130 
them of the most ancient type, fill the 
bookcases which line two sides of 
the room. The furniture is all of 
the great-grandmother’s time, and to- 
gether with the other equipment lends 
an air of rich simplicity, which is most 
restful to the guest who is fortunate 
enough to partake of the hospitality 
of the comfortable home. 
The dining-room of the Parker 
house should be given more than pass- 
ing attention, as it is in many respects 
the most interesting of all the rooms. 
Its equipment includes a magnificent 
old-fashioned sideboard, with beauti- 
fully carved legs, this being laden 
with some of the choicest pieces of 
china and cut glass, Windsor chairs 
and an old pulpit chair, used by an 
early ancestor who was the pastor of 
the Groveland Church, while within 
the deep enclosed cupboards innum- 
erable pieces of wonderful old china 
are stored, including a complete din- 
ner set of Canton-ware of early make. 
This set of china differs greatly from 
many others of this make, and it is 
said to be the only one of its sort to 
be found in America, the blue being 
of a much darker, richer shade and 
the pattern different from those usu- 
ally seen. It was brought over in the 
hold of one of the old Newbury- 
port merchant ships, having been 
made especially to order as a wedding 
gift for the bride. 
Enough pewter ware for a full din- 
ner service can also be seen here anda 
quantity of ancestral silver. Among 
EE ae 
Bits of early pewter-ware are tucked here and there upon the shelves of the various china 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
In this old corner cupboard are stored priceless 
examples of early Colonial china that have re- 
mained in the Parker family for many decades 
| 
cupboards one finds in this 
April, 1912 
the pieces in the pewter collection 
are many fine and unusual examples. 
Fortunately this family is one which 
has always appreciated these posses- 
sions and its various members did not, 
as did many elsewhere, destroy objects 
of the sort or hold them as of little 
worth, as was too oftenthe case. Some 
of the choicest pieces date back to the 
Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, 
when the popularity of this metal was 
at its height. Much of the pewter 
bears the excise stamp, a cross and 
crown, showing its early origin. 
Some of the rarest pieces show three 
distinct stamps. The intrinsic value 
of this metal may be little, but for the 
sake of its rich historic value it is 
one of the choicest possessions in the 
family. 
The deep cupboards and closets of 
the Parker home are built in conform- 
ity with the general broadness of con- 
struction, and the lowness of stud em- 
phasizes the spaciousness of dimen- 
sion. Large comfortable apartments 
are the rule of this dwelling and the- 
dining-room follows this general 
order. Broad windows looking, out . 
into the garden render it bright and 
cheerful, this pleasant outlook adding 
to its attractiveness. 
In one of the chambers above, the 
furniture of the original owner is still 
used. This includes an old sleigh bed, 
a dresser, and several queer little 
tables and fine old chairs. One of the 
tables is of the Hepplewhite type, 
and it still holds two of the candle- 
BAS eas a AG et Se NS Sean NN EB ee 
very interesting old house 
