This hanging cupboard was made in New York or Middletown, N.J., dated 1722, of white oak and yellow pine. The image on the door signifies the Dutch saying, “A true heart is a crown of gold.†The cupboard descended in the Luyster family who settled in Monmouth County in 1717. It was a gift to the Monmouth County Historical Association from John R. and Alfred G. Luyster.

The Monmouth County Historical Association will present “Craftsmen and Clients,” on view October 4⁊une at the Main Museum and Library. An opening reception will be Sunday, October 4, from 3 to 5 pm; RSVP to 732-462-1466.

The exhibition will feature craftsmen of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries in Monmouth County and surrounding areas. Through their products, clients and documentation, craftsmen from three different trades †cabinetmakers, silversmiths and potters †will be highlighted.

The crafts produced by these three groups offer a comparison in terms of client demand and the types of clients served. Several themes will follow through the exhibition that relate to the study of decorative arts and their value in understanding the people who made and used them.

The exhibition will feature the craftsmanship of Monmouth County cabinetmakers and joiners such as Robert Rhea (d 1720), William Applegate (1726‱768), Fenwick Lyell (1767‱822) and Matthew Egerton Jr (circa 1765‱837) of nearby New Brunswick. Some of the silversmiths represented will be Anthony Holmes (1760‱849), John Schanck (1774‱869), Teunis Denise DuBois (1773‱843) and Garret Schanck (1768‱795).

Stoneware from such potteries as Warne & Letts as well as Van Wickle & Morgan will also be featured.

A silver tea pot by John Schanck (1174‱864) made in New York or Matawan, N.J., circa 1795‱820, a bequest of Martin R. Jocubus in memory of his wife, Serenca V. Roome Jacobus. Also shown is a silver covered sugar bowl, also by John Schanck made in New York or Monmouth County 1774‱820, gift of Mrs Lewis E. Waring. Engraved at the bottom “E*F to C*A*L for Eleanor Forman to Corlies and Anne Lloyd.

Items created for Monmouth County families such as the Browns, Holmes, Taylors, Lloyds, Hendricksons, Vanderveers, Schanck and others will be featured to further reflect the relationship between the craftsmen and their clients.

Ledger and account books, receipts, family records and other documents will highlight the relationship between the craftsmen and the clients, offering a glimpse into the influence they had on each other. The intended use of an item, the occasion for which it was crafted, the predominant style of the time as well as up-and-coming styles also played a role in the creation of the final piece.

The furniture, silverware and stoneware reflect the various developing trades in the Monmouth County area during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. These three crafts are reflective of all the crafts and trades of this period that were making their mark on the economic, cultural and social life of the county.

The Monmouth County Historical Association’s Museum and Library is at 70 Court Street. For more information, www.monmouthhistory.org or 732-462-1466.