The Decorative Arts Trust - Fostering appreciation for the decorative arts

Trust Tour: Erica Lome and the Concord Museum

This December 1 virtual tour features three new galleries titled ‘April 19, 1775’ about the fateful moment when the first shots were fired at Concord and the American Revolution began

Prize for Excellence and Innovation Celebration

Celebrate the recipient of the inaugural Prize for Excellence and Innovation on December 7

Critical Conversation: Inclusive Narratives at Historic House Museums

On December 8, leaders from historic house museums in Louisiana, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC, discuss cultivating inclusive narratives

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

Membership with the Decorative Arts Trust

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

Join or Renew Today

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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LATEST NEWS

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Nov 17

On a beautiful fall day Ralph Harvard led us through the incredible Abel and Mary Nicholson House in Salem County, NJ. A pristine example of early Anglo-American building, the dwelling is also the most intact surviving patterned-brick structure in the country, providing a nearly complete dictionary of Baroque brickwork and masonry techniques. Watch our latest Trust Tour to learn all about brickwork and a Quaker house that is a true celebration of craftsmanship!

Watch the recording on our YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/gHANdaQ26Zk

Learn more in this blog post:
https://decorativeartstrust.org/nicholson-house-ralph-harvard-post

@theralphharvard
@1722nicholson
#BrickWork
#EighteenthCentury
#Americana
#Craft
#CraftsPeople
#GlazedHeaders
#Architecture
#ArchitectureNerds
#TrustVirtual
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#ArtHistory
#Paintings
#Art
#History
#AmericanArt
#Research

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Nov 16

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Nov 11

Congratulations to the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research for being named the Trust’s Curatorial Internship Grant partner for 2021-2023!

Launched in 2012, the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research oversees the management and curatorial leadership of all Cranbrook’s cultural collections, archives, and historic properties—most notably Cranbrook House (the founders’ 1908 Albert Kahn-designed Arts and Crafts manor home), Saarinen House (Eliel Saarinen’s 1930 Art Deco masterwork), and Smith House (Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1950 Usonian “little gem”), as well as the renowned Arts and Crafts Cranbrook School and Saarinen’s Art Deco Kingswood School.

The Collections Fellow will work in a mentored relationship with the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research’s Director as well as with Center staff. In addition to curatorial and preservation opportunities, the Fellow plays an integral part in public outreach and engagement. During the two-year position, the Fellow will prepare for publication the definitive monograph on Smith House (pictured), including its architecture, the story of the Smith family, the Thomas Church-designed landscape, and an in-depth study of its collection of decorative arts.

Read more on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/cranbrook-curatorial-internship-grant-post.

@Cranbrookedu
#TrustEmergingScholars
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#ArtHistory
#Art
#Architecture
#Internships
#Fellowships
#Grants
#SmithHouse

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Nov 9

On November 18 and 19 join the Trust and @DraytonHall for the virtual symposium ‘Exploring Race, Place & Identity through Low Country Collections.’ Hear presentations from leaders from @SavingPlaces, @BlackCraftspeopleDA, @ClassicalAmericanHomes, and @IAAMuseum. Learn about how these institutions are investigating and addressing issues of race and place through the interpretation of collections.

The Drayton Hall cellar, shown here, was a space likely inhabited by enslaved individuals. During our co-hosted symposium, curators and educators from Drayton Hall will answer your questions on how they are reimagining the interpretation for one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in the country. Register today!

Wednesday, November 18
5:00 pm Keynote address by Elon Cook Lee, Director of Interpretation and Education, and Carrie Villar, Acting Vice President for Historic Sites, both from the National Trust for Historic Preservation
5:45 pm Patricia Lowe Smith and Amber Satterthwaite of the Drayton Hall Preservation Trust
6:15 pm Closing Q&A discussion with presenters

Thursday, November 19
5:00 pm Tiffany Momon of the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive
5:30 pm Lauren Northup of Classical American Homes Preservation Trust
6:00 pm Brenda Tindal of the International African American Museum
6:30 pm Closing Q&A discussion with presenters

Visit https://decorativeartstrust.org/exploring-race/ for more information and to register.

