The Schrimsher Foundation
About Us
The Schrimsher Foundation is dedicated to advancing the study, understanding, and preservation of American decorative arts, with a particular emphasis on American Classical furniture produced c. 1810–1840.
HISTORY
The Foundation was established by Kelly C. and Randall A. Schrimsher, who began collecting Classical art in the mid-1980s when they purchased their first Greek Revival home in Alabama. In the forty years since, they have amassed a collection that celebrates the artistic ingenuity of American craftsmen. As the Schrimsher’s collecting deepened, they became more conscious of the regional idiosyncrasies of the four main cabinetmaking centers in America: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. To illustrate these regional distinctions, they acquired examples of specific styles of furniture for each city. The collection now comprises works by eminent cabinetmakers such as Duncan Phyfe, Charles-Honoré Lannuier, Isaac Vose, Thomas Wightman, William Hancock, Hugh and John Finlay, Anthony Quervelle, and Joseph Barry. The collection is divided between two historic homes in Huntsville, AL, and Charleston, SC, where visitors can experience the pieces in period-appropriate settings.
CONSERVATION
At the heart of the Schrimsher Foundation’s philosophy is a belief that conservation is essential to the understanding and care of a historic collection. The Foundation works closely with a team of conservators to examine how the pieces in the collection were constructed, which materials were selected, how finishes and decorative elements were applied, what alterations occurred over time and, ultimately, how an object was intended to be seen and used.
For many institutions, particularly those with significant collections but limited resources, the cost of professional conservation can be prohibitive. The Foundation seeks to help bridge that gap through grants supporting the examination, documentation, and conservation of important objects from the Classical period.
