Ralph Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Ralph Emerson Carpenter Jr. (October 6, 1909 – February 2, 2009) was a conservationist
and Colonial furniture expert.
and was a descendant of William Carpenter who founded Providence, Rhode Island
in 1636 along with Roger Williams
. He spent his summers in his youth at the family's home in Matunuck
, across Narragansett Bay
from Newport
. He attended Cornell University
, graduating in 1931 with a degree in mechanical engineering
.
was retracted during the Great Depression
, he took employment selling life insurance in Toledo, Ohio
before moving to New York City
. There he would go from building to building trying to sell insurance, but there was little interest.
Carpenter became a pension plan consultant, obtaining Bristol-Myers as a customer and later becoming partner at Reynolds and Company, an investment bank.
apartment. He would visit dealers in Manhattan
, purchasing items crafted by George Hepplewhite
and Thomas Sheraton
.
His 1954 book, The Arts and Crafts of Newport, Rhode Island, 1640-1820, helped bring attention to American Colonial-era cabinetmakers to public attention.
He continued his search for antiques, first keeping them in a warehouse and then constructing a custom-built house in Scarsdale in the 1950s to accommodate the collection. He sold the house and moved to Newport in the 1970s.
In the 1940s, while antiques-hunting in New England, he revisited the city and was dismayed by the rundown appearance of many of its buildings. After the Hunter House was purchased in 1945 to forestall its destruction, Carpenter was appointed to oversee the restoration of the building by the nascent Preservation Society of Newport County
. As part of the restoration effort, Carpenter acquired furniture from Goddard and Townsend
, two of the great cabinetmaking families of the area. Morrison Heckscher called the house "a brilliant restoration that gets better with age, and that book of his, written with great intelligence, simplicity and clarity, is one I still turn to 50 years later."
He was asked to reconstruct the Wayside Inn
in Sudbury, Massachusetts
following a destructive fire in 1955. He also renovated other Newport structures, including the 1673 White Horse Tavern
, the 1726 Trinity Church
, the Redwood Library and Athenaeum
built from 1748-1750 and the 1762 Brick Market, later home to the Museum of Newport History
.
in 1978, serving as a consultant on decorative arts and antiques. He played a pivotal role in the acquisition of the Nicholas Brown desk-case, which sold for a $12.1 million in 1989 to Harold Sack, a record for a piece of American furniture that stood at the time of Carpenter's death.
Carpenter established the Newport Symposium in 1992, so that art experts could gather on an annual basis to discuss issues of interest.
To the end of his life, he was an active collector, historian and preservationist, purchasing items that would be appropriate for the many Newport buildings he restored.
. He was survived by his second wife, the former Roberta Lowy; a daughter; a grandchild; and three great-grandchildren. His 1932 marriage to Cynthia Ramsey ended in divorce.
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
and Colonial furniture expert.
Biography
Carpenter was born on October 6, 1909, in Woonsocket, Rhode IslandWoonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
and was a descendant of William Carpenter who founded Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
in 1636 along with Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
. He spent his summers in his youth at the family's home in Matunuck
Matunuck, Rhode Island
Matunuck is a village in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, United States near Charlestown, Rhode Island. The village is located on a point along the southern Atlantic coast of Rhode Island off of U.S. Route 1...
, across Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Covering 147 mi2 , the Bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor, and includes a small archipelago...
from Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. He attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, graduating in 1931 with a degree in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
.
Business career
After an offer of employment from AlcoaAlcoa
Alcoa Inc. is the world's third largest producer of aluminum, behind Rio Tinto Alcan and Rusal. From its operational headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Alcoa conducts operations in 31 countries...
was retracted during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, he took employment selling life insurance in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. There he would go from building to building trying to sell insurance, but there was little interest.
Carpenter became a pension plan consultant, obtaining Bristol-Myers as a customer and later becoming partner at Reynolds and Company, an investment bank.