1st image courtesy Tony Sweet, #TonySweetPhotography
2nd image courtesy John Apsey, #JohnAspey

@TMomonhp⁠
@LaurenSouthDown⁠
@TrishLoweSmith
@Ambiambition
#ElonCookLee⁠
#CarrieVillar⁠
#BrendaTindal⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#BlackHistory
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#Architecture
#Charleston
#SC

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Nov 6

The Delaware Antiques Show is virtual this year, and the Decorative Arts Trust is pleased to sponsor two young scholar lectures! Cara Caputo, a Winterthur Museum Lois F. McNeil Fellow, presents “Esprit de Washington: The Story of a Patriotic French Flask.” Her lecture investigates a curious Fremy Brothers Distillery glass flask displayed in Winterthur's Albany Room. With its paper covers and imitation leather spine, the flask would have easily blended in with a shelf of books, but once removed, its true function would have been immediately evident. Christopher Malone, also a Lois F. McNeil Fellow at Winterthur, speaks about “Anonymous by Trade, Identified by Sight: Exploring a Shop Sign at Winterthur.” His presentation reveals the long life of an anonymous shoemaker shop sign acquired by Henry Francis du Pont before 1959. At almost 200 years old and featuring various paint campaigns on each surface, the trade sign experienced multiple surface treatments due to corrosion, changing tastes, or changing hands.

Watch the lectures online: https://www.incollect.com/browse/delaware-young-scholars

Read our blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/delaware-antiques-show-caputo-malone-lectures-post/

Pictured: Cara Caputo; Christopher Malone; The “front cover” of the flask. The glass flask is formed in the shape of a book and covered with paper to create the front and back covers of a book on George Washington. Book Flask, 1988.0038, Winterthur Museum, Winterthur, Delaware. Courtesy of the Winterthur Museum; The trade sign is made of rolled sheet iron and wrought iron which has recently been stabilized by the Conservation Department at the Winterthur Museum. Trade Sign, 1959.1802, Winterthur Museum, DE. Image courtesy of the Winterthur Museum.

@CaraCaputo
@TheDailyAntiquarian
@WinterthurMuse
@InCollect
#DEAntiquesShow
#DelawareAntiquesShow
#TrustEmergingScholars
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#Antiques
#ArtHistory
#History
#Flask
#Sign

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Nov 5

Nathaniel Gould furniture, signed Pennsylvania fraktur, scrimshaw whale teeth, Copley paintings, Chinese export porcelains...These are but a few of the treasures that H. Richard Dietrich III and Deborah Rebuck shared with us during the Trust Tour of the ‘A Collector’s Vision: Highlights from the Dietrich American Foundation’ exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art on October 27.

View the video recording: https://youtu.be/B3pGK6vkdNU

Visit our blog post at https://decorativeartstrust.org/dietrich-tour-post for 25% off the exhibition catalogue, ‘In Pursuit of History.’

The Dietrich Collection exhibition closes November 15, so if you would like to see it in person, head to the PMA soon!

@RichardDietrichIII
@PhilaMuseum
#TrustVirtual
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#ArtHistory
#Art
#VirtualTour
#Museum

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Nov 2

Jeffrey and Beverley Evans, President and Vice President of Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, have established themselves as experts in the fields of Americana and Southern decorative arts. On November 13 they will once again demonstrate their mastery of these market segments with the 39th Semi-Annual Premier Americana Auction.

How does the company keep offerings fresh and exciting after almost forty editions of this sale and over forty years in the business? In a new blog, Jeff shares with fellow Trust members that the secret to success lies in discovering and sharing compelling stories: https://decorativeartstrust.org/jeffrey-evans-americana-auction-post.

Pictured: Jeffrey S. Evans and Beverley A. Evans, pictured with the John James Trumbull Arnold Double Portrait, a Lawrence MacDonald carved marble bust of Psyche or Diana, and a Winchester, VA Chippendale walnut chest of drawers.

