Quaker Made: Vermont Furniture, 1820–1835
Quaker Made: Vermont Furniture, 1820–1835 (2016 seasonal exhibit)
Quaker Made presents a unique collection of furniture crafted by Quaker cabinetmaker Stephen Foster Stevens, along with his account books, photographs, and other personal items.
Born to Quaker parents and trained by another Friend, Stevens turned out ordinary and utilitarian pieces. His work, however, was marked by great talent and expert workmanship, suggesting that he could have pursued a more lucrative career making fine furniture elsewhere.
Quaker Made explores how Stevens’s life as a Quaker influenced the furniture he produced. Friends lived under the testimony of simplicity at this time and were expected to remain “plain” in their speech, clothing, furniture, and deportment. The exhibit presents an intimate look into the meaning of plainness for Friends.