The Decorative Arts Trust - Fostering appreciation for the decorative arts

Philadelphia Gardens in Fall

October 17 In-Person Tours of Bartram’s Gardens and Shofuso House and Gardens

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Who Built the City on the Severn? Slavery and Craft in Early Annapolis

Join Bethany J. McGlyn and Tiffany Momon, PhD, for a Trust Talk virtual program on September 29 at 7:00 pm

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Trust Tour: The Chinnici Collection in Philadelphia

Register for this exclusive virtual tour of an 1860 Philadelphia Victorian on October 3

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Critical Operations Support Fund

Contribute to the Decorative Arts Trust to ensure our survival through these uncertain times and allow us to continue to serve our friends, emerging scholars, and partner institutions

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Membership with the Decorative Arts Trust

Your support allows us to achieve our mission of promoting the study and appreciation of the decorative arts

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Collaboration, Partnership, and Support

Help us continue our mission to promote and foster the appreciation and study of the decorative arts

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Merchandise Now Available

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LATEST NEWS

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Sep 24

Open

If you like Herter Brothers furniture as much as this guy, then you will want to check out our upcoming Trust Tour! Enjoy the true love of collecting with our October 3 Trust Tour featuring an exclusive visit to Trust member Curt Chinnici’s 1860 Philadelphia Victorian. Curt purchased the Fishtown rowhouse in 1995, many years before that neighborhood became fashionable. He and his husband, Troy Bianchi, revitalized the house with incredible care, and their attention to soft furnishings and period lighting created rich and beautifully designed interiors full of splendid objects. Curt and Troy’s collection focuses on the late classical and early revival styles of the 1820s to 1840s but also includes this impressive Herter Brothers bedroom suite. ⁠⠀
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Trust Tours is a monthly virtual program that gives viewers the opportunity to go behind the scenes and experience incredible collections live. Curators, collectors, and lovers of decorative arts share favorite objects through 40-minute tours hosted on Zoom.⁠⠀
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Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/chinnici-trust-tour/. ⁠⠀
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@DogsOfInstagram ⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Antiques⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#AntiqueFurniture⁠⠀
#HerterBrothers ⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Victorian⁠⠀
#Philadelphia⁠⠀
#Fishtown

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Sep 23

Open

Mary Raines is a longtime Decorative Arts Trust member and serves on our Board and is the Chair of the Membership and Marketing Committee. Why does she love the Trust?⁠⠀
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"My first Decorative Arts Trust symposium was sometime in the 1990s. I didn’t know anyone attending, but I felt warmly welcomed, and I was hooked! Over time, I have participated in many symposia across the country and overseas. As one Trust trip ends, I look forward to the next!"⁠⠀
📷 Nostell Priory during the Yorkshire Study Trip Abroad in 2016 ⁠⠀
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"The shared interests in material culture among all of the Trust participants creates an instant bond and sense of camaraderie. Every trip is an adventure full of surprises." ⁠⠀
📷 Elbe River boat cruise during the Dresden, Leipzig & Berlin Study Trip Abroad in 2015 ⁠⠀
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"My primary interest is American Silver, and I have seen some spectacular pieces, including an incredible collection at the Maryland State House in Annapolis." ⁠⠀
📷 Silver display at the Maryland State House during the Annapolis Symposium in 2018 ⁠⠀
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"When the Trust visited Savannah a few years ago, I had a 'behind the scenes' look at the work and preparations that make the programs outstanding. It was great to show off my town to a group of appreciative visitors from all over the country." ⁠⠀
📷 Owens-Thomas House during the Savannah Symposium in 2017 ⁠⠀
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"As fun and educational as the trips are, the Trust’s work to assist and promote new scholars and professionals in the field is even more exciting. I love that the Trust does this, and we all benefit from the fresh research and insights." ⁠⠀
📷 Summer Research Grant recipient Christine Garnier at the W. M. Keck Museum ⁠⠀
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"It’s easy to get hooked on the Trust. That’s why I love it!" ⁠⠀
📷 The Anatomical Theater in the Gustavianum Museum during the Sweden & Denmark Study Trip Abroad in 2018 ⁠⠀
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🌟 If you love the arts, history, and travel and would like to join the Decorative Arts Trust community, consider becoming a member at https://decorativeartstrust.org/join/.

