Philadelphia Antiques Show 2022

78 2 0 2 2 LOAN EXH I B I T 1974 MINIATURE AND CHILDREN’S FURNITURE Here at Nathan Liverant and Son Antiques we are lucky to handle some of the finest examples of colonial craftsmanship that have survived. However, one of the most fascinating groups of objects we have encountered is a collection of 45 pieces of miniature furniture made between the 1922 and 1943. But this is not your every day doll house furniture. This is a group of carefully reproduced miniature furniture featuring exceptional examples of early American furniture design. The collection was made by Dr. Ralph H. Keeler (1874-1952), a dentist from New London, Connecticut, as gifts for his daughter, Catherine Keeler Irwin (1919-1983). Several pieces still have a paper labels attached, the earliest example reads, “Made by R. H. Keeler for his daughter, 1922.” We first encountered the work of Dr. Keeler in April of 1966 when we answered a house call. A woman called the Shop and invited Israel “Zeke” Liverant to her home to see a collection of miniature furniture. This was Catherine Keeler Irwin and she had been receiving these delicate treasures as gifts from her father for many years. During the first moments of the visit, Zeke recognized that Dr. Keeler had a passion and a gift. The wide range of periods, styles, and materials was amazing, and the quality was even better. Clearly skilled with his hands, Dr. Keeler was able to downsize the furniture without losing proportion and paid close attention to construction and the quality of the woods. Among the 45 pieces of miniature furniture made by Dr. Keeler, there are 18 full size antiques illustrated by Wallace Nutting in his groundbreaking reference book, “Furniture Treasury,” published in 1928. Several other pieces are miniature copies of furniture in the collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Yale University Art Gallery. With a diverse group of influences and improved access to fine Americana, Dr. Keeler clearly took advantage of the time and place in which he lived. But beyond time and place, one look at the miniature furniture he created illustrates that his passion was deep. The amount of time and effort Dr. Keeler put into making these tiny masterpieces is on display as we continue to appreciate the life long pursuit of this unusual dentist/cabinetmaker. –Kevin Tulimieri, History Specialist at Nathan Liverant and Son Selection of miniature furniture Dr. Ralph Keeler (1874-1952) of New London, Connecticut, 1920 – 1945 Collection of Arthur and Gigi Liverant