Dominy craftsmen
The Dominy craftsmen were a family made up of American clock, furniture, and watch makers in East Hampton, New York. Nathaniel Dominy IV, his son, Nathaniel V, and his grandson, Felix Dominy were active from about 1760 to 1840.[1][2] Works created by the Dominys are in the collections of Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library.[3] As of 2022, a museum dedicated to the Dominys is under construction in East Hampton.[1]
Family
Nathaniel Dominy IV (1737–1812) was a woodworker, clockmaker and watch repairman. His son, Nathaniel Dominy V (1770–1852), was a furniture maker and carpenter. Felix Dominy (1800–1868), son of Nathaniel Dominy V, mostly made clocks and repaired watches.[4]
Workshops
The Dominy home (c. 1765), woodworking shop (1791), and clock shop (c. 1798) sat on Main Street in East Hampton.[2][5]
The Dominy home was demolished in 1946 and the family shops were moved from their original locations. The shop buildings were most recently located at Mulford Farm.[1]
In 1957, the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library acquired tools, equipment, furnishings, and fittings from the Dominy shops. Reconstructions of the shops have been on display at Winterthur since 1960.[3] Winterthur curator Charles F. Hummel wrote an influential book on the Dominy craftsmen in 1968.[6]
Museum
In 2021, it was announced the Dominy family home would be rebuilt on Main Street using architectural specifications from the Historical American Buildings Survey. As of January 2022, the East Hampton Historical Society is in the process of restoring the home and shops for use as a museum.[7]
References
- Bufalino, Jamie. "Historic Dominy Rebuild Enters Last Stretch | The East Hampton Star". www.easthamptonstar.com. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- "Dominy Craftsmen: With hammer in hand; the Dominy craftsmen of East Hampton, New York: Browse Text". digicoll.library.wisc.edu. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- "Dominy – Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library". Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. 2021-04-07. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- "The Dominy Family – Dominy Collections". dominycollections.winterthur.org. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- "Dominy Homestead & Shops – Dominy Collections". dominycollections.winterthur.org. Retrieved 2022-06-22.
- Towner, Lawrence W.; Hummel, Charles F. (March 1970). "With Hammer in Hand: The Dominy Craftsmen of East Hampton, New York". The Journal of American History. 56 (4): 900. doi:10.2307/1917536. ISSN 0021-8723.
- Gangemi, Christopher. "East Hampton's 'Glue' to Be on View | The East Hampton Star". www.easthamptonstar.com. Retrieved 2022-06-22.