The Winterthur Library

 The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware  19735

Telephone: 302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

 

 

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

 

Creator:         Bowen, Richard LeBaron, 1919-                               

Title:               Pewter research papers

Dates:             circa 1950-circa 2010

Call No.:         Col. 950         

Acc. No.:        15x99

Quantity:        36 boxes

Location:        13 H 9, I 1-6

 

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

 

Richard LeBaron Bowen, Jr. (“Dick”) collected and wrote about pewter.  He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, in 1919, to Marjorie Champlin Bowen and Richard LeBaron Bowen (1878-1969). He graduated from Princeton University in 1941with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry.  In 1943, Bowen earned a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  In the same year, Bowen married Phyllis Seawall Brown, and the couple would have three children together, Nancy, Sarah, and Nicholas.

 

In 1944, Bowen moved to Saudi Arabia and worked as an engineer. After three years, he returned to MIT to complete his PhD in chemical engineering. In January of 1949, Bowen returned to Saudi Arabia as part of the American Foundation for the Study of Man Project to work in Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai to install motor generators to provide power for a project transferring 500,000 pages of manuscripts on early Christian studies to microfilm.  Afterwards, he joined the Coated Textile Mills in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, founded by his father in the 1920s, as Vice President and Director of Research.  In 1963, Bowen sold the company and founded Tensiometers Inc. in East Providence, Rhode Island.

 

Bowen’s father was a renowned genealogist and president of the Rhode Island Historical Society in the 1940s; he passed his interests on to his son. Throughout his life, the younger Bowen was an avid collector of antiques and a scholar of early American pewter. He regularly published articles on pewter and other aspects of early American decorative arts, and also articles on genealogy, New England history, chemical engineering, and Middle Eastern archaeology.  Dick Bowen passed away on September 20, 2013.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENT

 

This collection is comprised of items which reflect Bowen’s deeply held passion for collecting antiques and researching pewter. Bowen studied the growth of colonial New England and the roots of American pewterers.  Primarily, Bowen’s interests focused on pewter, but he extended his research into various household wares made of other metals, such as brass and silver.

 

Items in this collection include periodical articles, some by Bowen; manuscripts and research notes; photographs, drawings, and trade catalogs; genealogical records; eighteenth-century pattern books; deeds, probate records, and directories; maps; invoices; and correspondence.  These materials pertain to candlesticks, porringers, teapots, andirons, lamps, and other items made of pewter and other metals.  He collected papers on pewterers like Joseph Belcher, William Calder, the Thomas Danforth family, Samuel Hamlin, Gershom Jones, and more.  He corresponded with collectors like Charles V. Swain and Ledlie Laughlin. Other correspondence in the collection includes letters between Bowen and Winterthur Museum, the Essex Institute, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and various other libraries, historical societies in New England, and museums.

 

In numerous manuscripts and articles published in the PCCA Bulletin and Antiques Magazine, Bowen covered topics on pewter designs, reproductions, maker markings, and corrosion. Along with his research notes, copies of his writings are scattered throughout the collection by topic.

 

           

ORGANIZATION

 

The papers are divided into four series: Pewterers, Forms, General Files, and Drawings.

 

 

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

 

The materials are in English.

 

 

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

 

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

           

 

PROVENANCE

 

Gift of Nancy Bowen, daughter of Richard Le Baron Bowen.

             

 

 

ACCESS POINTS

 

People:

Laughlin, Ledlie Irwin.

Swain, Charles V.

 

 

Topics:

Pewter Collectors’ Club of America

Andirons

Antiques – United States

Candlesticks

Pewter

Pewter – Drawings

Pewter – United States – Private collections

            Pewter – United States – Collectors and collecting  

Pewterers

New England – History.