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Sep 21

Open

The fall is better in person. Join us outside and offline as we explore Philadelphia’s 300-year-old horticultural legacy on October 17.⁠⠀
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Our day begins in Bartram’s Garden, John Bartram’s botanical collection that has served as a microcosmic representation of the world since 1728. Site curator Joel Fry leads us through the magnificent gardens and shares the history of the site. ⁠⠀
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For lunch we enjoy custom farm-to-table box lunches from Helm, before heading to the 17th-century-style Japanese house in Fairmount Park, Shofuso House and Garden. We experience the gardens originally designed by Tansai Sano, and curator William Whittaker onsite to provide a tour of his recently opened exhibition, ‘Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia.’⁠⠀
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Space is limited. Register today! https://decorativeartstrust.org/philadelphia-gardens-2020/ ⁠⠀
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@BartramsGarden⁠⠀
@Shofuso⁠⠀
@HelmPhilly⁠⠀
#TravelsWithTheTrust ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Garden⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#ArtTour⁠⠀
#Philadelphia

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Sep 17

Open

#TBT: Sitting in Republic Square on the site of a palace for the kingdom of Bohemia, the Obecni Dum (Municipal House) is the best example of Art Nouveau architecture in Prague, which the Trust visited in 2018. Designed by Osvald Polivka and Antonin Balsanek, it opened in 1912 and contains several restaurants, an exhibition space, a concert hall, and a fully tiled beer hall in the basement. Both the interior and exterior are covered in allegorical mosaics and sculptures celebrating the city and its residents, making it a symbolic choice for the public reading of the Czechoslovak Declaration of Independence on October 18, 1918. The building and its collection are impeccably restored, and the interior décor, executed by a team of renowned artists including Alfons Mucha, Jan Preisler, and Max Svabinsky, remains largely intact. Mucha’s work for the Lord Mayor’s Hall is particularly impressive. This circular salon celebrates the heroic past of the Czech people and the unity of the Slav nations. The Slavic Concord on the circular ceiling is supported by eight pendentives on which civic virtues are personified by figures from Czech history. This room embodies the notion of the gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art, unifying all components into a holistic, beautifully designed entity, including stained glass, textiles, and hardware. ⁠⠀
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More about this trip: https://decorativeartstrust.org/czeching-out-pragues-art-nouveau-masterpieces/⁠⠀
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#TravelsWithTheTrust ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Prague⁠⠀
#ObecniDum⁠⠀
#ArtNouveau⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Design⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Travel

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Sep 16

Open

Join us on September 29 at 7:00 pm for ‘Who Built the City on the Severn? Slavery and Craft in Early Annapolis,’ a Trust Talk virtual program featuring Bethany J. McGlyn in conversation with Tiffany Momon, co-founder of the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive. They will discuss Bethany’s research that centers on the essential role of enslaved artisans in the creation of iconic structures and objects in colonial Annapolis. Despite working for and with the city’s most famous white craftsmen—most notably Charles Willson Peale, William Buckland, John Shaw, and William Faris—enslaved artisans are often left out of studies of craft in early Annapolis. ⁠
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Join us as we share new research and methods that aim to bring the work of enslaved artisans into the story of American decorative arts. Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/trust-talk-annapolis/. ⁠
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@bethanymcglyn_⁠
@tmomonhp⁠
@blackcraftspeopleda⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#BlackHistory⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#Research ⁠
#Annapolis⁠
#Maryland

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Sep 10

Open

This high-chest missed you too. Join us on Zoom on September 15 at 3:00 pm for a farewell tour of the current installation of the American decorative art galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Curator Alexandra Kirtley will lead us through the galleries currently closed for renovation and share some of the collection’s highlights. The 30-minute tour will be held live, and Alexandra will answer questions at the end of the program. ⁠⠀
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👉 Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/pma-trust-tour/. ⁠⠀
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📷 David Kinsey and Samuel Appleton, High Chest of Drawers, 1758–1765, Philadelphia, PA. Mahogany, oak, white cedar, and yellow pine, with original brass. Purchased with the Membership Fund, PMA 1923-58-1. ⁠⠀
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@AlexandraAKirtley ⁠⠀
@PhilaMuseum⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture ⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome ⁠⠀
#VirtualTour⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#AmericanFurniture⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#Curator⁠⠀
#Philadelphia

