The still camera, in its quiet and inquisitive ways, can choose several approaches in portraying the adventurous energy, the primitive hardships, and the fundamental good taste of the early Americans.  Samuel Chamberlain, 1950

{HISTORY}

Focusing on Salem, Massachusetts' significant collection of historic Colonial and Federal-style architecture, revered American photographer Samuel Chamberlain (1895-1975) set out in 1950 to capture the interior and exterior imagery of this coastal New England town and the seafaring history it represents. 

Capturing 52 houses dating between 1651-1847 and sharing brief histories of each, Samuel tells the story of New England as it unfolds one parlor chair and one window shutter at a time across the "great American seaport" that was Salem, MA. First founded in 1626, Salem may now be best known as the subject of the Salem witch trials but in its heyday it was a sophisticated port town home to impressive architecture, international trade merchants, and transitory sea captains all interested in making a home in this place by the sea.

Beautifully presented, Samuel captures art and imagination in his collective portrait of this dynamic town. Fun facts anchor his photographs offering context to each house while also inviting further research and reading into past owners and influential citizens. 

Nothing escapes Samuel's eye. From a cupboard full of antique china to a hearth lit by candlelight or a street framed in ceder and clapboard, Salem is quintessentially New England... aesthetic, nostalgic and historical all at once. A delight for any interior decorator, architecture lover, or New England history buff, whether you are pouring over historic designs or diving into the facts and fiction of this dynamic city, Salem has much to offer the old house enthusiast.

One of our favorite 20th-century photographers, Samuel Chamberlain led an interesting and diverse life. Along with his artistic wife Narcissa, and their equally creative children, the Chamberlains lived both in the US and abroad where the entire family developed artistic pursuits in cooking, photography, writing, and interior design. 

Here in the Vintage Kitchen, we were first introduced to the vivacious Chamberlain family through the adventures of their delightful, funny, and quirky French cook, Clementine, whom we wrote about on the blog here and whose book is in the shop here.

A unique combination of enigmatic talent both individually and together as a family, the Chamberlains (Mom, Dad, kids, and cook)  all contained a joie de vivre that was infectious when it came to their creative projects.  Something that could be translated just as effectively whether they were working with words, photos, furniture, food, or recipes. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1950 Edition by Hastings House
• 176 pages
• Includes original dust jacket 

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this book is clean and bright throughout with no spots, stains, or notations. The dust jacket contains some minor chippy areas along the top and bottom edge and a small 1/2" inch tmissing section on the front of the jacket at the bottom corner.  All the interior pages are very clean and bright and the photographs are crisp and clear. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 9.5" inches (length) x 7.25" inches (width) x .75" inches (thickness) and weighs 1.6 lbs.