           

 

 

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

 

Location: 13 H 9, I 1-6

 

 

Series I: Pewterers

 

 

Box 1: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Apprentices

 

Folder 2:          Austin, Nathaniel and Richard, and Thomas Badger

 

Folder 3:          Babbitt, Charles and Isaac

 

Folder 4:          Baker, John (2004)

 

Folder 5:          Baker, John (manuscript)

 

Folder 6:          Barns, Blakeslee and Thomas Danforth III

 

Folder 7:          Barlow, James: candlesticks

 

Folder 8:          Belcher, Joseph

 

Folder 9:          Belcher, Joseph: antiques articles

 

Folder 10:        Belcher, Joseph: inventory

 

Folder 11:        Belcher, Joseph: porringers (correspondence and manuscript)

 

 

Box 2: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Billings, William

 

Folder 2:          Boardman, Thomas D., and other Connecticut makers

 

Folder 3:          Boardman, Luther and Burrage Yale: Boardman coffee pot

 

Folder 4:          Bowditch, Ebenezer: Bowdish and Bowditch genealogies

 

Folder 5:          Brigden, Timothy

 

Folder 6:          Braman, Elijah

 

Folder 7:          Calder, William

 

Folder 8:          Calder, William: ledgers (1823 – 1851)

 

Folder 9:          Calder, William: ledger summaries (1835, 1838)

 

Folder 10:        Calder, William: pitchers, candlesticks, teapots, and lamps

 

 

Box 3: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Calder, William: working dates and customers

 

Folder 2:          Clarke, Samuel

 

Folder 3:          Clarke, Samuel: references

 

Folder 4:          Collier, Richard and Daniel Jackson (Providence, R.I., braziers)

 

Folders 5-6:     Coldwell, George

 

Folder 7:          Colton, Oren

 

Folder 8:          Cox, William

Folder 9:          Crossman, Ebenezer

 

Folder 10:        Danforth genealogy (Middletown): deeds and probates

 

 

Box 4: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Danforth, Job

 

Folder 2:          Danforth, Josiah (including photo of porringer)

 

Folder 3:          Danforth, Samuel: history of Taunton

 

Folder 4:          Danforth, Samuel: grantee (Taunton)

 

Folder 5:          Danforth, Thomas

 

Folder 6:          Danforth, Thomas, I: Norwich

 

Folder 7:          Danforth, Thomas, II, and Jacob Whitmore: measures (manuscript)

 

Folder 8:          Danforth, Thomas, II: markings

 

Folders 9-10:   Danforth, Thomas, III: molds and pewter: manuscript and correspondence

 

 

Box 5: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Danforth, Thomas, II: molds and pewter (teapots, sugar bowls, beakers)

 

Folder 2:          Danforth, Thomas, III: teapots, sugar bowls, beakers (manuscript)

 

Folder 3:          Danforth, Thomas, III: The Bulletin (of the Pewter Collectors’ Club of America), summer 2005

 

Folder 4:          Danforth, Thomas, III: Danforth marks (manuscript)

 

Folders 5-7:     Danforth, Thomas, III: markings

 

Folder 8:          Danforth, William, and Belcher porringers    

 

Folder 9:          Connecticut Courant: Danforth

 

Folder 10:        Day, Benjamin

 

Folder 11:        Dolbear, Edmond and John

 

 

Box 6: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Edgell, Simon

 

Folder 2:          Englefield, William

 

Folder 3:          Estabrook, Richard

Folder 4:          Flagg, David

 

Folder 5:          Gleason, Roswell

 

Folder 6:          Gooch, John

 

Folder 7:          Goldsmiths (gold makers)

 

Folder 8:          Green, Jonas, Samuel, and Others

 

Folder 9:          Greenwood, Isaac

 

Folder 10:        Hall, Almer

           

Folder 11:        Hamlin, Samuel and Hamlin’s early marks

 

Folder 12:        Hamlin, Samuel: Hamlin’s eagles, press, and porringers

 

 

Box 7: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Hamlin, Samuel: Hamlin’s eagles

 

Folder 2:          Henshaw, Benjamin: Connecticut Courant

 

Folder 3:          Henshaw, Benjamin: Connecticut court records

 

Folder 4:          Henshaw, Joshua, and Henshaw family

 

Folder 5:          Jackson, Mary

 

Folder 6:          Jones, Gershom

 

Folder 7:          Jones, Gershom: genealogy

                                    Includes original silhouette of Jones

                                    [continues in next box]

 

 

Box 8: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Jones, Gershom: genealogy

                                    Includes these titles:

                                                Doyle, Thomas.  Five Years in a Lottery Office…. (1841).