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Sep 9

Open

Thank you to everyone who participated in 'Decorative Arts and Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,' the first Critical Conversation in the Trust’s new virtual series. ⁠⠀
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Blog post from moderator Elizabeth Humphrey: https://decorativeartstrust.org/elizabeth-humphrey-critical-conversation/ ⁠⠀
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Program recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_7IcRGAIms ⁠⠀
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Key quotes: ⁠⠀
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“It’s important that we pay attention because people want us to pay attention.” - Joanne Hyppolite, NMAAHC ⁠⠀
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“It’s not just the responsibility of people of color to do this kind of research. It’s a responsibility for all of us.” - Nonie Gadsden, MFA Boston ⁠⠀
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"I think about it in four different ways, and I call it the four As...Action, Acceptance, Awareness, and Acknowledgement." - Alyce Perry Englund, The Met ⁠⠀
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“We need to bring more voices into the decorative arts field. We have a great opportunity to mine more deeply all of the different narratives from these objects, but we need more people doing it.” - Dennis Carr, The Huntington ⁠⠀
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@elish.c ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Museums⁠⠀
#Diversity⁠⠀
#Equity⁠⠀
#Inclusion⁠⠀
#Curators⁠⠀
#Collections⁠⠀
#Docents⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#Culture

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Sep 4

Open

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Sep 3

Open

❓ What do a sea cucumber, a six-foot scale model of the U.S.S. Constitution, a taxidermy penguin, and a sign painted by a French artist have in common? Find out more in this blog post from Katharine Fitzgerald (@ladyfitz18) from @TheTrustees of Reservations. (Hint: It has something to do with the Decorative Arts Trust's Book Chat for Patron members and above on Monday evening!) ⁠
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👉 https://decorativeartstrust.org/salem-collecting-katharine-fitzgerald/ ⁠
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#DecorativeArts⁠
#MuseumFromHome⁠
#Salem⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#MaritimeHistory ⁠
#books

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Aug 27

Open

We are pleased to announce that this program is filling quickly! Please register soon for ‘Decorative Arts and Addressing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ on September 2.⁠
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The first program in our Critical Conversations virtual lecture series, this program addresses how museums are changing their collection and interpretation practices as a response to civil rights movements for people of color such as Black Lives Matter. Panelists Dennis Carr from the Huntington, Alyce Perry Englund from The Met, Nonie Gadsden from the MFA Boston and Joanne Hyppolite, PhD from NMAAHC will be led in discussion by moderator Elizabeth Humphrey, Curatorial Assistant the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. Additional information including optional readings will be provided with registration. If you register, we will email you a link to the program recording shortly after the event. ⁠
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👉 Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/critical-conversations-1/ ⁠
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#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#CriticalConversations⁠
#TrustVirtual

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Aug 24

Open

Stay safe with these new Decorative Arts Trust face masks, now available on our online store! The fabric is a reproduction of a William Morris Arts and Crafts pattern. Created by Eliza West, a recent participant in the Trust's Emerging Scholar Program and recent Lois F. McNeil Fellow in the University of Delaware's Winterthur Program in American Material Culture, these masks will get you through challenging times with comfort and ease. The adjustable, fabric-encased nose-wire is especially helpful for a good fit and fog-free eyeglasses! ⁠
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Limited supply—order today: https://decorativeartstrust.z2systems.com/np/clients/decorativeartstrust/giftstore.jsp⁠
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P.S. We also sell totebags, umbrellas, notecards, and more online! ⁠
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@whipstitch802⁠
#FaceMask⁠
#Fabric⁠
#WilliamMorris⁠
#ArtsAndCrafts⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#Nonprofit

