April 24, 2002
Director of Media Relations
413/542-8417

AMHERST, Mass.—Joshua Lane, assistant curator of furniture at Historic Deerfield, will speak about “New Discoveries in ‘Hadley’ Furniture” on Tuesday, May 7, at 12:15 p.m. in the Teaching Gallery of the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College.

The term “Hadley” refers to the intricately carved and joined furniture that was produced in towns along the Connecticut River from Deerfield, Mass. to Suffield, Conn. between 1680 and 1740. Graced with a carved relief, “Hadley” furniture is distinguished by its tulip-and-leaf pattern, often abstract and geometric in nature. In his talk, Lane will examine furniture from the collection of the Mead Art Museum and Historic Deerfield.

Before coming to Historic Deerfield in 2000, Lane served as curator of the Stamford (Connecticut) Historical Society. He has taught in the American studies programs and history departments at Miami University of Ohio and Yale University, where he received his Master of Philosophy degree in American studies in 1991. He has written on early American material culture focusing on 17th-century American furniture, and cultural history.

The Mead Art Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday evenings until 9 p.m. Closed Mondays and holidays. More information can be obtained on the Museum’s Website at http://www.amherst.edu/~mead or by calling the Mead Art Museum at 413/542-2335.

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