                                                Meeting Houses of the First Congregational Society in the City of Providence, R.I., 1723-1899.

                                                Westminster Street, Providence, As It Was about 1824.

                                    [continued from previous box]

 

Folder 2:          Jones, Gershom: genealogy notes and manuscript

 

Folder 3:          Jones, Gershom: inventory

 

Folder 4:          Jones, Gershom: touch marks

 

Folder 5:          Jones, Gershom, and Samuel Hamlin partnership: research notes

 

Folder 6:          Jones, Gershom and Samuel Hamlin partnership (manuscript)

 

Folder 7:          Jones, Gershom and Samuel Hamlin: court records

 

Folder 8:          Keene, Josiah

 

Folder 9:          Langworthy, Lawrence

 

Folder 10:        Ledell, Joseph

 

 

Box 9: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Lee family: census

 

Folder 2:          Lee family genealogy

 

Folder 3:          Lee, Richard: autobiography and pamphlets

 

Folders 4-5:     The Two Richard Lees (research and manuscript notes)

 

Folder 6:          The Two Richard Lees (manuscript)

 

 

Box 10: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Lee, Richard: deeds and descendants

 

Folder 2:          Lee, Richard, and Thomas Boardman Porringer

 

Folder 3:          Lee, Richard: probates and other papers

 

Folder 4:          Lee, Samuel and others: deeds

 

Folder 5:          Melville, David, and Melville’s commemorative marks

 

Folder 6:          Melville, Samuel and Thomas: Melville family genealogy

 

Folder 7:          Miller, Josiah: sundials

 

Folder 8:          Neale, Richard: “The Richard Neale Touchplate”: manuscript, notes, correspondence

 

Folder 9:          Neale, Richard, and Bush and Perkins manuscript and notes

 

 

Box 11: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Newport, Rhode Island: pewterers

 

Folder 2:          Northey, Edward

 

Folder 3:          Northey family genealogy

 

Folder 4:          Northey family pewterers

 

Folder 5-6:      Northey: Correspondence with Jane King on Northey

 

Folder 7:          Noyes, John Jr.: Noyes family genealogy

 

 

Box 12: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Noyes and Cummings genealogy

 

Folder 2:          Ohio craftsmen

 

Folder 3:          Parker, Charles

 

Folder 4:          Pettiver, John: porringer

 

Folder 5:          Pewterers (articles): Arts and Crafts and “The American at Work”

 

Folder 6:          Pewterers: Philadelphia Pewterers

 

Folder 7:          Proud, William and Daniel: ledgers

 

Folder 8:          Randall, Joseph

 

Folder 9:          Rand, Ed (Newburyport)

 

Folder 10:        Richardson, George: family and life in England

 

Folder 11:        Richardson family genealogy

 

Folder 12:        Richardson, George, II

 

Folder 13:        Richardson, George: “The George Richardson Problem III” (manuscript)

 

Folder 14:        Richardson, George: design source for water pitcher

 

 

Box 13: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Richardson, George: coffee pots

 

Folder 2:          Richardson, George: measures and drawings

 

Folder 3:          Richardson, George: sugarbowls

 

Folder 4:          Richardson, George (Boston)

 

Folder 5:          Scott, Jack

 

Folder 6:          Spencer family genealogy

 

Folder 7:          Starr, William

 

Folder 8:          Tillinghast, Paris J.

 

Folder  9:         Townsend, John et. al (working dates)

 

Folder 10:        Trask, Israel and Lee & Creesy

 

Folder 11:        Tutin, William

 

Folder 12:        Warren, John B.

 

 

Box 14: Makers

 

Folders 1-2:     Webb, W.H.: brass oil lamps

 

Folder 3:          Will, John Jr.: article on tulip-shaped, double c-handle and acanthus leaf

 

Folder 4:             Will, John Jr.: porringer, markings, and correspondence with David Kilroy

 

Folder 5:          Will, William: eagle

 

Folder 6:          Will, William: early teapots

 

Folder 7:          Williams, Otis

 

Folder 8:          Witherle, Joshua: noir foil

 

Folder 9:          Woodbury, J.B.

