Description:
Pine cradle with solid horseshoe-shaped ends and simple arc rockers, all covered with a dark red paint. The cradle purportedly belonged to Martha Eliza Sheldon (1818-1862), the daughter of Socrates Sheldon (1784-1840), son of Reuben Allen (b. 1749) and a miller of many years at the "Meadow Mill" after 1822, who was descended from various Sheldons of Deerfield, Bernardston, and Leydon. Her mother was Experience Allen (b. 1783) of Leyden, Masschusetts. Martha married Alonzo Bates (1821-1903) of Deerfield in 1844, and they lived in South Deerfield.
Label Text:
Branches: Woodworkers created harmony between form and function by combining design skills, aesthetics, and craftsmanship. Simplicity is the basis for the streamlined design of this child’s cradle, achieved by joining five boards for the sleeping compartment. The flexibility of the thin pine side boards enables the formation of gentle curves that hug the silhouette of the cradle’s ends, making the bottom of the bed narrower for a swaddling effect. Its lightweight construction made it easy to move without disturbing a sleeping child. The head- and footboards are high to act as handles for grasping and relocating the cradle, and to regulate the baby’s exposure to sunlight and heat from the hearth. A dense and durable hardwood, possibly hickory, was used to form wide gently curved rockers creating a stable base and an easy rocking action that could be applied by using one’s foot.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+68.124 |
