Join us for an afternoon with historian Jay Robert Stiefel as he presents his new book, The Cabinetmaker’s Account: John Head’s Record of Craft and Commerce in Colonial Philadelphia, 1718-1753 (American Philosophical Society Press, 2019).
English joiner John Head immigrated to Philadelphia in 1717 and became one of its most successful artisans and merchants. However, Head's prominence had been lost to history until Jay Stiefel's discovery of his account book at the American Philosophical Society Library. Head’s account book is the earliest and most complete to have survived from any cabinetmaker working in British North America or in Great Britain.
Historian, lawyer, and collector Jay Robert Stiefel is an authority on the crafts and commerce of Colonial Philadelphia and the institutions founded by Franklin for the welfare of its tradesmen. He studied history at the University of Pennsylvania and Christ Church, Oxford. Stiefel’s writings and lectures on social history have restored to the historical record many early craftsmen, artists, and merchants whose prominence had been obscured by the passage of time.
The talk begins at 5pm in the Sir Michael Dummett Lecture Theatre and is followed by a glass of wine in the exhibition space. The event is free, but please send us an email if you wish to attend. This will be the perfect opportunity for Old Members to take up their dining rights and book High Table for the evening.