| Historically, the study of cabinetmaking in coastal Massachusetts has been an unbalanced effort; scholars have focused mostly on the furniture of Boston and Salem, while the craft traditions of the South Shore remain largely unexplored. The recent discovery of the account book of Abiel White (1766-1844) and a substantial group of furniture made in his shop provides a rare opportunity to even the score. From 1790 until 1826, White dominated the cabinetmaking scene in and around Weymouth, Massachusetts, a small coastal town located sixteen miles south of Boston. Despite settling in an agrarian community, White's career diverged significantly from the paths traditionally taken by rural New England craftsmen. He modeled his production methods after the shop of Stephen Badlam, the Boston-area cabinetmaker to whom he apprenticed. In a town composed of farmers and fishermen, White operated a large, two-story workspace that employed no fewer than a half-dozen cabinetmakers and chairmakers. Together, these men worked year round to produce hundreds of pieces of furniture that ranged widely in form and quality. In addition to marketing these wares to customers in the surrounding rural towns, he sold his furniture to craftsmen and clients in Boston, where he maintained close ties with a thriving community of skilled artisans. By examining the wealth of information White left behind, including records of his output, marketing strategies, clients, craft networks, and changing modes of production, this thesis identifies the unique system he adopted, shedding a much needed light on the shadowed history of furniture making in southeastern Massachusetts. |
