The decorative paint on 41 pieces of furniture made in New England between 1640 and 1720 currently in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston were visually examined and scientifically analyzed. This article provides results from three representative objects in the group. Examination of cross sections in reflective and ultraviolet light reveals the layer structure, particle morphology, and pigment allocation in the binders. Further analyses of the cross sections by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy as well as Raman microspectroscopy were done to characterize the pigments and their location within the sample. Additionally, infrared microspectroscopy on crushed samples was carried out to characterize binding media and confirm some of the pigment identifications. The primary pigments found in the lowest paint layers are iron oxide type earth pigments, red lead, lead white, bone black, and carbon black. The most commonly found binder was proteinaceous.