Daniel Pabst (1826–1910) was a German American furniture designer and cabinetmaker. He was born in Langenstein, Hesse-Darmstadt. He was professionally active in Philadelphia, “a leading manufacturer of artistic furniture in Philadelphia” (Attributed to Daniel Pabst | Cabinet | American | the Metropolitan Museum of Art, n.d.) .
Education
He studied at the technical high school, Hesse-Darmstadt. His education at the technical high school in Hesse-Darmstadt gave him the skills and knowledge necessary to become a successful designer of artistic furniture in Philadelphia.
Biography
In 1849, he was one of the hundreds of German craftsmen and furniture workers who had settled in Philadelphia in the mid-19th century. For a short time, he was a journeyman furniture maker. In 1854, he opened his own workshop at 222 South Fourth Street in Philadelphia; from 1860 to 1970, his financial partner was Francis Krauss, a confectioner. After 1870, his workshop was located at 269 South Fifth Street.
“Pabst is best known for his work in the modern Gothic style. His firm produced distinctive bespoke work for an elite clientele in Philadelphia and New York’s most prominent families.” (Daniel Pabst | Chair | American | the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1830) Pabst emphasised the simple angular forms, pegged joints, woods of contrasting colours, and finishes revealing the wood’s natural grain. (Meikle, 2005) In the 1860s, he made highly carved furniture in the style of the Renaissance revival for Bullitt, Disston, Furness, Ingersoll, Newbold, McKean, Parry, Wistar, and Wyeth, among others. He made a furniture suite in 1868 for historian Henry Charles Lea.
Influences
British designers Bruce J. Talbert and Christopher Dresser appear to have influenced his work. Frank Furness may have designed cabinets produced by Pabst. Pabst may have collaborated with Henry Pratt McKean and his son Thomas on the woodwork and furniture for the house of Theodore Roosevelt on Long Island, New York. In 1894, Pabst’s son joined the workshop, which closed in 1896. Since 1860, he carved centennial spoons for the University of Pennsylvania every year.
Later Years
The Philadelphia city directory says that Pabst’s son started working with him in 1894, but the workshop only lasted two more years. In 1896, Pabst stopped working and started making furniture for his family and friends. One of these desks may have been shown at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. (Burke, 2013)
Sources
Attributed to Daniel Pabst | Cabinet | American | the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/1083
Burke, D. B. (2013, September 3). In Pursuit of Beauty. In Americans and the Aesthetic Movement.
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing. https://amzn.to/3ElmSlL
Daniel Pabst | Chair | American | the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (1830, January 1). The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/823136
Meikle, J. L. (2005, May 5). Design in the USA. https://doi.org/10.1604/9780192842190
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