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Aug 21

Open

When Iris Moon joined the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts department at the @MetMuseum in 2017, she jumped into work on the renovation of the British Galleries, a massive project that incorporated almost seven hundred works of art spanning four hundred years of history. As The Met prepares to reopen to the public, Moon spoke with the Decorative Arts Trust to share insight into her past and present research, favorite aspects of the new British Galleries, and efforts to expand narratives of European decorative arts and the voices who share them. ⁠
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🔗 Blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/iris-moon/⁠
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Image: Installation view of the Chelsea porcelain case, the British Galleries, The Metropolitan Museum of Art. ⁠
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@met_esda ⁠
#DecorativeArts ⁠
#MuseumFromHome ⁠
#BritishDecorativeArts ⁠
#FrenchDecorativeArts ⁠
#Ceramics ⁠
#Porcelain ⁠
#MetMuseum ⁠
#MetBritishGalleries

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Aug 13

Open

What would pots say if they could talk? ⁠
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On August 26, at 7:00 pm, join Daniel Sousa, Assistant Curator at Historic Deerfield, in conversation with Curatorial Department Director Amanda Lange as they unravel the rebellious and revolutionary stories behind the messages and symbols found on English and American ceramics in the museum’s collection. ⁠
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From tales of England’s Jacobite Rebellion to stories of America’s fight for Independence, these vessels have the unique ability to provide powerful insights and illustrations on some of history’s most noteworthy uprisings.⁠
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The Zoom link for this virtual program will be emailed to you after you register. Registration fee: Pay What You Can. ⁠
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👉 Register now: https://decorativeartstrust.org/historic-deerfield-trust-talk/. (Link also in bio.) ⁠
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@HistoricDeerfield ⁠
🌐 #TrustVirtual ⁠
#DanSousa⁠
#AmandaLange⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Ceramics⁠
#Glazes⁠
#BritishCeramics⁠
#Revolutionary⁠
#RevoltionaryWar ⁠
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Curator⁠
#Museum⁠
#MuseumFromHome

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Aug 5

Open

Enjoy Rebecca Migdal’s lecture recording 'Modern in the Mountains: Mid-Century Design in the Berkshires.' In this presentation, she describes trends in architecture and furniture design in New England and includes examples from the H. Lee Hirsche House, Albert L. Keep House, and many more. ⁠
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Migdal, an independent museum consultant based in the Boston region, presented the Marie Zimmermann Emerging Scholar Lecture at the Decorative Arts Trust Fall 2019 Symposium Inspired by the Berkshires: Autumn in Western Massachusetts. ⁠
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🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/mid-century-design-berkshires/⁠
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📷 The Fred Jaffee Residence, 1958 (renovated c. 2016), in Richmond, MA, by architects A. Clifford "Tip" Dorsel and Stephen Gerard Dietmann. ⁠
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@MuseumMercenary⁠
#TrustEmergingScholars⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#MidCenturyModernism⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Architecture⁠
#House⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#TheBerkshires⁠
#Massachusetts⁠
#MA⁠
#NewEngland

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Aug 3

Open

Now on the website: Select articles from the summer issue of 'The Magazine of The Decorative Arts Trust'! This issue features stories about Summer Research Grant recipients, the DAR Museum, Fort Ticonderoga, Historic Deerfield, the Moffatt-Ladd House, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Newport mansions, and more. ⁠
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🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/summer-2020-magazine-articles/⁠
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If the stories in this issue inspire you, please consider becoming a member of the Decorative Arts Trust or donating to our Critical Operations Support Fund so we can continue developing quality decorative arts content!⁠
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🌟 https://decorativeartstrust.org/join⁠
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🎁 Link in bio: https://decorativeartstrust.org/operations-fund

