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Franklin House Hotel

Offered by: David A. Schorsch - Eileen M. Smiles Fine Americana

Description
Franklin House Hotel
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, circa 1838–1842
Watercolor on paper, 9 ¾ x 12 ½ inches, in period painted frame
Signs in picture inscribed: “FRANKLIN HOUSE,” “WILLIS BARNABEE,” and “General Stage Office.”

This remarkable watercolor is the only known painting of the Franklin House in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, before its destruction by fire in 1879. It was formerly the Portsmouth Hotel and General Stage House until 1838 when it was purchased by Willis Barnabee (1789–1862) and renamed the Franklin House. The opening advertisement for Franklin House in the Portsmouth Journal, June 2, 1838, proclaimed it was “put in complete repair, newly painted and papered throughout, old furniture from previous owners entirely removed and replaced with new and genteel furniture of the best description.” It went on: “Having been one of the Eastern Mail Stage Drivers from Boston to Portsmouth for many years past [Barnabee] is well known to the traveling public and that no assurances are necessary that the FRANKLIN HOUSE will become one of the most agreeable and comfortable Hotels in the country and that no pains will be spared to make it in all respects, a public house of the finest description.” The name change allowed Barnabee to link the hotel to the adjacent Franklin Hall, a landmark where the Marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834) had addressed the public in 1824. Barnabee’s personal association with Lafayette was referenced in 1913 by his son Daniel, who noted, “He had the honor of driving Lafayette into our town, on the occasion of the illustrious Frenchman’s last tour of America, in 1824, and the highway over which he passed is called the Lafayette Road to this day.” Lafayette also played into the Hotel’s sign, as shown in the watercolor, which depicted La Grange, LaFayette’s residence in France, the image derived from an 1826 lithograph, The rebranding to Franklin House proved a shrewd marketing move that cemented the hotel’s long association with LaFayette, imbued the establishment with legitimacy, and appealed to the patriotic sentiments of potential guests, making it one of the busiest hotels on the seacoast. The building complex built on the site of the former Franklin House is today known as Franklin Block.

Given the dating of this watercolor and its youthful touch, Portsmouth-born James Lawrence Bufford (1815–1872) may have been the artist. He came from a talented family of artists, engravers, and sign-painters. If by his hand, he may have been inspired by the efforts of his older brother, J. H. Bufford, who was known to make lithographic drawings of views in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. As neighbors in Portsmouth, the brothers would have been well-acquainted with Willis Barnabee through shared interests.

The watercolor was placed in the office of the hotel prior to 1904. A 1973 article in The Portsmouth Herald states, “There hung in the office of Franklin an old picture of the establishment now in the possession of D. Webster Barnabee. It has the double house with its doors side by side as they stood down to the time when the entrance was with the addition of the Franklin Hall part of the edifice.” This entry draws from a report by Deborah M. Child, dated July 30, 2024, in the files of David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles.

Provenance:
Displayed in the office of the Franklin House Hotel, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, by Willis Barnabee (1789–1862) and his son Daniel Webster Barnabee (1839–1904); to his daughter Cora Winnifred Barnabee (1873–1933); to her husband William Barnette Smith (1872–1966), Cambridge, New York.

Published:
George Leon Varney, ed., Reminiscences of Henry Clay Barnabee (Boston: Chapelle Publishing Company, 1913), illustrated.
“Stagecoach Wheels A’ Rolling,” The Portsmouth Herald, August 3, 1973, p. 100, mentioned.
Julien P. Icher, “In Lafayette’s Footsteps: Memorializing the General’s Tour in New Hampshire,” Historical New Hampshire71, no. 1, Spring 2018, p. 29, illustrated.

More Information

Period:	19th Century
Creation Date:	1838-1842
Styles / Movements:	Folk Art, Americana, Traditional
Incollect Reference #:	814329

Dimensions

W.	12.5 in;	H.	9.75 in;
W.	31.75 cm;	H.	24.77 cm;

Message from Seller:

David A. Schorsch and Eileen M. Smiles are nationally recognized dealers in American antiques and folk art, specializing in weathervanes, folk paintings, Shaker furniture, and more. With over forty years of experience, they offer expert services in private and corporate collections, authentication, and auction representation—contact them today at 203.263.3131 or via email at contact@schorsch-smiles.com.