Lot Essay
The well-defined lobes and undulating profile of all three shells on this bureau, its sleek proportions and the original brass hardware mark this as one of the finest Newport block-front kneehole bureaus of its kind. A product of the Townsend and Goddard craft tradition, this 'Bureau Dressing Table' represents the efforts of two of Newport's most skilled craftsmen, Edmund Townsend (1736-1811) and Daniel Goddard (1747-1779 in Newport).
On his own by 1757 after serving an apprenticeship with his father, Job, Edmund Townsend was working in a close-knit craft environment where he was exposed to a continual exchange and cross current of ideas as well as to spirited competition for a limited body of consumers. The familial bonds of the Townsend and Goddard network resulted in a unified craft tradition but the competitive edge allowed for variations and individual expression. Our knowledge of Edmund Townsend's ability is witnessed in two block-front kneehole bureaus documented to his shop, one signed by Townsend and made for the Deshon family of New London, Connecticut, and the other labeled by him (Moses, Master Craftsmen of Newport (New Jersey, 1984), pp. 250-51, 268, figs. 6.10, 6.11).
Each of the documented bureaus share many basic features, yet they also differ from one another in slight details. The signed Deshon bureau is constructed in the same format as this example with three shells and an astragal central door of the labeled bureau is carved with a shell. The profile of the top of this bureau relates to the labeled example while the top of the Deshon bureau the outline of bureaus made by John Townsend, Edmund's cousin. The union of the feet varies on all three instances. The exterior shells of the labeled and signed bureaus are more contained than the scalloped shells of this bureau although they all share the distinctive odd number of eleven lobes, with the central shell of this example also carved with eleven rather than the expected ten lobes. Edmund Townsend carved the hollow flutes of his convex shells with deep ridges unlike John Townsend's which are less pronounced; and in an individual manner, Edmund continued the outline of the lower lobe of the central concave shell down along the edge of the shell's parameters (fig. 7.6).
There are features of this bureau, however that suggest Edmund Townsend was joined by another craftsman in its manufacture. All indications point to Edmund's nephew, Daniel Goddard, eleven years Edmund's junior. Comparisons of the construction and design features of Edmund Townsend's documented work, a signed Daniel Goddard block-and-shell kneehole, this bureau and several others which share the same features, point to a joint effort between the two men (Moses, fig. 6.13, 7.23, 7.24). Edmund is known to have produced a desk with his brother, Job Townsend, Jr., so there is precedence for his precedence for his union with other Newport craftsmen (Moses, p. 271-72).
In a visual analysis, there are numerous features of this bureau that are selected from both Daniel Goddard's and Edmund Townsend's work. Like Daniel Goddard's bureau, the carved volutes on the feet are more relaxed than the volutes on furniture of other craftsmen including Edmund's documented cases. Like Edmund's bureaus, the central shell of the Goddard desk has eleven lobes and the petals of the rosettes are chip-carved; the latter feature, however, is not confined to the work of these craftsmen. There are seven rosette petals on each shell of this example as on both Townsend bureaus and on the central shell of the Goddard bureau. The lower lobes of the central shell of this bureau continue uninterrupted into the rosettes forming a simple volute while on the outer shells they form buttons which they then entirely encircle; the former is a feature of Edmund's bureaus and the latter of Daniel's.
The construction of this bureau also indicates that both men brought their talents to this example. Most Newport bureaus are constructed with two boards dovetailed beneath the top; Edmund continued the rear board through to the back of his cases and set the board into a rabbet in the top of the case sides (Moses, p. 7.8). Daniel Goddard instead used a full false top dovetailed to the case sides which also passed through to the back and was set into a rabbet in the manner of Edmund Townsend's work (Moses, pp. 268-69, 271, fig. 7.8). In addition, Goddard used a Boston style dovetail to secure the top in place. This bureau contains a full false top, rabbetted case sides and a sliding dovetail, features which are combined in a manner unlike that by any other craftsmen. Both cabinetmakers used characteristic horizontal foot glue blocks butted to a vertical block as seen on this bureau.
If this bureau is indeed a product of both Edmond Townsend and Daniel Goddard, then it was made between the years of 1768 and 1779 after Daniel came of age and before he left for Nova Scotia. It is also possible that this bureau was made by a craftsmen such as James Goddard (1752-?), John Goddard's nephew and contemporary of Daniel. James apprenticed with Edmund, his uncle-in-law, and may have combined the techniques of both Edmund and Daniel. Until an example documented to James surfaces that would substantiate this hypothesis, the attribution of this desk remains with both Edmund Townsend and Daniel Goddard.
