Flat Jane Austen In Providence, Rhode Island

 Flat Jane Austen Visits Providence, Rhode Island:
In which she pays calls on the elite

Editor's Note: All photos taken inside the Rhode Island School of Design Museum's Pendelton House. 

Not all these objects belonged to one family or were displayed at the same time. This is a museum display intended to display the objects in a more natural setting. The museum was free which is why Jane is showing you these rooms and not an actual house museum! 

"The evenings can be a bit chilly so I warmed myself by the fire.

Moving along the hallway, I see a gilded mirror in a very American stile. Can you spy the eagle on top? I am told the Bald Eagle is the national bird and prominently featured on Chinaware and other decorative items. However, this mirror is actually French, in the stile of Napoleon! These Americans greatly admire the French.

Girandole (looking glass)  c. 1805 with acanthus and eagle design from the French empire period

We sit down to dine in this room. Were you aware that prior to  the 90s the Americans did not have separate rooms for dining? These new elegant homes all have dining rooms yet they are not quite as grand or formal as Edward's. Even their portraits are of a recent vintage and less formal than the ones we see in grand dining rooms in England.

Sideboards, knife boxes and cellarets (chests to hold wine bottles) are all new since the 80s. 

Flat Jane in a reproduction Federal Era dining room.

This room is furnished in the Neoclassical stile. The furniture is rather delicate rather than the ornate Rococo pieces favored in colonial times. I see Hepplewhite furniture in this room including the dining table to your left. 

Mrs. Allin displays many pieces of Chinese export porcelain in her dining room.

Mahogany and pine sideboard and punch bowl with Cantonese Hongs ca. 1785-1800

The portraits seem rather different from our own. 

This table is rather modern for an American home. 

Susanna's family has excellent taste. Here, her mother has displayed some good English porcelain from Liverpool, Chelsea, Worcester and Derby. 
The Liverpool Creamware Jug on the top shelf features an image of a ship. The ship's name can be customized, like The Ann & Hope, a ship once owned by Mr. Nightingale's firm. I believe my mother would like to have one with Frank's ship and one with Charles's ship but which to choose?

Mrs. Allin also has a collection of Chinese export porcelain. 

coffee service with seal of United States

Chinese export porcelain 1800s

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Flat Jane Austen in Providence, Rhode Island

 Flat Jane Austen in Providence, Rhode Island: 
In which Jane pays calls on the elite

Editor's note: Apologies for any offensive images and scenes from 18th and 19th-centry life. I am attempting to try to accurately depict what Jane Austen might have seen if she had been a famous author travelling in America. All items on display at the Rhode Island School of Design Museum Charles Pendelton House. 

I have been given leave to sketch some American homes for you. American homes are much more primitive than our noblemen's' seats or gentry class country homes yet larger than our London townhouses. The main difference as far as I can tell is Americans enjoy conspicuous displays of wealth. 

They place their prized objects on display and proudly share what price they may have paid for it, as if bargain hunting were a competitive sport. They lack the inherited possessions and land of our gentry. 

Perhaps one day they will pass their teapots and such on to their children. Will the popular designs of today one day be out of fashion and the tea sets and things thrown away? Or will they one day end up in a museum?

Inside, the Allins, the Doors, the Browns and others display their China prominently. There is porcelain from Germany and China, earthenware and transferware from England and Mexico; Chinese export coffee sets, chocolate sets. 

These Americans seem to collect multiple tea sets. I am uncertain whether all of these serve a function or are purely decorative. Imagine having THAT great wealth to only display a tea service? That is America for you. They seem to do everything in spades here. 

Johann Peter Melchior, modeler Map Seller and Two Children, ca. 1775; Creamware Teapot, 1770-1782  Earthenware with transfer print and glaze; Figure of man holding a globe; Pratt Ware Money Box in the collections of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum

What charming figurines from Germany, a lovely creamware teapot from England and a good old English Prattware money box. The teapot has quite a unique design. It depicts the goddess Juno on the reverse. 

Coffee pot, Chinese 1800; Europa on a Horse, 1745-1747, 

• Johann Joachim Kändler, 1706-1775, German, modeler
• Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, 1710-present, German; 
• Collections of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum

The coffee pot is very American yet made in China in the year 1800! I hear the Chinese are making objects for export now.

