In Plain Sight

Discovering the Furniture of Nathaniel Gould Once an obscure figure in American furniture history, Nathaniel Gould is now recognized as colonial America’s premier 18th-century cabinetmaker. ‘In Plain Sight: Discovering the Furniture of Nathaniel Gould’ presents new, unpublished scholarship, as well as archival materials and twenty distinguished examples of furniture, either newly attributed to Gould or linked to his workshop. Gould’s detailed account ledgers and daybooks ledgers are probably unique in covering the full career of one of the most skilled craftsmen of his time; their recent chance discovery by historians Kemble Widmer and Joyce King is of great significance for the study of both 18th-century cabinetmaking and of contemporary economic and social life. These meticulous records include names of buyers, detailed descriptions of objects sold and reliable and consistent pricing. Based on in-depth analysis from multiple vantage points, ‘In Plain Sight’ lays the groundwork for a broader understanding of the cabinetmaker’s work, and significantly enhances our understanding of business practices and social customs in New England during the period of transition from a British colony to an independent nation. SELLING POINTS: . This is a major addition both to the literature and scholar on American colonial and post-colonial furniture, as well as the scholarship on Nathaniel Gould. . Includes detailed appendices copied directly from his ledgers.