

 

 

Box 16:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Tables: Breakfast: New England

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Tables: Breakfast: Middle Atlantic

           

Folder 3:         Furniture: Tables: Breakfast: Southern

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Tables: Bureau and chamber

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Tables: Card: New England

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Tables: Card: New England, by state

 

Folders 7-8:    Furniture: Tables: Card: New England: Massachusetts

 

 

Box 17:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Tables: Card: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Tables: Card: Middle Atlantic: New York

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Tables: Card: Southern

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Tables: Card: illustrations

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Tables: Dining: New England

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Tables: Dining: New England: Massachusetts and Rhode Island

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Tables: Dining: Middle Atlantic, New York, Pennsylvania

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Tables: Dining: Southern

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Tables: Dining and Breakfast: illustrations

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Tables: Stands: New England

 

 

Box 18:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: New England: Connecticut

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: New England: Massachusetts

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: New England: New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and Maine

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: Middle Atlantic and New York

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: Middle Atlantic: Pennsylvania

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Tables: Stands: Southern

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Tables: Stands and Work tables: illustrations

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Tables: Tavern and kitchen: New England

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Tables: Tavern and kitchen: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Tables: Tavern and kitchen: Southern

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Tables: Tavern and kitchen: illustrations

 

 

Box 19:

 

Folder 1:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: New England

 

Folder 2:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: New England: Massachusetts

 

Folder 3:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: New England: other states

 

Folder 4:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 5:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: Southern

 

Folder 6:         Furniture: Tables: Tea: illustrations

 

Folder 7:         Furniture: Tables: Work and sewing tables: New England

 

Folder 8:         Furniture: Tables: Work and sewing tables: Middle Atlantic

 

Folder 9:         Furniture: Tables: Work and sewing tables: Southern

 

Folder 10:       Furniture: Tables: other forms

 

Folder 11:       Furniture: Wardrobes and armoires