Antiques
Carpenter developed an interest in antiques that began as a way to acquire inexpensive furniture to fill his Scarsdale, New YorkScarsdale, New York
Scarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
apartment. He would visit dealers in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, purchasing items crafted by George Hepplewhite
George Hepplewhite
George Hepplewhite was a cabinetmaker. He is regarded as having been one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Sheraton and Thomas Chippendale...
and Thomas Sheraton
Thomas Sheraton
Thomas Sheraton was a furniture designer, one of the "big three" English furniture makers of the 18th century, along with Thomas Chippendale and George Hepplewhite.-Biography:...
.
His 1954 book, The Arts and Crafts of Newport, Rhode Island, 1640-1820, helped bring attention to American Colonial-era cabinetmakers to public attention.
He continued his search for antiques, first keeping them in a warehouse and then constructing a custom-built house in Scarsdale in the 1950s to accommodate the collection. He sold the house and moved to Newport in the 1970s.
Historic renovations
Preservation Society of Newport County
The Preservation Society of Newport County is a private, non-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode Island. It is Rhode Island's largest and most-visited cultural organization. The organization's mission is to preserve the architectural heritage of Newport County, Rhode Island, including...
. As part of the restoration effort, Carpenter acquired furniture from Goddard and Townsend
Goddard and Townsend
The Goddard and Townsend families of Newport lend their name to an extensive body of New England furniture associated with Newport, Rhode Island in the second half of the 18th century.-Family of Artisans:...
, two of the great cabinetmaking families of the area. Morrison Heckscher called the house "a brilliant restoration that gets better with age, and that book of his, written with great intelligence, simplicity and clarity, is one I still turn to 50 years later."
He was asked to reconstruct the Wayside Inn
Wayside Inn
The Wayside Inn is an historic landmark inn located in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in the USA. The inn is still in operation, offering a restaurant, historically accurate guest rooms, and hosting for small receptions. It is reputedly the oldest operating inn in the country, opening as Howe's Tavern in...
in Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Sudbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, population 17,659. The town was incorporated in 1639, with the original boundaries including what is now Wayland. Wayland split from Sudbury in 1780. When first incorporated, it included and parts of Framingham, Marlborough, Stow...
following a destructive fire in 1955. He also renovated other Newport structures, including the 1673 White Horse Tavern
White Horse Tavern (Rhode Island)
The White Horse Tavern, constructed before 1673 in Newport, Rhode Island, is one of the oldest tavern buildings in the United States. It is located on the corner of Farewell and Marlborough streets in Newport.-History:...
, the 1726 Trinity Church
Trinity Church (Newport, Rhode Island)
Trinity Church, on Queen Anne Square in Newport, Rhode Island, is a historic parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. Founded in 1698, it is the oldest Episcopal parish in the state. The current Georgian building was designed by architect Richard Munday and constructed in...
, the Redwood Library and Athenaeum
Redwood Library and Athenaeum
The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is a private subscription library at 50 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island. Founded in 1747, it is the oldest community library still occupying its original building in the United States.-History:...
built from 1748-1750 and the 1762 Brick Market, later home to the Museum of Newport History
Museum of Newport History
The Museum of Newport History is a museum in the Old Brick Market building in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It is owned and operated by the Newport Historical Society at 127 Thames Street on Washington Square....
.
Post-retirement
He was hired by Christie'sChristie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in 1978, serving as a consultant on decorative arts and antiques. He played a pivotal role in the acquisition of the Nicholas Brown desk-case, which sold for a $12.1 million in 1989 to Harold Sack, a record for a piece of American furniture that stood at the time of Carpenter's death.
Carpenter established the Newport Symposium in 1992, so that art experts could gather on an annual basis to discuss issues of interest.
To the end of his life, he was an active collector, historian and preservationist, purchasing items that would be appropriate for the many Newport buildings he restored.
Death
Carpenter died at age 99 on February 2, 2009 in NewportNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. He was survived by his second wife, the former Roberta Lowy; a daughter; a grandchild; and three great-grandchildren. His 1932 marriage to Cynthia Ramsey ended in divorce.