these furnishings as a window into the American family home. American parents in the nineteenth century may have held different beliefs about the proper way to raise a child, but as today, providing a safe, healthful, and nurturing environment was a primary concern. The artifacts of childhood reflect parents’ hopes and aspirations for their offspring, and can thus offer important insights into the dynamics of family life. This exhibition is the culmination of a series of projects undertaken by the Society to improve the care of our furniture collection, as well as enhance our knowledge of the collection and share that knowledge with the public. In 2001, the Society relocated its furniture collection to a newly-constructed facility on the Museum grounds. The furniture collection contains approximately 900 items, and having the majority of those objects together in one place for the first time presented a great opportunity to study the collection in depth. With funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, we hired Dr.
Ladderback highchair, United States, 1780-1820. Staten Island Historical Society Collection.
Hooded cradle, United States (Mid-Atlantic or New England), 1780-1820, black walnut. Staten Island Historical Society Collection.
Kenneth Ames, a noted expert in American decorative arts, to assess the coll ???????]???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????()Q????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????)???????????????????
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