October: Seminar on 18th and 19th Century Philadelphia Furniture

The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Appraisers will hold a one-day, hands-on Furniture Seminar at Girard College in Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. The seminar will be conducted by Philip D. Zimmerman, Ph.D., a widely-recognized museum and decorative arts consultant.

Dr. Zimmerman, whose most recent book is American Federal Furniture and Decorative Arts From the Watson Collection, will base his seminar on the 18th and 19th century Philadelphia furniture in the Stephen Girard Collection in the College museum. The furniture (1780-1830) was used by Girard, a millionaire banker and financier of the Revolutionary era, in his 23 North Water Street townhouse. Happily, we also have his archives listing the maker, year and purchase price for many of the pieces.

Dr. Zimmerman, who earned his Ph.D. at Boston University in American and New England Studies, is a former curator of the Currier Gallery of Art in Manchester, NH. An authority on early American furniture, he served as Director of the Historical Society of York County and later as Director of the museum collections division at Winterthur.

Tuition for the seminar, which includes continental breakfast and lunch, is $175 for ASA members and candidates, $195 for all others. Additional information and the registration form, returnable with payment by October 1, 2008, is contained in the seminar brochure [PDF: 15 KB]. Early registration is strongly recommended for this unique seminar.