G. Carson Baker's Cunningham Catalog

Preface

My grandmother Margaret, the daughter of G. Carson Baker and Bertha Odell, became the dutiful steward of her father's legacy of images after he passed in 1950. She preserved in a sturdy suitcase over 200 drawings, watercolors, photographs, and miscellaneous documents he had collected during his time from 1899-1936 as woodworker, draftsman, and Senior Body Designer at James Cunningham, Son & Co. in Rochester, N.Y., a company renowned world-wide for its superior craftsmanship.

At one point Margaret offered the contents of the suitcase to a local museum "free to a good home" but the museum declined. Never doubting its artistic and historic value, Margaret kept the suitcase with her when she moved to her apartment, and then later to her daughters' houses. When she decided to move to an assisted living facility, she found a holding place for the suitcase at my parent's house, and some time after that, officially passed the caretaking responsibility on to her daughter (my mother) Susan Fuhrman.

From time to time while growing up, Grandma or Mom would open the suitcase and we would sift and sort and marvel at the contents, passing each piece carefully and commenting on the ornate details. For me, even as a child, the suitcase was a time capsule from a different era, and a tangible and proud connection to my ancestors. This was a peek into what my great-grandfather did for work every day. And not just him, but also his father, Charles Baker, who worked at "the great carriage plant in Rochester" as a painter and carver. Together they spent their time and energy — and earned their livings — in a thriving and successful enterprise, designing, building, and finishing one-of-a-kind wonders.

When I asked my mother a few years ago if I could borrow the suitcase to catalog its contents, I was thrilled when she said, "Take it. It's your turn." With both my mother and father's help, we have managed to bring order to the suitcase, and I think Great Grandpa Carson would be pleased. On behalf of my family, we are happy to enable you (and any other people with an interest in Cunningham and its vehicles) to "have a look inside" the suitcase.

Karen L. Fuhrman
April, 2014