 

Folder 10:        Yeoman, Johnathan: deeds and probate

 

 

Box 15: Makers

 

Folder 1:          Youle, George and Thomas

 

Folder 2:          Miscellaneous initials
Series II: Forms

 

 

Box 15: Forms

 

Folder 3:          Andirons: Arts and Crafts excerpts with various references to andirons

 

Folder 4:          Andirons: Andiron patents

 

Folder 5:          Andirons: Andiron photos

 

Folder 6:          Andirons: Andiron prices

 

Folder 7:          Andirons: Andiron styles and development

 

Folder 8:          Andirons: Charlestown andiron

 

Folder 9:          Andirons: Mitchell, James R.: article on marked American andiron (1965)

 

Folder 10:        Andirons: New England andirons and makers

 

Folder 11:        Andirons: Smylie, Edward, andirons

 

 

Box 16: Forms

 

Folder 1-2:      Candlesticks

 

Folder 3-5:      Candlesticks: article and book photocopies

 

Folder 6:          Candlesticks: correspondence (continues in next box)

 

 

Box 17: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Candlesticks: correspondence (continued from previous box)

 

Folder 2:          Candlesticks: correspondence with people in Great Britain

 

Folder 3:          Candlesticks: Brass: American brass candlesticks

 

Folder 4:          Candlesticks: Brass: English brass (side pushup candlesticks)

 

Folder 5:          Candlesticks: Britannia candlesticks 

 

Folder 6-7:      Candlesticks: Corinthian capitals on candlesticks

           

Folder 8:          Candlesticks: Candlestick details (pushrods, etc.)

 

 Folder 9:         Candlesticks: EK candlesticks

 

 

Box 18: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Candlesticks: Gadrooned candlesticks

 

Folder 2:          Candlesticks: Hogscrapers: correspondence

 

Folders 3-4:     Candlesticks: Hogscrapers: individuals         

 

Folder 5-6:      Candlesticks: Hogscrapers (iron)

 

Folder 7:          Candlesticks: Meridian British candlesticks

 

Folder 8:          Candlesticks: Paktong candlesticks

 

 

Box 19: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Candlesticks: Miscellaneous candlesticks

 

Folder 2:          Candlesticks: notes and illustrations

 

Folder 3:          Candlesticks: Photographs

 

Folder 4:          Candlesticks: Queen Anne and George I candlesticks

 

Folder 5:          Candlesticks in Renaissance paintings

 

Folder 6:          Candlesticks: research from the Essex Institute

 

Folder 7:          Candlesticks: 17th Century Spanish candlesticks

 

Folder 8:          Candlesticks: Square recessed-base candlesticks

 

Folder 9:          Candlesticks: Trumpet base candlesticks

 

Folder 10:        Coffee pots: 18th century forms

 

Folder 11:        Coffee urns

 

Folder 12:        Designs: Anchors and eagles (notes)

 

Folder 13:        Designs: early cluster columns, fluted columns, and gadrooning

 

 

Box 20: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Designs: flower handled porringers

 

Folder 2:          Designs: Double c-handle on Connecticut teaware

 

Folder 3:          Designs: flower handles: photographs

 

Folder 4:          Designs: footed beakers, MBC, and others

 

Folder 5:          Designs: love birds

 

Folder 6:          Design: 19th century American pear-shaped pots and sewing birds  

 

Folder 7:          Design: Silver designs (development)

 

Folder 8:          Designs: toy and miniature tea sets

 

Folder 9:          Designs in Paktong, German or Nickel silver

 

Folder 10:        Dippers: coconut, etc.

