The Material World of Eyre Hall - by Carl R Lounsbury (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The Material World of Eyre Hall presents an extensive history of the Eyre family from the 17th through the 21st century, offering a rare and fascinating insight into the preservation of a family home whilst also exemplifying the changing aspects of southern history through Eyre Hall's material culture. Featuring the work of 22 contributors this volume is composed of four main sections, which examine the historical and cultural significance of Eyre Hall and its associated objects. The first section traces the history of the Eyre family from the first generation who immigrated to the Eastern Shore from England in the 1640s through to current owner, Furlong Baldwin. The second describes the architecture of Eyre Hall and places its design and ornamentation in the context of other houses of the period in Chesapeake. The third explores the extensive formal garden extending to the north of the house. The fourth section comprises a catalogue raisonnâe of the material culture of Eyre Hall, including furniture, silver, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, books, musical instruments, bound sheet music, textiles, and miscellaneous objects. This volume also presents two family trees-one of the Eyre family; the other of the African Americans who worked at the house in the early 20th century-and four major maps, alongside stunning new color photography of the building, grounds, and catalogue pieces"--

Book Synopsis

Erected in 1759 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eyre Hall is still occupied by descendants of its builder. It retains a rich variety of objects from furniture and books to silver and paintings acquired by the family, reflecting the tastes and aspirations of its many different generations. Only a small handful of places in Virginia can claim such continuity. The material culture of Eyre Hall illustrates the everchanging meanings of this place in American culture from the seventeenth- through the twenty-first century. It represents the cultural endeavors of southern society that was built on slavery and suffered the tribulations of wars, emancipation, and economic depressions. This study explores the mutability of this inheritance in the wake of such transformative events. The book is divided into four sections. The first recounts the history of those who lived at Eyre Hall. The second examines the architecture of the house and its service buildings. The third explores the formal garden. The fourth section is a catalogue raisonné of its objects.

Review Quotes

"Connecting objects, people, and landscapes across time, this volume offers a new model of how scholars might understand the culture of place."--Shelby M. Balik, Journal of Southern History

"Unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library collections."--Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Edited by Carl R. Lounsbury, Senior Architectural Historian, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (retired), Adjunct Associate Professor of History, College of William and Mary With an Introduction by Dr. Cary Carson, Senior Vice President of Research at Colonial Williamsburg, retired. Coontributions by Laura Barry, Bennie Brown, Edward Chappell, Sam Florer, Erik Goldstein, Haley Hoffman, Neal Hurst, Angelika Kuettner, Mark Letzer, Carl R. Lounsbury, George McDaniel, Katie McKinney, Elizabeth Palms, Margaret Pritchard, Sumpter Priddy, Will Rieley, Alexandra Rosenberg, Gary Stanton, Robert Watkins, and John Watson