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Jul 30

Open

In honor of Old Salem Museums & Gardens new campaign, The Historic Summer, we are dedicating this Throwback Thursday entry to our 2016 exploration of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA), the focal point of our spring symposium in Winston-Salem. The program was timed in celebration of the recent overhaul of the museum’s galleries. To assert that our MESDA colleagues pulled out all the stops would be a gross understatement. The capstone of our time at the museum was an afternoon sequence of all-access tours that covered the full spectrum of the extraordinary collection on view there. Facilitated by MESDA’s incredible staff and a handful of esteemed guests, Trust members enjoyed the opportunity to select from a list of focus tours, ranging from metalwork to miniatures to masterworks. Even devotees of Southern material culture came away with new insights, a testament to the exciting research and acquisitions generated by MESDA’s talented curatorial team. Please consider your support of this exceptional organization’s ongoing initiatives in education, research, collections, and restoration. ⁠⠀
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🔗 https://www.oldsalem.org/historicsummer/⁠⠀
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@OldSalemInc⁠⠀
@MESDAgram ⁠⠀
#TheHistoricSummer⁠⠀
#TBT⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Quilt⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#Pottery⁠⠀
#Museum⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome⁠⠀
#Exhibition

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Jul 29

Open

“Eileen Gray” at Bard Graduate Center Gallery delves into the life and career of the eponymous architect and designer, whose pioneering contributions to modernism have long been overlooked in comparison to those made by her male counterparts. Just two weeks into the exhibition’s run on the Upper West Side, the gallery had to close its doors, prompting the creation of an online companion to make the exhibition accessible on screens at home. Go behind-the-scenes into the development of their interactive website in a new blog post from Taryn Clary: https://decorativeartstrust.org/eileen-gray-bard-graduate-center/. ⁠
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📷 “Eileen Gray” exhibition view. Photo by Bruce White. ⁠
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@BardGradCenter ⁠
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture ⁠
#DesignHistory ⁠
#OnlineExhibition ⁠
#MuseumFromHome ⁠
#DigitalHumanities ⁠
#EileenGray ⁠
#Modernism

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Jul 27

Open

The Trust team's summer read is 'Collecting the Globe: The Salem East India Marine Society Museum' by George H. Schwartz! Matt, Carrie, and Sara are enjoying this history of the precursor to the Peabody Essex Museum, which we will visit with Trust members for the Fall 2021 Symposium (fingers crossed). We also mailed this book as a benefit to members at the Patron level and above. Are you enjoying this summer read? ⁠
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@PeabodyEssex⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#History⁠
#Museum⁠
#Exhibitions⁠
#Antiques⁠
#Collecting ⁠
#Salem⁠
#MA⁠
#Books⁠
#SummerReading

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Jul 23

Open

Tom Savage has been an ardent supporter of the Decorative Arts Trust in his roles as a Trust Governor and as Winterthur Museum, Library & Garden's Director of External Affairs. He shares: "I am so proud of the Decorative Arts Trust for being a leader in supporting young and emerging scholars. While many programs benefit from the Trust's scholarship and grants programs, I am particularly grateful for the support we offer to The Attingham Summer School on The Country House, The Summer Institute of The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, and The Williamsburg Antiques Forum, programs that shaped and continue to inform my career. Winterthur is proud to have Trust sponsored lecturers at its conferences and at The Delaware Antiques Show providing young scholars both podium presence and a forum for resume building scholarly articles." Thank you, Tom!⁠
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📷 Tom Savage at Mawley Hall in Shropshire, England. ⁠
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🔗 For more information about the Trust's Emerging Scholars Program grants and scholarships, visit https://decorativeartstrust.org/grants-and-scholarships/.⁠
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🌟 If you love the arts, history, and travel and would like to join the Decorative Arts Trust community, consider becoming a member at https://decorativeartstrust.org/join/.⁠
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@TomSavage1775⁠
@WinterthurMuse⁠
@TheAttinghamTrust⁠
@MESDAgram⁠
@ColonialWmsburg⁠
#DelawareAntiquesShow⁠
#MawleyHall⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀⁠
#Art⁠
#Design⁠
#Architecture⁠
#Scholarship⁠
#Research⁠
#Grants⁠
#Nonprofit⁠
#Leadership

