What's New in the Museum

Winterthur continues to build its collection of decorative and fine arts through gifts and bequests from generous friends and through purchases with funds raised by dedicated supporters, such as our Collectors Circle. Although Winterthur owns more than 85,000 objects, we continue to fill gaps in the collection by acquiring objects whose form, decoration, maker, or history are not already represented. Below is a sampling of our newest treasures, many of which are on display in the New Acquisitions Gallery at Winterthur.

Tall clock Works made by Peter Stretch (1670-1746) Philadelphia; 1735-1746 Mahogany with tulip poplar and white pine; brass, iron, and glass

Majestic, stately, and very costly in its day, this early tall clock documents the luxury and affluence that wealthy Philadelphians enjoyed in the early 1700s. While the works were fabricated by the city’s leading English trained clockmaker, Peter Stretch, the maker of the towering case still remains a mystery. However, the Plumsted family were undoubtedly the original owners of the clock as revealed by their shield-shaped coat of arms in the center of the arched fret (the elaborate pierced work at the top). Prominent citizens of Philadelphia throughout the eighteenth century, they served in numerous official capacities with both Clement Plumsted (1680-1745) and his son William (1708-1765) serving as mayors of the city, as well as being leading landowners, merchants, and entrepreneurs.

Dish, coffee cup, and saucer Jingdezhen, China; 1810-15 Porcelain (hard-paste) 2004.42.1-.3 Museum purchase

Greek and Roman motifs of vases, altars, incense burners, and classically robed gods ornament this dish, coffee cup, and saucer. By the mid-1600s, Chinese artisans were making and decorating porcelain dinner and tea wares to satisfy Western tastes. Katherine Banning Chew and her husband, Benjamin, of Germantown, Pennsylvania, were the first owners of this set. They probably ordered the dish and coffee cup in 1811 as part of a service shipped from Canton.

Unknown woman Painted by John Henry Brown (1818-91) Philadelphia or Lancaster, Pennsylvania; 1843 Watercolor on ivory, leather case with mother of pearl, paint 2004.33 Gift of Elle Shushan in memory of L. Delmar Swan

Despite the advent of photography, miniature portraits painted on ivory continued to be commissioned well into the 1800s. This portrait of an unidentified young woman, painted by John Henry Brown, presents a colorful, lifelike image—an effect that black and white photographic images (called daguerreotypes) could not duplicate. Interestingly, the ornamented, hinged case holding this miniature was the type developed to frame daguerreotypes.

Figure of Milton Derby porcelain factory Derby, England; 1762-63 Porcelain (soft-paste) 2005.17 Gift of Bobbie Falk

The gently twisting posture of this gentleman, his swirling cloak, and the scrolling, sculptural pedestal upon which he stands are examples of the rococo style in porcelain. The figure is John Milton, famous English poet and author of Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. The Derby porcelain factory cleverly alluded to Paradise Lost on the column supporting Milton's books. A sculptural relief scene shows an angel expelling Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden.