About the Collection
The richness and diversity of Canada’s historical furnishings are a unique reflection of life in settlements established from the early 1700s to the early 1900s. Immigrants from France, England, Scotland, Ireland, the United States (more than 50,000 Loyalists fled as a result of the American Revolution), Germany and other parts of Europe made their home in Canada. From the Atlantic shores to the Great Lakes, the individual cultural identities of these settlements were maintained owing to the large geographical area over which they were spread and the absence of a strong central governing structure.
A new interest and appreciation for historical furnishings was sparked with the celebration of Canada’s Centennial, in 1967. Until then — unlike in other important areas of national historical interest such as archaeology, fine art and First Nations’ artifacts — little research had been conducted on domestic furnishings. There were few publications or public collections to inform Canadians or guide our awareness. Canada’s Centennial heightened our collective sense of identity and spawned a wave of activity in identifying and understanding our material history. A fresh generation of collectors and dealers rapidly broadened the boundaries of our knowledge. New publications and other media captured and expanded the knowledge base, and the community of interested people became larger and more integrated.
The John and Heather Harbinson Collection was assembled between 1967 and the 1990s. The Harbinsons’ objective was to build a collection of items that, individually and collectively, could play an important role in exploring and explaining Canada’s roots and the story of our material heritage. The criteria were threefold: a) the quality of design — how aesthetics, cultural influences, function and structure merged in the final form, b) condition — important features should be essentially intact and as undisturbed as possible, and c) provenance through the record of makers and owners, as well as social context and use.
Most items in the collection were made by, or under the direction of, individuals whose craftsmanship was undiluted by the trends toward mechanization and centralized manufacturing that took place after the mid-1800s.
As the Harbinsons approached their retirement years, they contacted the Canadian Museum of History about finding a home for their collection. Their interest was in sharing the collection with all Canadians and seeing it used as a means for further strengthening our national identity through increased understanding and appreciation of our material and social past.