 

Folder 11:        Dredgers, shakers

 

Folder 12:        Fire tools, jam hooks, and fenders

 

Folder 13:        Fireplace hangers and jacks, marked Betty lamps and skimmer, gophering irons

 

Folder 14:        Firebacks, fountains, pots, waffle irons, stoves

 

Folder 15:        Flagons and chalices

 

Folder 16:        Inkwells

 

Folder 17:        Kettles: brass

 

 

Box 21: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Lamps

 

Folder 2:          Lamps: Britannia kerosene lamp & lamp fuel

 

Folder 3:          Lamps: Meriden Britannia, gadrooned lamps

 

Folder 4:          Lamps: TBM lamps

 

Folder 5:          Lamps: Lamp patents: Cornelius, Philadelphia, and others

 

Folder 6:          Lamps: Miscellaneous lamps

 

Folder 7:          Lamps: Lamp patents

 

Folder 8:          Pitcher: Isaac Howland pitcher

 

Folder 9:          Porringers: AG flower-handled porringers

 

Folder 10:        Porringers: Connecticut flowered porringers

 

Folder 11:        Porringers: Crown-handled porringers

 

 

Box 22: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Porringers: Crown porringer (with TS initials)

 

Folder 2:          Porringers: 18th century porringers: old pewter and English exports 

 

Folder 3:          Porringers: Export porringers

 

Folder 4:          Porringers: Geometric porringers

 

Folder 5-6:      Porringers: Gill flower handle porringers

 

Folder 7:          Porringers: half-pint flower handle porringers

 

Folder 8:          Porringers: Photographs of porringers (including negatives and photo orders)

 

 

Box 23: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Porringers: Photostats: France, porringers

 

Folder 2:          Porringers: Porringer articles; measurements and illustrations of 18th century porringers

 

Folder 3:          Porringers: Porringer brackets and embossed porringers

 

Folder 4:          Porringers: Porringer capacities

 

Folder 5:          Porringers: Porringer handles

 

Folder 6:          Porringers: Porringer usage

 

Folder 7-8:      Porringers: Porringers with TS initials (Thomas Spencer)

 

 

Box 24: Forms

 

Folder 1-2:      Porringers: Pre-Revolutionary porringers

 

Folder 3-4:      Porringers: Quaker porringers

 

Folder 5:          Porringers: Silver porringers and canns

           

Folder 6:          Safe: hobnail

 

Folder 7:          Scales, balances, and steelyards

 

Folder 8:          Sempereadem, IS and TS soup plates

 

Folder 9:          Tankards and mugs: Banded tankards and mugs

 

 

Box 25: Forms

 

Folder 1:          Tankards and mugs: New England Tankards and Mugs

 

Folder 2:          “Teapot Forms” and “5 ½ Pint Teapots”; American silver teapots

 

Folder 3:          MBC: Tobacco box and small sugar bowl

 

Folder 4:          Trunk: Abigale Dexter’s Box (1703)

 

Folder 5:          Various forms from Richardson, Calder, and Smith

 

 

 


Series III: General Files

 

 

Box 25: general files

 

Folder 6:          Adams, James and his unknown wife of Barrington

 

Folder 7:          Albany, New York, directories

 

Folders 8-9:     Allen, Robert, of Marblehead, Mass.: genealogy

 

Folder 10:        Allyns in Cape Cod: genealogy

 

Folder 11:        American and English Hallmarks

 

 

Box 26: general files

 

Folder 1:          Austin, Beckford, Dennis, Jefferds, Waters: genealogy notes

 

Folder 2:          Bacot, Henry Parrott Jr., Brass Founding in New York City (1972)

 

Folder 3:          Birmingham Directory

 

Folder 4:          Birmingham Directory, 1791

 

Folder 5:          Birmingham Directory, 1797

 

Folder 6:          Blaney, William: correspondence

 

Folder 7:          Boston, Massachusetts: early references; notes on Reverend David Benedict

 

Folder 8:          Boston: historical references to investigate and antiques articles

 

Folder 9:          Bowen, R.L.: list of articles

 

Folder 10:        Brass: casting brass

 

Folder 11:        Brass and Bronze Composite and Paktong

 

 

Box 27: general files

 

Folder 1:          Brass founders in Philadelphia: from Prime file at Winterthur

 

Folder 2:          Braziers (brass makers)

 

Folder 3:          Britannia ware

 

Folder 4:          Britannia ware: first Britannia

 

