Old Salem's MESDA Loans Edenton Pieces to The Cupola House Association
July 25, 2008
Contact:
Karen Jarvis or Jeanne Sturiale
Annese Public Relations, Inc.
336-722-1921
Winston-Salem, N.C. – The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) of Old Salem Museums & Gardens is pleased to announce that this fall it will loan three historic pieces of colonial North Carolina furniture to The Cupola House Association in Edenton.
The three pieces — an elaborately carved armchair, gaming table, and writing table — will be part of a special exhibition September 27 through October 5 to celebrate this year’s 250th anniversary of The Cupola House, a restored historic house often called “North Carolina’s most significant early dwelling.”
The exhibit is a collaborative effort of The Cupola House Association, MESDA, and Colonial Williamsburg.
The three pieces loaned by MESDA were made in Edenton by an as-yet unidentified craftsman, and are recognized as among the finest examples of early North Carolina furniture. The Cupola House Association and the Town of Edenton are pleased to have them featured in this event. They will be joined by more than 20 northeastern N.C. pieces made between 1750 and 1820. This exhibit will have many pieces never before shown publicly.
“The Cupola House is an architectural treasure, and we are pleased to support its 250th celebration by loaning pieces from our Edenton carved furniture group,” said Robert Leath, vice president of collections and research and chief curator. “We hope that people from far and wide will make a trip to Edenton this fall to share in the House’s fascinating history.”
The Cupola House’s 250th Anniversary Celebration will begin Saturday, September 27, with the opening of The Cupola House’s furniture display and the arrival of Elizabeth II, a square rigged sailing ship, at Edenton Bay.
The celebration will feature several lectures, including talks on Wednesday, October 1, by Ron Hurst of Colonial Williamsburg on “The Furniture of Southeastern Virginia," followed in the afternoon by Robert Leath of MESDA discussing “The Furniture of Eastern North Carolina.” Also scheduled during the 250th Anniversary Celebration are a week-long series of 18th-century events, themed “A Snapshot of Edenton in 1758,” featuring music, art, tours, architecture, gardens, and textiles. The week ends with a Gala Celebration dinner, dance, and auction in front of Edenton’s 1767 Court House.
MESDA’s Edenton collection pieces will be on display for a few weeks following the 250th celebration. For updates and ticket information on events scheduled from September. 27 – October 5, visit The Cupola House Web site at www.cupolahouse.org. For information about Old Salem Museums & Gardens and MESDA, visit MESDA.org.
About The Cupola House
For 250 years, the Cupola House has stood watch from the north shore of Edenton Bay in the town of Edenton, N.C. It was built in 1758 by Francis Corbin, a land agent for John Carteret, Earl of Granville. Carteret was one of the last famous “Lords Proprietors,” who, in the 17th century, acquired vast territories south of Virginia from King Charles II. Corbin died in 1767, and Dr. Samuel Dickinson purchased the house the next year. His descendants called The Cupola House home for over 141 years. Eventually weather and time took their toll and the house and grounds fell upon neglect. In 1918, citizens rallied to form an organization to save The Cupola House. It was the first such move by N.C. citizens to save a historic building. The organization, now The Cupola House Association, is dedicated to the house’s preservation and protection. Today, visitors to the area can enjoy guided tours of the house and its restored gardens.
About Old Salem
Old Salem Museums & Gardens is one of America’s most comprehensive history attractions. Its three museums – the Historic Town of Salem, the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), and the Old Salem Toy Museum – engage visitors in an educational and memorable historical experience about those who lived and worked in the early South.