@JeffreySEvansAssociates
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#Americana
#FolkArt
#Virginia
#AmericanGlass
#18thCentury
#19thCentury
#Furniture
#Ceramics

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Oct 29

“Being an artist is being a maker, being a creator, being a conjurer, creating these things that exist in your mind and bringing those things forward and bringing them to fruition using your hands and your minds and your energy”
- Zipporah Camille Thompson

Join us to hear art critic and writer TK Smith in conversation with contemporary sculpture and weaver Zipporah Camille Thompson. Smith’s scholarly work is invested in American material culture and exploring how the symbolic meaning of material is made, preserved, and transformed over time. He will explore Thompson’s work and how she incorporates non-traditional art-making materials, found objects, and the impressions of her own touch to enliven her work with spirit. Together they will discuss how contemporary craft practices not only reference the skill and aesthetics of the past but also function as a continued expression of culture and spirituality.

Register for the November 16, 7:00 pm ET event at https://decorativeartstrust.org/trust-talk-smith-thompson/.

Pictured: Detail, Zipporah Camille Thompson, "Chrysalis Roots", textile, made in 2018.

@TKSmith106
@ZipporahCamille
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#FiberArts
#Weaving
#Atlanta
#FemaleArtists
#EmergingCurator
#ArtHistory
#Art
#History
#Research

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Oct 28

“This first portrait of Washington, painted before he had to worry about his national reputation or national memory, is an image that promotes indigenous dispossession and foretells of his later actions against the indigenous nationals who prevented expansion by white settlers.” ⁠
-Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD ⁠
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In her October 22 Trust Talk with Daniel Ackermann, Janine Boldt used colonial portraits as material evidence to investigate cross-culture encounters and the development of social and racial relations. In the first portrait of George Washington painted at Mt. Vernon by Charles Wilson Peale (1772), she uses a close reading of the landscape background as a gateway to interpret the painting as a depiction of Washington as ‘Caunotaucarius’ or the town taker, a name that was given to Washington by a Seneca leader after his brutal campaign against them during the Seven Years War. ⁠
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Instead of interpreting colonial portraits as family documents or commodities, inclusivity is central to Janine’s research as she builds scholarship that considers how diverse peoples have influenced these works and American art. ⁠
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Watch the Trust Talk recording on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/00XIcDj-oz0⁠
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Learn more in this blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/colonial-portraits-boldt-ackermann-post/⁠
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@Janine_Marie31 ⁠
@MESDAgram⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#StudySouth ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Paintings⁠
#Art⁠
#History ⁠
#AmericanArt⁠
#ColonialPortraits⁠
#Portraits⁠
#Research

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Oct 26

The baroque brickwork featured on the Nicholson House is a rare survival. The year of construction, 1722, is boldly inlaid in sparkling headers above 45 diamond patterns. Despite its Quaker origins, the Nicholson House was a grand and highly decorated dwelling for its time. Such brickwork called for skilled bricklayers who had to plan the pattern layout in advance with care and concentration. John Mason and William Petty carried out this work for the Nicholson House and inscribed their initials, as well as those of the owners, in the brick by the front door. ⁠⠀
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Join us for a virtual Trust Tour at 3:00 pm on November 10 as Ralph Harvard reveals the many tales of his historic home currently undergoing preservation. This incredible property and Ralph’s racoon fur hat are not to be missed. ⁠
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Registration Fee: Pay What You Can. Register at decorativeartstrust.org/nicholson-house-trust-tour. ⁠⠀
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@TheRalphHarvard⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#18thCentury⁠⠀
#Architecture⁠⠀
#Interiors ⁠⠀
#Research⁠⠀
#Brickwork⁠⠀
#HistoricHome⁠⠀
#History ⁠⠀
#HistoricNewJersey⁠⠀
#NewJersey⁠⠀
#NJ

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Oct 23

‘Kodama’ is a Japanese word that refers to the spirit of wood. Central to the Japanese aesthetic is a respect for the materials and a respect for natural forms. These principles were mirrored in the philosophy behind the Modernist design movement.