Folder 5:          Burr and Whipple genealogy notes

 

Folder 6:          Catalogs: Art Institute of Chicago (bobeches, save-alls, and late lighting devices)

 

Folder 7-8:      Catalogs: Meridian British

 

Folder 9:          Catalogs: Pearson-Page catalogs: Winterthur correspondence

 

Folder 10:        Catalogs: Pewter catalogs

                                    [continues in next box]

 

 

Box 28: General Files

 

Folder 1:          Catalogs: Pewter catalogs

                                    [continued from previous box]

 

Folder 2:          Catalogs: Pewter items and photos from the Metropolitan Museum of Art

 

Folder 3:          Catalogs: Trade catalogs and English directories

 

Folder 4:          Chinese export porcelain: correspondence with Elizabeth Sharpe    

 

Folder 5:          Comments on Charles Swain’s “Three Will Flagons”

 

Folder 6:          Copper (signed), brass bells, and posnets

 

Folders 7-8:     Current pewter and brass research

 

 

Box 29: General Files

 

Folder 1:          Drop and screw presses

 

Folder 2:          Editorial comments

 

Folder 3:          Ely, Nathaniel: descendants and genealogy notes

 

Folder 4:          Essex Institute: Pattern Books

 

Folder 5:          Federal processions

 

Folder 6:          Fiske, Jane: correspondence

 

Folder 7-8:      Fryer Family Court Cases

 

Folder 9:          Garth’s Auctions, Inc.: to sell and sold, Nov. 1995-Jan. 1996

 

Folder 10:        Goodwin, Webster, and Ott, Joseph K. O’Neill (Darby): collectors

 

Folder 11:        Greene, Nathaniel: Papers Project (Rhode Island Historical Society)

 

Folder 12:        Hilt, Wayne: correspondence and bulletins

 

 

Box 30: General Files

 

Folder 1:          Historic Deerfield

 

Folders 2-3:     Holmes, Obadiah: genealogy and history of Rhode Island   

 

Folder 4:          Ironware: Enameled

 

Folder 5:          King, Joyce: correspondence

 

Folder 6:          Laughlin, Ledlie: correspondence;

                                    Includes correspondence between Laughlin and Bowen about the latter’s course of study at Princeton, 1937

 

Folder 7:          The Magazine Antiques: articles on pewter

 

Folder 8:          Maps: New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Providence

 

Folder 9:          Massachusetts Mechanics Association

 

Folder 10:        Metal color and materials

 

Folder 11:        Middletown, Connecticut, connection

 

Folder 12:        New England history: Theodore Clifton, Quakers

 

 

Box 31: general files

 

Folder 1:          Newport Tower

 

Folder 2:          New-York Historical Society: NYC directories, correspondence

 

Folder 3:          New York Terminal Warehouse Co.: blotter with holiday greetings, 1961

 

Folder 4:          O’Flaherty genealogy notes

 

Folder 5:          Pass, Garland: correspondence

 

Folder 6:          Patents: index: 1790-1873

 

Folder 7:          Pattern Books: Winterthur

 

Folder 8:          Paule, William genealogy notes

 

Folder 9:          Pewter and Brass Corrosion

 

Folder 10:        Pewter: articles by Melvyn Wolf and Bowen’s notes on Wolf’s articles

 

 

Box 32:

 

Folder 1:          Pewter: American Revolution and Pewterers

 

Folder 2:          Pewter: correspondence with Philip Zimmerman on porringers; with Richard McKinstry on trade catalogs; with Ian Robinson on markings; and with Jared Cooper on collecting pewter

 

Folders 3-4:     Pewter: Dealers: invoices, 1970-1979

 

Folder 5:          Pewter: English Export Pewter

 

Folder 6:          Pewter: English Export Pewter: Drawings

 

Folder 7:          Pewter: makers’ marks (photos from Andrew Turano); correspondence with Turano and Garland Parr on Turano’s articles for PCCA Bulletin

 

Folder 8:          Pewter: miscellaneous pewter notes: Boston references, bright-cut engraving

 

