Frye-Martin school Bookcase on Bureau

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Peter Storey Pentz

Well-known member
This is for all those who, like me, have a fondness for furniture from Virginia.

Reading a review of the auction of this piece in Maine Antiques Digest, I went online to see if the auction house, Case Antiques of Knoxville, Tennessee, had a better photo and more information.  Lo and behold, after working through the home page and finding the archive, I located the bookcase on bureau (Oct. 6, 2012; lot #106).  There are about 40 photos of this piece.  With great patience, I figured out how to copy the photos and record them. (Interestingly, the recording process enlarged the photos.)  These photos cover both exterior and interior views and numerous details.  It is worth looking up.  PSP

 
Peter, Thanks. That is an interesting looking piece (though to me not the most beautiful piece) and as you say they give plenty of detailed photos. Wonder what the obviously missing finial looked like?
John McAlister
 
John,

I looked up the Wallace Gusler article on Winchester furniture (American Furniture, 1997).  It shows a desk and bookcase and two high chests with their original finials.  There should be three, one in the center and one on each front corner.  Additionally, there may have originally been some carving attached below the center finial.  PSP
 
I have worked on many pieces attributed to the Frye/Martin shop. It really should be called the Martin / Frye shop. James Martin supposedly worked his way from Baltimore through Fredrick Maryland and then settled in Winchester. James Martin with his apprentice Christopher? Frye, who married James Martin's daughter and had a son Courtney? Frye (I get these two mixed up) who then continued the family business. Our desk is a copy from a 1798 desk made in their shop for M ( Mary?) Lupton, David Lupton's wife, although M. Lupton could be David and Mary's son. Williamsburg has our desks older sister 1795. Our clock is a compilation of clocks from their shop. The Frye family continued building clocks and numerous pieces including vast amounts of architectural work all up and down the Shenandoah Valley and eastward in Loudoun County and lots of Northern Virgina and Maryland.  If I have my facts straight James Martin retired to Berryville and made inlay! These are true Chippendale pieces made in the 1790's with sudle Federal influences. Please realize these pieces were meant to go in some tall rooms so their proportions are designed around taller surroundings.
 
Jeff,

I thought this would catch your eye.  This bookcase on bureau is not all that big (93 1/4 in. high, 42 in. wide, 23 in. deep) it would fit in an 8 foot room.  If you have worked on a lot of pieces like this then all I can say is, "You lucky dog (on it)."  PSP
 
Peter, This is a piece I have not seen before as is! I have seen both seperate. What a wonderful marrige. Thank you for this reference. Jeff
 
Some bracket feet from this shop, plus others, were at a slight angle to get more projection for their bracket feet out of less material.
 
John, Here is one choice for a Winchester Virginia finial from this shop as seen on a clock. This is our repro.
 

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