THE INDEX OF AMERICAN DESIGN THE INDEX OF AMERICAN DESIGN THE INDEX OF AMERICAN DESIGN ERWIN O. CHRISTENSEN INTRODUCTION BY HOLGER CAHILL THE MACMILLAN COMPANY: NEW YORK NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART SMITHSONIAN . NSTITUTION. WASHINGTON. D. C. 19 5 0 Allama Iqbal Library 4435 form without per- All rights reserve*! —no part of this book may be reproduced in any wishes to quote mission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who magazine or newspaper. brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in PRINTED IN Till UNITED STVTES OS AMERICA First Printing I frO 74 s . ^ s.w ,n.K .—seen.. Pill. AD. IPHU sso Tile ..Cl INf.RWlD AND PRISTID 8T PREFACE After a few limits had been decided upon, the chosen In this book we examine the crafts and popular and to plan. A folk arts of the United States as they have been recorded plates had to be grouped according some by the Index of American Design. The objects range few minority groups like the Pennsylvania Germans, from well-known museum specimens to new discoveries the Shakers, and the Spanish in the Southwest were made by the artists who did the watercolors. Almost singled out and presented in connection with the back- four hundred plates were selected from the many thou- ground out of which they grew. What they produced sands contained in the whole Index collection. Not only stands out in contrast to the dominating Anglo-Saxon furniture, silver, glass, ceramics and textiles arc included culture. In the first section of the book (“Our Wide but also tavern signs, figureheads, cigar-store Indians, Land ’) we have the arts of transplanted groups and carrousel horses, toys, pots and pans, and many other other more acclimated works in a geographic arrange- items. A sewing machine and an early phonograph are ment. To balance this geographic section there is an characteristic novelties of the era when the crafts gave historic arrangement of subject matter at the end of way to the machine. the book (“The Years Pass”). In the middle section Painting, practiced as a home art, is included as well (“About the House”) are the objects associated with life as the work of sign painters and decorators who painted at home. What fits into the sterner living of the first walls or produced easel pictures in their leisure hours. part of the nineteenth century, frontier life, shipping, There is little stone sculpture, but much of the wood and business of the towns (“Pioneers and Traders”), carving is virtually sculpture. precedes the section on the house. Aspects of the more Objects known to have been imported have mostly comfortable living of the later nineteenth century (“For been omitted. You will find no Lowestoft china, no Staf- Profit and Pleasure”) come after the house section. fordshire ware, no "Gaudy Dutch," and no textiles of The question is often asked, “What is the American Revolutionary subjects, printed in Paris or London. Ob- element in our folk and popular arts?” In some crafts vious foreign-looking toys, presumably from Nurcmt there developed a type of functional design which is or Berchtcsgadcn, were also avoided. But occasional!) truly American. On the other hand, some time mav imported article has been included and a few may I: elapse before we can define what is peculiarly American slipped in unrecognized. On the other hand, if a na in many of the objects here reproduced. At times, sim- of old Mexico painted a chest of a superior qualit' plification stands out as a common New denominator, in such Mexico, or if a settler from south Germany m diverse objects as Shaker furniture and carved a clock bultos that still looked Germanic, chest and clock h from New Mexico. Simplification is basic to the coun- been admitted as long as they were produced wit try; it grew out of the native the environment. borders of the United States. Another question, “Is it good art?” can be With riches to choose from, settled the decision as to wl more readily, anil often the figurehead answer is definitely in or which quilt to include was the made lar, affirmative. In the last analysis on the basis of the it is their artistic quality artistic merit of the original w, that makes these The craftsman objects worth-while. who made the chest, the housewife v A number of |«rsons stitched the quilt had have given valuable thought of its usefulness assistance as s in as connection with the its beauty. Now that they preparation of the manuscript. have become collect items, atc ul, acknowledge we are concerned with y the help given me artistic considerations, ... £ by Ann tor W Woods, who the renderings, only has assisted in the various those of superior quality « editorial tasks included, relating to the in any case. Where text, including checking and several renderings of proofing and has same type and of also made equal merit constructive criticisms in were available, the connection was selected ;v'< h the select, of that fitted best with on the plates and the other drawings on preparation of same h he page or in the same dummy, also thank chapter. my assistants lean Watkins. 