On his own by 1757 after serving an apprenticeship with his father, Job, Edmund Townsend was working in a close-knit craft environment where he was exposed to a continual exchange and cross current of ideas as well as to spirited competition for a limited body of consumers. The familial bonds of the Townsend and Goddard network resulted in a unified craft tradition but the competitive edge allowed for variations and individual expression. Our knowledge of Edmund Townsend's ability is witnessed in two block-front kneehole bureaus documented to his shop, one signed by Townsend and made for the Deshon family of New London, Connecticut, and the other labeled by him (Moses, Master Craftsmen of Newport (New Jersey, 1984), pp. 250-51, 268, figs. 6.10, 6.11).
Each of the documented bureaus share many basic features, yet they also differ from one another in slight details. The signed Deshon bureau is constructed in the same format as this example with three shells and an astragal central door of the labeled bureau is carved with a shell. The profile of the top of this bureau relates to the labeled example while the top of the Deshon bureau the outline of bureaus made by John Townsend, Edmund's cousin. The union of the feet varies on all three instances. The exterior shells of the labeled and signed bureaus are more contained than the scalloped shells of this bureau although they all share the distinctive odd number of eleven lobes, with the central shell of this example also carved with eleven rather than the expected ten lobes. Edmund Townsend carved the hollow flutes of his convex shells with deep ridges unlike John Townsend's which are less pronounced; and in an individual manner, Edmund continued the outline of the lower lobe of the central concave shell down along the edge of the shell's parameters (fig. 7.6).
There are features of this bureau, however that suggest Edmund Townsend was joined by another craftsman in its manufacture. All indications point to Edmund's nephew, Daniel Goddard, eleven years Edmund's junior. Comparisons of the construction and design features of Edmund Townsend's documented work, a signed Daniel Goddard block-and-shell kneehole, this bureau and several others which share the same features, point to a joint effort between the two men (Moses, fig. 6.13, 7.23, 7.24). Edmund is known to have produced a desk with his brother, Job Townsend, Jr., so there is precedence for his precedence for his union with other Newport craftsmen (Moses, p. 271-72).
In a visual analysis, there are numerous features of this bureau that are selected from both Daniel Goddard's and Edmund Townsend's work. Like Daniel Goddard's bureau, the carved volutes on the feet are more relaxed than the volutes on furniture of other craftsmen including Edmund's documented cases. Like Edmund's bureaus, the central shell of the Goddard desk has eleven lobes and the petals of the rosettes are chip-carved; the latter feature, however, is not confined to the work of these craftsmen. There are seven rosette petals on each shell of this example as on both Townsend bureaus and on the central shell of the Goddard bureau. The lower lobes of the central shell of this bureau continue uninterrupted into the rosettes forming a simple volute while on the outer shells they form buttons which they then entirely encircle; the former is a feature of Edmund's bureaus and the latter of Daniel's.
The construction of this bureau also indicates that both men brought their talents to this example. Most Newport bureaus are constructed with two boards dovetailed beneath the top; Edmund continued the rear board through to the back of his cases and set the board into a rabbet in the top of the case sides (Moses, p. 7.8). Daniel Goddard instead used a full false top dovetailed to the case sides which also passed through to the back and was set into a rabbet in the manner of Edmund Townsend's work (Moses, pp. 268-69, 271, fig. 7.8). In addition, Goddard used a Boston style dovetail to secure the top in place. This bureau contains a full false top, rabbetted case sides and a sliding dovetail, features which are combined in a manner unlike that by any other craftsmen. Both cabinetmakers used characteristic horizontal foot glue blocks butted to a vertical block as seen on this bureau.
If this bureau is indeed a product of both Edmond Townsend and Daniel Goddard, then it was made between the years of 1768 and 1779 after Daniel came of age and before he left for Nova Scotia. It is also possible that this bureau was made by a craftsmen such as James Goddard (1752-?), John Goddard's nephew and contemporary of Daniel. James apprenticed with Edmund, his uncle-in-law, and may have combined the techniques of both Edmund and Daniel. Until an example documented to James surfaces that would substantiate this hypothesis, the attribution of this desk remains with both Edmund Townsend and Daniel Goddard.