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Jul 22

Open

When non-essential businesses around the globe closed in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Christie's, like other arts institutions, made the quick shift to remote work. For an auction house with locations in 46 countries and a schedule of around 350 auctions annually, this entailed a nimble dance of sale postponements, greater reliance on private sales, and a major push for online bidding and virtual viewing rooms. ⁠
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With almost forty years of experience at the company, John Hays, Deputy Chairman of American Furniture and Decorative Arts, has a uniquely panoramic perspective on how Christie’s has and continues to adapt. In a conversation for the Trust Blog, Hays shared his thoughts on the ways in which collecting at Christie’s has changed, and what challenges and opportunities lie ahead. Read Taryn Clary's interview on our blog. ⁠
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🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/john-hays-christies/⁠
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📷 Charlotte Perriand, (1903-1999), ‘En forme’ low table, designed c. 1953 for the house of Jacques Martin and Charlotte Perriand in Tokyo and executed in 1954 by the Miyoshi Mokko workshop. Hinoki cypress and Manchurian walnut, 14 5/8 x 78 1/2 x 45 5/8 in. (38 x 199.5 x 116 cm.). Sold for €550,000 on July 10, 2020 in the “ONE: A Global Sale of the 20th Century” at Christie’s Paris.⁠
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@ChristiesInc⁠
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠
#DecorativeArts ⁠
#MaterialCulture ⁠
#Christies ⁠
#LiveAuction ⁠
#OnlineAuction ⁠
#ChristiesOne ⁠
#ArtMarket ⁠
#CharlottePerriand⁠
#Art⁠
#Design

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Jul 20

Open

On July 22 at 12:30 EST, join the Furniture History Society for a virtual program about 20th-century collections! During the online Early Career Development Research Forum, Decorative Arts Trust Program Coordinator Carrie Greif will take a deep dive into Winterthur Museum, Library & Garden's Mid-Century Modern furniture collection in her presentation "Unity by Design: Midcentury Modernism at Winterthur" and Petra Seitz, Nia Thandapani, and Gregor Wittrick will share the history of Pierre Jeanneret’s mid-century modern furniture for the city of Chandigarh, India in their presentation "Chandigarh Chairs."⁠
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👉 Contact grants@furniturehistorysociety.org for the Zoom link⁠
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📷 Carrie Greif with a portion of the Mid-Century Modern exhibit at Winterthur ⁠
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@ceegeegrams⁠
@furniturehistorysociety⁠
@winterthurmuse⁠
#TrustEmergingScholars⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#MidcenturyModern⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Chairs⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Design⁠
#InteriorDesign⁠
#Art⁠
#History

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Jul 15

Open

Our campaign Providing a Future for Students of the Past is a success! The Board of Governors of the Decorative Arts Trust is honored to announce the successful conclusion of a $2M campaign to raise endowed funds in support of the Emerging Scholars Program! The campaign commenced in 2017 and was achieved through contributions from more than 200 donors. Upwards of 50 emerging scholars benefit from the Trust’s support in a typical year. ⁠
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🔗 Read more at https://decorativeartstrust.org/campaign/. ⁠
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📷 Maureen Marton (center) was the Decorative Arts Trust Curatorial Intern at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute Museum of Art (MWPAI). Here she evaluates the back of a crazy quilt with MWPAI staff. Photo by Richard Walker Photography. ⁠
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#TrustEmergingScholars ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Nonprofit

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Jul 13

Open

NEW! Virtual puzzles from the Decorative Arts Trust! We took some of our favorite program photos, including this one of the Chateau of Villandry's gardens, and created digital puzzles that you can complete on your device. The digital puzzles begin at 54 pieces, but you can click the “waffle” (nine-square grid) icon to increase or decrease the number of pieces. Enjoy! ⁠
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🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/in-the-field/puzzles/ ⁠
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The Château of Villandry is the last of the great chateaux of the Loire built during the Renaissance in the Loire Valley. When Jean Le Breton acquired the Villandry estate, the building was a Medieval fortress. The defensive architecture was pared down, opened up and enhanced with elements of Renaissance décor. Decorative Arts Trust members visited the château and gardens during the From Château to Vineyard: The Lower Loire Valley Study Trip Abroad program in fall 2019.⁠
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#TravelsWithTheTrust⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Villandry⁠
#LoireValley⁠
#France⁠
#Chateau⁠
#Garden⁠
#Puzzles⁠
#Travel