'rginia Holland, Elizabeth Benson, Martha Parker, ( and Nancy Leech for their able checking and proof- Joseph B. Eggen have contributed various suggestions. reading, and Nancy Leech for her work on the index For constructive criticism the on whole manuscript I to the text. am particularly grateful to my wife, Edna Florance 1 am indebted to Holger Cahill for his detailed and Christensen. expert criticism: to Faulkner Lewis and Cecil Scott, of 1 am also indebted to each person who answered The Macmillan Company, for many helpful sugges- questions on particular details, to the authors in the tions on the selection of the illustrations and on the bibliography, and finally to the many research workers, text: to Penrose Berman, of the Beck Engraving Com- not otherwise mentioned, who in the days of the projects pany. who was responsible for the color plates; to Dr. sought out basic information on many of the objects Preston A. Barba for his critical reading of the sections here reproduced. on Pennsylvania German art; to Dorothy Vaughan for The real creators of this book are the men and women introducing me to historic Portsmouth (N. H.); to who made the extraordinary renderings from which Estella T. Weeks for information on the Shakers. Joseph the illustrations were reproduced. It is they who made Downs, Adolph C. Glassgold, Macgill James, June this book possible, and their names will be found in the H. Gardner, Romana Javitz, Frances Lichten, Jean List of Illustrations on page 197. Lipman, George S. and Helen McKcarin, Pauline A. Pinckney, Charles Messer Stow, Alice Winchester, and Erwin 0. Christensen ACKNOWLEDGMENTS to friends who by their The author wishes to express his gratitude the many book, and knowledge and advice have helped him in the preparation of this in particular to those listed below: Hitchcock, Mid- ton Museum of Fine Arts; Henry Russell John H. Bailey. Davenport (Iowa) Public Museum; Flor- Norwegian-Amcrican dletown, Conn, O. M. Hovde, Berger, Wadsworth Athcneum. Hartford, Ginn.; ence P. Histor- Museum, Dccorah, la, Alfred F. Hopkins, Chicago Carl Bcust, Dayton. Ohio; Harry MacNeill Bland, New York DeWitt V. Hutchings, Riverside, Calif.; Borne- ical Society: Mrs. City; Mrs. Davis Bohon, Lexington, Ky.; Henry S. Mass, R. P- A. L. W. Jenkins, Peabody Museum, Salem, Pennsylvania German Society; E. Boyd, Los Angeles: man, Madison, Wis, Johnson, UA. Forest Products Laboratory, Hartford, Conn, Alfred Mansfield Brooks, M. B. Brainard, Society, Mass, Marion E. Kent, Concord Antiquarian and Historical Association. Cape Ann Scientific, Literary Folk Museum. Reidar Kjcllbcrg, Director, Norwegian Bruce, Old State House, Boston: Gloucester, Mass.; James L. Orleans; Mrs. Oslo, Norway; L. V. Landry, New Charles F. Bvgdo, Bywaters, Museum of Fine Arts, Dallas; American Jerry F. Mangels, Clair F. Luther, Amherst, Mass, W. Setzlcr, Frank A. Taylor Carey, Herbert W. Kriegcr. F. M. N.Y.; Horace Museum of Public Recreation, Brooklyn, Institution: Lucien jnd Malcolm Watkins, Smithsonian Doyles.own, Pa, Mann, Bucks County Historical Society, Charles Christenson. G.unty « Cazcbonne, New Orleans; M. of the City and Janet Pinncy, Museum G.leman, Grace M. Mayer Wis.; Laurence V. Ph. « Historical Room. Racine, Pa, E. Miller, York; John D. Meyer, Tyrone. J. D.C.; New of Museums, Washington, Society; M- American Association R.I. Historical dclphia; Clifford T. Monahon, T. Davis, Wor- Yor Colnik, Milwaukee; Mrs. Elizabeth Newton, New Cyrol York City; Roger Hale Western Nason, New Alberta Thorne Daywalt, Wash- cester Historical Society; National Museum, City; Mendel L. Peterson, VS. E. Drake, New Congress, Society, Cleveland; J. Libraryr of Reserve Historical N. H. Randers-Pehrson, ington, D.C, ^ New York City; A. N. City; Kenneth H. Dunshce, Missouri H,s,°r,<* 1 y York Charles van Ravenswaay, A jdlda Seldcn Fisher, Rochester N .; Schaffer Flo' f Orangeville, Idaho; J. Chicago; Nile C. Dvcr, both Wells Robertson. Maine; Charles P. Fox, Ocono- W- P- Frost, Kittery. S»», Joseph Museum, Gainesville; J. D. Old Mission, Santa Suee Rev. M. Geiger. O.F.M.. Bennmg.on (Vl.) H, mowoc, Wis, Memorial; John Sp.ego, Milwaukee Pubhc Mu- Slate Phd dd Elmer A. Coessl, B. Thommn. Barbara. Calif, and An Galle,,; William Green, Middle- Museum Peru, Ind, Samuel M. se, m; George Graf. H. Tripp, Whaling Historical phia; am Haddon, Ma.ta.uc ; hG.net Mrn^ „,w„. Conn, Rawson W. Kennehm*,,, King Philip Ma^; El^elh Conn, R- F. HafTcnrcfTcr H. Wal Society. Watcrbury, Ullman, Tarrytown, N.Y., J H.imlin, Gdumbia rencc J. 1 1 u .