Charles Franklin Montgomery

1910 (age 68)

After graduating from Harvard University in 1932, Montgomery worked for the Herald Tribune, owned an orchard, and began collecting antiquities. His work as a dealer and consultant grew into a significant scholarly career. Montgomery had a particular interest in pewter, a subject on which he was an authority and "enthusiastic evangelist." His well-illustrated 1973 book, A History of American Pewter, serves as a concise introduction to the subject, but also touches upon broader themes in the study of decorative arts and social history. In 1949, Montgomery was appointed associate curator and executive secretary of the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum. In 1954, he was appointed director of the Museum. He began teaching courses in the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture in 1952 and during the early years of the program was responsible for raising funds for fellowship grants. He remained part of the program until 1970. Under Montgomery"s direction, the Winterthur"s graduate program was the first to offer professional training for careers in historic administration and historic house museums. Montgomery then served as curator and Professor of Art History at Yale University, where his exhibitions included "American Art, 1750-1800: Towards Independence," a bicentennial exhibit that later traveled to the Victoria and Albert Museum. He was elected to the Walpole Society (1955) and the American Antiquarian Society (1958). The Decorative Arts Society offers an Award and Prize, named for Montgomery, that honor outstanding scholarly work on the decorative arts Yale"s History of Art Department includes a decorative arts professorship named for Montgomery.

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Works

book

A History of American Pewter (A Winterthur book)

(History Of American Pewter, A, by Montgomery, Charles F.)

American Furniture: The Federal Period, in the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum (Winterthur Book)

(First published in 1966, this volume explores the merits ...)

American Furniture: The Federal Period, in the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum (Winterthur Book) by Charles F Montgomery (2007-07-01)

American Furniture, the Federal Period

(Federal Period in the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Mu...)

A History of American Pewter

(GOOD-to-VERY-GOOD TRADE-PAPERBACK)

American Furniture - The Federal Period - in the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum

A History Of American Pewter A Winterthur Book

Charles Franklin Montgomery

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Career

After graduating from Harvard University in 1932, Montgomery worked for the Herald Tribune, owned an orchard, and began collecting antiquities. His work as a dealer and consultant grew into a significant scholarly career. Montgomery had a particular interest in pewter, a subject on which he was an authority and "enthusiastic evangelist." His well-illustrated 1973 book, A History of American Pewter, serves as a concise introduction to the subject, but also touches upon broader themes in the study of decorative arts and social history.

In 1949, Montgomery was appointed associate curator and executive secretary of the Henry Francis Du Pont Winterthur Museum.

In 1954, he was appointed director of the Museum. He began teaching courses in the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture in 1952 and during the early years of the program was responsible for raising funds for fellowship grants.

He remained part of the program until 1970. Under Montgomery"s direction, the Winterthur"s graduate program was the first to offer professional training for careers in historic administration and historic house museums.

Montgomery then served as curator and Professor of Art History at Yale University, where his exhibitions included "American Art, 1750-1800: Towards Independence," a bicentennial exhibit that later traveled to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

He was elected to the Walpole Society (1955) and the American Antiquarian Society (1958). The Decorative Arts Society offers an Award and Prize, named for Montgomery, that honor outstanding scholarly work on the decorative arts Yale"s History of Art Department includes a decorative arts professorship named for Montgomery.