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Jul 9

Open

An unexpected gem from last fall’s Study Trip Abroad to the Loire Valley was privately owned Château de Beauregard. Originally a royal hunting lodge belonging to François I and dating from 1515, the structure was enlarged in the mid-16th century for Jean du Their, scholarly secretary of state to Henri II. The king’s Italian cabinet maker, Francesco Scibec de Carpi, provided du Their with a magnificent study paneled in gilded oak. Known as the Cabinet des Grelots, this room is decorated with the bells, or grelots, of the family crest. Paintings of gentlemanly recreational pursuits, including an early iteration of tennis, adorn the walls. The unforgettable Gallery of Portraits, a rare survival, was added in the 17th century by a subsequent owner, Paul Ardier, Henry IV’s former treasurer. The room has a ﬂoor of Delft tiles depicting an army on the march under Louis XIII and a painted ceiling by Jean Mosnier, which incorporates the exotic and expensive blue paint ultramarine, containing ground lapis lazuli. The showstopper is the assemblage of 300 historic portraits of kings, queens, statesmen, saints, and explorers who chart the course of Western history from 1328 to 1643. Joining 15 French kings are figures ranging from Christopher Columbus to the 16th-century Ottoman sultan Suleiman. The chateau’s owners are undertaking a comprehensive conservation treatment of the portrait collection.

🔗 Read more about the trip at https://decorativeartstrust.org/loire-valley-2019/.

@ChateauDeBeauregard
#TravelsWithTheTrust
#TBT
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#LoireValley
#France
#Chateau
#Delft
#Tile
#Ceiling
#Portraits

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Jul 8

Open

Welcome to Carrie Greif, who joins the Decorative Arts Trust team as the Programs Manager! An alumna of the Winterthur program in Early American Material Culture, Carrie recently completed the prestigious Tiffany & Co. Foundation Curatorial Internship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has held roles at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Chrysler Museum of Art, the Toledo Museum of Art, and Hampton National Historic Site. Carrie has been a recipient of Trust Emerging Scholars Program grants, and you may have met Carrie during one of our programs or at Colonial Williamsburg's Antiques Forum in February. ⁠
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🔗 Learn more about Carrie on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/carrie-greif/. ⁠
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@ceegeegrams⁠
@MaterialCultureWinterthur⁠
@WPAMC⁠
@MetMuseum⁠
@Hirshhorn⁠
@AmericanArt⁠
@ChryslerMuseum⁠
@ToledoMuseum⁠
@HamptonNPS ⁠
#TrustEmergingScholars ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Art⁠
#Travel⁠
#ArtTravel⁠
#HistoryTravel⁠
#ArtPrograms⁠
#Nonprofit

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Jul 6

Open

The Decorative Arts Trust's Dean F. Failey Grant funding will increase from $10,000 to $25,000 for the upcoming cycle, which has an application deadline of October 31, 2020. The Failey Grant supports noteworthy research, exhibition, publication, and object-based conservation projects in decorative arts scholarship, material culture, craftsmanship, and historic preservation. According to the Trust’s Executive Director, Matthew A. Thurlow, the organization “had the opportunity to reallocate funding within the Emerging Scholars Program to enhance the Failey Grant program. In light of the adverse effect of the pandemic on museum finances and fundraising, we are eager to lend additional support to our colleagues in the cultural sector.” ⁠
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📷 Alexandra Ward discusses hardware with Trust members at Yale's Hume Furniture Study Center, a past grant recipient. ⁠
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🔗 Learn more on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/failey-grant-increase/.⁠
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#TrustEmergingScholars⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Museums⁠
#Exhibitions⁠
#Research⁠
#Grants⁠
#Funding

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Jul 1

Open

We miss the chance to visit exquisite private collections. Fortunately, Trust members Kelly and Randy Schrimsher have shared a ""virtual"" tour of their unique collection of classical furniture and contemporary art glass with us. The Schrimshers' combinations of stunning, swirling sculptures with intricate, historical furnishings are sure to inspire. Pictured here is a Dale Chihuly 10-piece Green Glass Seaform Set with Yellow Lip Wraps on a c. 1825 center table attributed to the New York cabinetmaker Duncan Phyfe. ⁠
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🔗 Enjoy more creative combinations on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/studio-glass-classical-furniture/ ⁠
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#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Furniture⁠
#ClassicalFurntiture⁠
#CenterTable⁠
#DuncanPhyfe ⁠
#ArtGlass ⁠
#Chihuly

