James Hobart (Hobie) and Welty Blackwell

James Hobart (Hobie) and Welton Blackwell were business partners and lifelong friends whose relationship was built on mutual rescue, shared craft, and deep personal loyalty. Hobie, a master cabinetmaker, was saved from his abusive father by Welty, who gave him a job and a new life; Welty, a charismatic antiques dealer, relied on Hobie's restorative skill and steady presence. Their partnership defined the shop Hobart and Blackwell, and Welty's death in the museum bombing left Hobie bereft, struggling to keep the business and care for Welty's orphaned niece, Pippa.

Rescue and Partnership

Hobie met Welty when Welty witnessed Hobie's father berating him in the office of his trucking company. Welty, a good customer, telephoned the next day and said he could use Hobie's help packing furniture from a house he had bought the contents of. Hobie was a big, strong kid and a hard worker. The house was the old De Peyster mansion, and Hobie had known old Mrs. De Peyster well from his childhood visits. He was able to help with the provenance of many pieces. The day he finished helping Welty with the house, Welty opened a bottle of wine and they sat around on the packing cases and drank it. Hobie was exhausted, and Welty had paid him directly, cash, leaving his father out of it. When Hobie thanked him and asked if he knew of any more work, Welty said he had just opened a shop in New York and if Hobie wanted a job, he had it. They clinked glasses on it, and Hobie went home, packed a suitcase full of books, said goodbye to the housekeeper, and hitched a ride on the truck to New York the next day. He never looked back.

The Division of Labor

In the shop, Welty handled the clients and sales, while Hobie worked below stairs as a cabinetmaker and restorer. Welty was an outgoing, sociable man who loved the marketplace, the to and fro of it. He had the antiquaire's gift, knowing what belonged with whom. Hobie, by contrast, was a brocanteur and bricoleur who barely set foot upstairs. He was a craftsman who restored furniture for Sotheby's, Christie's, and private clients. Welty had a very reliable eye and often Hobie would fetch him for a second opinion, but Welty didn't have the temperament or physical hardiness for the time-consuming restoration work. He much preferred the acquisitions end—going to auction or chatting up customers in the shop. Every afternoon around five, Hobie would pop up for a cup of tea. Welty had taught Hobie the trade, but Hobie had also learned from an old fellow named Abner Mossbank, a near-blind craftsman who knew absolutely everything about furniture restoration.

Welty's Death and Its Aftermath

Welty died in the museum bombing, and Hobie was devastated. He identified Welty's body, which was badly damaged. He was told Welty died instantly, but he later learned from Theo that Welty had been conscious and had spoken to him before he died. Hobie was glad Welty wasn't alone. After Welty's death, Hobie struggled to keep the business afloat. He didn't know where the paperwork was, who the clients were, or what to do about Pippa's medical care. He missed Welty terribly and wished he could talk to him for five minutes. The shop stayed closed, and Hobie kept himself busy below stairs with restorations sent to him by private clients. He was on the verge of bankruptcy until Theo took over the sales end of the business.

Shared History and Values

Hobie and Welty shared a deep understanding of furniture and antiques. Welty had grown up with beautiful things, including an artist's copy of The Goldfinch that hung in his childhood home in Cairo. Hobie learned about furniture from Welty and from old Mrs. De Peyster. They both believed that beautiful objects connected people to a larger beauty. Hobie described Welty as a lovely man, gentle and charming, with a happy disposition. People always felt sorry for him because of his back, but he was naturally gifted with a happy disposition. Welty was the kind of man people liked to entrust with their sadnesses. Hobie also recalled that Welty was discreet, buttoned up, but people confided in him. Their partnership was not just a business arrangement but a deep, familial bond that shaped both their lives and the life of the shop.