This German figurine of a lady on a horse depicts the story of Europa, consort of Zeus.

from the collections of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum

Many many teapots of all shapes, sizes and designs! The silver object on the top shelf above is a Dutch double necked vessel from the 1600s. Next to it is a stoneware and gilded silver mug from 1520-1550! For some reason, the family still displays an English coffeepot of earthenware made in the 1760s. This family also displays an English mug (1708) and German tankard (1650-1700) on the top shelf. The rest of the objects in the middle are good English pieces from different tea sets made in the middle of the last century. Finally, the bottom shelf showcases 18th-century English, Dutch and German silverware.

Now we get to the fine Chinese export porcelain. 

Batavia ware vase and bowl with cover c. 1740, Chinese;
pot, silver and ivory, Indian, 1800s; Batavia ware teacup and saucer, ca. 1720 and Batavia ware bowl
ca. 1740; Chinese for export in the collections of the Rhode Island School of Design Museum

Porcelain coffee set from Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
 ca. 1760, Collections of the Rhode Island School of Design
Museum 36.611

This bird design is quite nice. Susanna rather likes the little robins. 

I saw such an unusual teapot shaped in the form of a pineapple. Though it is English, I do not recall ever seeing such a thing.

Teapot in the shape of a pineapple, 1750-1770; This teapot's form underscores England's interest in and commercial connections to Eastern cultures. The pineapple was a costly import to Europe, and in social settings signified gracious hospitality and worldly knowledge.
To the right, a figurine by Johann Joachim Kändler, modeler

The Cherry Pickers, 1753 - 1765

An unusual and eclectic display of objects, both European and American.

Josiah Wedgewood & Sons, pudding or jelly mold, early 1800s, earthenware with glaze,

object number 22.217;  creamware custard cup with cover ca. 1780, earthenware with glaze, object number 24.512; Johann Wilhelm Lanz, German, Man Breaking Eggs, ca. 1757-1759, object number 55.181.1; Meissen, Adam Friedrich von Löwenfinck, 1714 - 1754, German, designer, Ice Cream Pail, 1727-1736, object 2020.09

In the middle we have marine ivory pie crimpers or jagging wheels. These objects reflect New England's maritime culture. Next to that is displayed a rather terrifying ice cream pail and a sweet little custard cup.

cup with cover Chinese for export ca. 1800 2014.4; Jasperware custard cup with cover, ca. 1800, 2002.59.9

I find implements for serving a fine dinner proudly on display. 

Is that a GOOSE tureen? I see they also have a more traditional Wedgewood tureen.

Chinese export Goose Tureen and Cover, ca. 1760-1780, object number 2017.74.30ab; Josiah Wedgewood & Sons tureen with cover and stand, 1805-1815 (center object), object number 40.187; 

In this case, the Americans display implements for preparing and drinking beverages of alcohol. Rum made in Rhode Island is a major export, traded for African slaves who are sent to the West Indies to harvest the sugar cane to make molasses.

Flagon with arms of Rhode Island, Chinese for export, ca. 1800, object number 2016.

102.20.1; Flint glass bottle , late 1700s, early 1800s, American, object number 25.070.14; Tumbler with carrying case and stamp, English, ca. 1800-1810, lead glass, rattan case and ivory, object number 1993.038

These tea seats are quite unusual.

Tortoiseshell ware teapot, and cream pitcher, English, ca. 1750-1765, object 04.337 

and 04.202; Teapot, Chinese intended for the Thai market, 1800s, object number 2004.12.15; Samovar, Persian, brass and wood, 1800s, object 67.397ac; South American drinking straw with filter (bombilla) 1800s, objects 40.017.326, 1989.045.12.502, 1989 045.12.30; mate cup with bombilla, 1800s, South American, silver, object 13.1504; far left on second shelf is Mochaware teapot, English, late 1700s/early 1800s, object 29.187; next shelf: [1800s and 1600s Japanese tea paraphernalia and water jar. Jane wouldn't know about Japan.]; Fourth shelf: Tortoiseshell ware teapot, and saucer, English, ca. 1750-1765, object 64.227; Agate ware teapot, English,  ca. 1745; Meissen teapot, German,1735-1737, object 17.090.02

Is that... a teapot? In the shape of a squirrel?! Squirrels represent industriousness and hard work. Mr. John Brown was quite fond of them and even had wallpaper made up depicting squirrels. 

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