The 2025 Eaddo and Peter Kiernan Lecture

“Decoding Davenport”
Conservation Fellow Isabella Hogan

Between 1893 and 1895, American architect and interior decorator Ogden Codman Jr. (1863-1951) commissioned A.H. Davenport and Company (1880-1914) to provide furniture for the second and third floors of The Breakers, the summer residence of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family in Newport.

Drawing on her recent survey of the third-floor furniture, Isabella Hogan will explore the design process, craftsmanship, materials and manufacturing methods employed in Davenport’s factories to illuminate the details of this important commission and explore how it relates to wider trends in production during the 19th century. Join us for a glimpse into the operation of one of the Gilded Age’s leading furniture manufacturers and learn what lies ahead for the preservation of the pieces at The Breakers.

“Treasures from the Collection”
Curatorial Research Fellow Priscilla Bright

Priscilla Bright has scoured the Preservation Society’s collection to highlight unsung gems and shed new light on old favorites, ranging from 16th-century manuscript cuttings to a pink suit worn by Robert Redford in “The Great Gatsby “(1974). Her research has enriched our understanding of the vast and complex collection The Preservation Society of Newport County cares for and revealed a few secrets along the way. Get ready to speak with statues, ponder paintings and be fascinated by furniture!