Furniture at Johns Hopkins House

I am not an expert on antique furniture but, have always had an amatuer interets in it. There are a lot of great books on furniture of the 18th and 19th century that I'm reading. Thought I'd share some of the things I know about furniture in the Hopkins House.

While we do not have a record of the specific furniture that was in the house during the Hopkins family ownership, we do know a few things about the furniture from the time period when Stephen and Thelma Duckett owned the property beginning with their purchase in 1941. The pictures below show some furniture in place in the early 1950's. The first picture is of the fireplace area in the newly built west wing of the house (1952). You can see what is called a Highboy. This dresser-type furniture dates to around 1750. The Duckett's piece may have been an antique or a reproduction. I have one in my family room. They are made from beautiful woods like mahogany or cherry. They often included bonnet or pediment tops with gooseneck molding, brass handles, fluted columns on the edges, carved fans and finials. Many of the highboys made in Maryland feature carved shells that represent the beach and bay life that can be found here.

The center picture shows the fireplace in one of the rooms. You can note in both pictures there are candlesticks on the mantels. Of course, during the Hopkins time these were used for light. I have met a descendent who lived in the house and has the candlesticks from the great room. Brass andirons and fenders also add something shiny to the front of the fire box.

The third picture is of the kitchen. The Ducketts decorated in an old-fashioned americana manner. You'll notice pewter dishes on the mantle along with an early american lamp. In their earliest life these lamps used oil to light the room. Once electricity came to the house, many oil lamps were converted to electric ones. A simple table and chairs were in the center of the room where family gathered for meals.

Stay tuned for more....