Folder 9:          Pewter: miscellaneous notes and clippings

 

Folder 10:        Pewter: Non-destructive testing of

 

Folder 11:        Pewter: patents

 

 

 

Box 33:

 

Folder 1:          Pewter: Pre-revolutionary American Pewter

 

Folder 2:          Pewter: Reproductions

 

Folder 3:          Pewter: research: Rhode Island Historical Society

 

Folder 4:          Pewter: Research notes: marking after finishing

 

Folder 5:          Pewter: Pewterer’s wheel and tower 

 

Folder 6:          Pewter: Winterthur: photos of porringers; correspondence with Winterthur and MFA Boston; invoices for prints

 

Folder 7:          PCCA Bulletin: notes and correspondence

 

Folder 8:          Pioneers and Prominent Men; notes on smallpox

 

Folder 9:          Plater mold casting: correspondence with Tensco and notes

 

Folder 10:        Providence, Rhode Island: directories

 

Folder 11:        Providence, R.I.: early tinplate workers

 

Folder 12:        Rhode Island: sealers of weights and measures

 

Folder 13:        Rhode Island genealogy research: Obadiah Holmes

 

Folder 14:        Rhode Island and Newport Historical Society: New England history

 

 

Box 34:

 

Folders 1-2:     Sheaf of wheat: research notes

 

Folder 3:          Silvered brass and silvering

           

Folder 4:          Silversmiths (manufacturers) in Rhode Island: Providence, Newport, West Bay

 

Folder 5:          Silversmiths in Providence, Rhode Island

 

Folder 6:          Springfield, Vermont: deeds and tax lists

 

Folder 7:          Springfield, Vermont: History of

 

Folder 8:          unmarked Carpenter furniture

 

 

Box 35: general files: legal size

 

Folder 1:          Vermont, New Hampshire, etc.: genealogy research

 

Folders 2-9:     Candlesticks: photocopies of trade catalog from the Essex Institute: v. 1-9

 

Folder 10:        Candlesticks: photocopies of trade catalog from Winterthur

 

Folder 11:        Stafford and Spence Union Air Furnace Company: research notes and notes on stoves

 


Series IV: Drawings, mostly of pewter and Britannia wares

 

Many of these full-size drawings are signed WEB, but the identity of that person is not known.  Presumably, those signed RLB are by Richard Bowen.  The drawings came to the Downs Collection in unmarked folders, and the contents of each folder were kept together.

 

Box 36:

 

Folder 1:          tankard, coffee pots, teapots, tea caddy, castor stand, by I. Trask and various other makers

 

Folder 2:          teapots, sugar bowls, creamers, coffee pots, goblet, hot water/coffee urns, by Armitages; Standish; Reed & Barton; Leonard, Reed & Barton; Babbit Crossman Co.; Taunton Britannia Manufacturing Co.; Crossman West & Leonard

 

Folder 3:          teapots, by Dixon & Smith; Dixson & Son; various makers

 

Folder 4:          teapots, by Morey & Smith; Smith Co.; Smith & Son

 

Folder 5:          teapots, coffee pots, sugar bowls, creamers, by James Dixon & Son and various makers

 

Folder 6:          teapots and coffee pots, by Rosewell Gleason, T. Danforth, and various makers, from various dealers and collectors

 

Folder 7:          coffee pots, tea pots, pitchers, sugar bowls, creamers, from various makers and dealers

 

Folder 8:          teapots, coffee pots, castor stand: William Calder and Samuel Hamlin, various dealers

 

Folder 9:          mostly andirons, but also lamps, candlesticks, tongs, shovels; by Gordon & Mason; various collectors and dealers

[presumably, all these items are brass]

 

Folder 10:        candlesticks, basin, lamps, castor set, shuttles for looms, blue line copies of drawings, items by Leonard Reed & Barton and others

 

Folder 11:        basins, mugs, teapots, handles and spouts, coffee pots, miscellaneous pewter, by G. Jones, G. Richardson, S. Hamlin, and various other makers

                                    [not all of these are measured drawings]

 

Folder 12:        coffee pots, teapots, by G. Richardson, from various dealers and collectors