The Newport carved shell in its fully developed form is universally recognized as one of the most beautiful carved embellishments that was integrated into colonial furniture. The earlier shell lobes were formed within a radiating open loop, rather than a palmetto, which is more open. Further, whereas the center of the earlier shell was left open, later models are filled with small, delicately carved fillets. An example of this shell is illustrated in the John Brown House Loan Exhibition of Rhode Island Furniture, 1965, no. 64, by the Rhode Island Historical Society. Additionally, this shell is also found in a lowboy at the Hunter House in Newport, and illustrated in Ralph Carpenter’s pioneering work on the Arts of Newport.
The above pieces with similar shells are attributed to John Townsend. The feet, however, tell of another artisan. One of the above two pieces has pad feet, and the other has feet similar to our lowboy. In an article by Phillip Zea, in the Chipstone’s journal, American Furniture 1999, Luke Becherdite, p. 254, he discusses a bureau at the Metropolitan Museum with the same claw-and-ball foot profile as our lowboy. However, he attributes the chest to John Goddard and not Townsend.
One can only surmise that these Newport shops were highly integrated, and this is why these case pieces are referred to as of the Townsend/Goddard school. To complicate things further, it has been suggested that the carving of these shells was done by women in these families!
I acquired this lowboy 35 years ago at Skinner’s in Boston. The mahogany was beautifully striped, and it had a commanding presence with beautifully shaped legs that terminate in desirable claw-and-ball feet. In the world of Newport lowboys, it doesn’t get better. I wanted this one with its fabulous shell.
The only problem with acquiring this at auction was that Leigh Keno was in the room, and he was an active buyer of furniture. At that time, he and his twin brother Leslie, who was working for Sotheby’s, were both riding high. Leigh had a substantial backer and had a colorful, engaging persona. Well, I was lucky, but I did have to pay up for it. Leigh, the underbidder, was very gracious and came up afterwards and congratulated me. Although Leigh loved Rhode Island furniture and had sold many pieces, he came to the auction specifically for an expensive historic painting, which he did acquire. Consequently, he did not fight over the lowboy. Also, he most likely did not have a customer, and he quickly saw that he was not going to steal it. I was buying not to resell, but for the passion to own one of the most coveted pieces of Rhode Island furniture. I was there to own as a passionate collector and not to figure in resale as a dealer, which at that time I was. I was undeniably building a collection on the profits I made from lesser pieces… but that’s another story.
Referenced: Yale University’s Rhode Island Furniture Archive #RIF2402
Height: 33 in. Width: 34 in.
Revised August 16, 2026