Description:
Pine blanket chest covered with old red paint, which is attributed to William Mather (1766-1835), a cabinetmaker, housewright, brickmaker, mason, glazier, wheelwright and famer in Whately. William's father, Benjamin Mather (1731-1821) moved his family from Lyme, Connecticut, to Whately in 1787. William Mather married Tirzah Morton (1771-1848) of Whately in 1791, and was active in in town, including holding several town offices, until moving to Canandaigna, Ontario County, New York, about 1825. Both Historic Deerfield and the Winterthur Museum have some of his account books. The chest has a hinged flat top with a molded edge; over three simulated drawers and two usable drawers, all with surrounded by double-arch moldings and none of which ever had brasses; and is supported on four bracket feet. HD has a very similar blanket chest (69.0395), refinished and fitted with new brasses, which was given to Miss C. Alice Baker (1833-1809) by Miss Electra Mather (1816-1890) whose uncle was William Mather. Considering the local histories of the two chests, there is a possibility that both could have been made by William Mather.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+69.0403 |
