Brock Jobe, Professor of American Decorative Arts in the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture, has received the prestigious Award of Merit from the Antiques Dealers’ Association of America, Inc.  The award, which recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the fields of American art and decorative arts and the business of buying and selling antiques, was presented at a dinner on April 26, 2014, at the Philadelphia Antiques Show.

Jobe is one of only 14 recipients who have been honored with the distinction in ADA’s 30-year history.

“He is encouraging, inclusive, and supportive of younger scholars,” said ADA President Judith Livingston Loto. “I doubt that he knows how many people he has inspired, but he is a leader.”  Livingston Loto is one of Jobe’s former students in the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture.

Jobe is a graduate of the Winterthur Program in American Material Culture, earning his master’s degree before moving on to Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. He also served as Curator of Exhibition Buildings at Colonial Williamsburg and as Chief Curator at the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA, now Historic New England, Inc.), where he organized the landmark exhibition Portsmouth Furniture and oversaw the publication of its catalogue. He returned to Winterthur to become Deputy Director of Collections, Conservation, and Interpretation before assuming the position of Professor of American Decorative Arts in 2000, which he continues today.

“Brock Jobe’s accomplishments and contributions to the fields of American art, decorative arts and the commerce of antiques have distinguished him as an exceptional leader,” said Dr. David P. Roselle, Director of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library. “Winterthur is proud of his lifetime of achievement and we congratulate him on this important honor.”

Over his career, Jobe’s signature enthusiasm for scholarship, attention to detail, and helping those seeking to learn have earned him a broad following that includes former students who now hold leading positions in museums and galleries in the United States and around the world.

Gregory Landrey, the Dwight and Lori Lanmon Director of Academic Affairs at Winterthur, praised him for inspiring generations.

“Jobe’s passion for learning and mentoring distinguish him as an exemplary professional among his colleagues, students, and former students,” said Landrey. “He is admired not only for the intellectual rigor he brings to the process but also for his generous and compassionate heart. Everyone has a story of how Brock Jobe made a difference in their lives.”

Jobe is the co-author of New England Furniture: The Colonial Era with Myrna Kaye and oversaw the major publications Portsmouth Furniture: Masterworks from the New Hampshire Seacoast and Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710–1850. He organized a major exhibition for Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710–1850 as well as for A Lasting Legacy: Sixty Years of Winterthur Graduate Programs. Most recently, Jobe has played an instrumental role in Four Centuries of Massachusetts Furniture, a collaborative effort among 11 institutions, which continues to roll out exhibitions, symposiums, lecture programs, digital resources, and website entries.

A native of Winchester, Virginia, Jobe is an alumnus of Wake Forest University.

“Brock has boundless energy and enthusiasm,” commented a current student, “his class is one of the highlights of the program.”

For Jobe, it is all about the journey and the thrill of discovery.

“For me, the joy of my work centers on the people I’ve met,” said Jobe, “people who are passionate about objects and love to share that passion."