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Jun 29

Open

While museums remain largely closed across the country, scholarship and discussion about decorative arts continue virtually–in this case in the form of podcasts, equal parts education and diversion. This selection of nine podcasts, hosted by a range of art world professionals and enthusiasts alike, delve into topics of material culture, history, design, museums, and more, satisfying our craving for object-based content this summer. These shows demonstrate that even though we cannot hold or see them in person just yet, objects still have the power to tell stories. ⁠
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🔗 Read more in this new blog post from Taryn Clary: https://decorativeartstrust.org/decorative-arts-podcasts/.⁠
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Do you have a favorite podcast we missed? Share with the Decorative Arts Trust what you’re listening to! ⁠
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@antiquesmag ⁠
@objectiveinterest ⁠
@adaesthete ⁠
@philbrookmuseum ⁠
@99percentinvisible ⁠
@missedinhistory ⁠
@boweryboysnyc ⁠
@aasif ⁠
@amhistorymuseum ⁠
@dressed_podcast ⁠
@britishmuseum ⁠
@iszi_lawrence⁠
@tarynupmyheart14⁠
#MuseumConfidential ⁠
#LostattheSmithsonian⁠
#DecorativeArts ⁠
#MaterialCulture ⁠
#MuseumfromHome ⁠
#Podcasts ⁠
#ArtPodcasts ⁠
#HistoryPodcast

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Jun 26

Open

The US Postal Service was honoring some of America's great landscape designs with their new American Gardens stamps! The Brooklyn Botanic Garden (pictured) was founded in 1910 with botanist Charles Stuart Gager as director, after New York State legislation reserved 39 acres for a botanic garden in 1897. The Olmsted Brothers firm laid out the original site plan, and in 1912 Harold Caparn began a decades-long tenure as the Garden's landscape architect. The museum led the way with one of the first Children’s Garden programs, followed by one of the first public Japanese gardens in the United States by landscape designer Takeo Shiota. The Garden’s Sakura Matsuri Festival (cherry blossom festival) is one of the highlights of Brooklyn’s springtime season. This sheet of 20 stamps also features Biltmore Estate Gardens, Brooklyn, Chicago Botanic Garden, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Dumbarton Oaks Garden, The Huntington Botanical Gardens, Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, Norfolk Botanical Garden, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, and Winterthur Garden. Trust programs have included visits to some of these extraordinary sites, and we appreciate their beauty being commemorated. ⁠⠀
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🔗 https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/american-gardens-S_572704⁠⠀
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@biltmoreestate⁠⠀
@brooklynbotanic⁠⠀
@chicagobotanic ⁠⠀
@coastalmainebotanicalgardens⁠⠀
@dumbartonoaks⁠⠀
@thehuntingtonlibrary⁠⠀
@maclaygardenssp⁠⠀
@norfolkbotanicalgarden⁠⠀
@stanhywet⁠⠀
@winterthurmuse⁠⠀
@uspostalservice ⁠⠀
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#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#LandscapeDesign⁠⠀
#Gardens⁠⠀
#Stamps

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Jun 24

Open

In her blog post, Annapolis’s Landscape of Craft: The Roles Enslaved Men and Women Played, Summer Research Grant recipient and Winterthur Program in American Material Culture alumna Bethany McGlyn shares her findings about objects in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Here she studies a John Shaw desk. Her research uncovered enslaved carpenters, blacksmiths, coopers, shipwrights, silversmiths, and cabinetmakers who created luxury objects in urban craft workshops. ⁠
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🔗 https://decorativeartstrust.org/annapolis-enslaved-men-women/ ⁠
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📷 McGlyn studying a John Shaw desk ⁠
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@bethanymcglyn_ ⁠
@materialculturewinterthur ⁠
#TrustEmergingScholars ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#BlackHistory⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#History⁠
#Art⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Annapolis⁠
#Maryland

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Exploring the Charles and Ray Eames House

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