Participants in the Decorative Arts Trust’s October 17 Philadelphia Gardens in Fall program explored the relationship between Modernism and Japanese design during a visit to Shofuso House. Shofuso House is a 17th-century-style Japanese house built in Japan in the mid-20th century as a gift to American citizens. Originally exhibited in the courtyard at MoMA, the structure has a history of facilitating the relationship between Modernism and Japanese aesthetics. During our gardens program, we enjoyed a tour of the exhibition, ‘Shofuso and Modernism: Mid-Century Collaboration between Japan and Philadelphia,’ from the curators William Whitaker and Yuka Yokoyama.

Explore the exhibition and Shofuso house in this documentary: https://www.shofusoandmodernism.com/.

Read more about this invigorating in-person event on our blog: https://decorativeartstrust.org/philadelphia-gardens-bartrams-shofuso-post.

@Shofuso
@TheMuseumOfModernArt
#TravelsWithTheTrust
#DecorativeArts
#MaterialCulture
#Art
#Modernism
#Nakashima
#Architecture
#Design
#ArtHistory
#History
#ShofusoAndModernism
#JapanPhilly2020
#Philadelphia
#MoMA

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Oct 21

Wharton Esherick, George Nakashima, Jacob Maentel. These are just a few of the notable names to come out of Pennsylvania’s storied history of artistry and craftsmanship. On October 28, Freeman’s Auction will celebrate the state’s legacy with its signature Pennsylvania Sale, this year in the form of an online-only auction. In a new blog, Vice Presidents Lynda Cain and Tim Andreadis spoke with the Trust on continuing the Pennsylvania tradition in the face of a pandemic, and what opportunities lie ahead for collectors of decorative arts and design: https://decorativeartstrust.org/freemans-auction/.⁠⠀
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Image 1: Wharton Esherick, “Hammer Handle” Chair for Hedgerow Theatre, 1938, Paoli PA. Hickory, oak, painted canvas belting. The Hedgerow Theatre Collection. ⁠⠀
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Image 2: George Nakashima, “Conoid” Bench, 1976, New Hope, PA. American black walnut, hickory. ⁠⠀
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Image 3: Attributed to Jacob Maentel, An Important Family Portrait: Mary Ann and John Michael Kitzmiller and Children, Littlestown, Adams County, PA. Watercolor and ink on paper. ⁠⠀
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@FreemansAuction⁠⠀
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠⠀
#FreemansAuction ⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#Design ⁠⠀
#Pennsylvania ⁠⠀
#AmericanFurniture ⁠⠀
#GeorgeNakashima ⁠⠀
#WhartonEsherick ⁠⠀
#HedgerowTheatre ⁠⠀
#Chippendale ⁠⠀
#FolkArt

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Oct 20

How do we quantify the popularity of a president without pollsters and statisticians? Material evidence, like this delicate watercolor miniature of George Washington, painted by James Peale and enshrined in a small gold case with a lock of Washington’s hair in the back locket, created after the death of George Washington, may not give us a numerical figure, but they do indicate the saint-like status that America’s first president created. Objects like this one tell us as much about a feeling as an event. ⁠⠀
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Share those feelings in our next Trust Tour where we share a behind the scenes tour of the soon-to-close exhibition, ‘A Collector’s Vision: Highlights from the Dietrich American Foundation.’ During this virtual tour at 12:30 pm ET on October 27, Curator Deborah Rebuck and Richard Dietrich III will share the terrific installation as well as the story of one of the greatest Americana collections in the country. ⁠⠀
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Register here: https://decorativeartstrust.org/dietrich-tour/⁠⠀
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@RichardDietrichIII ⁠⠀
@PhilaMuseum ⁠⠀
#TrustVirtual⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Hairwork⁠⠀
#PhiladelphiaHistory⁠⠀
#Miniatures ⁠⠀
#PortraitMiniatures ⁠⠀
#Collections⁠⠀
#Antiques ⁠⠀
#GeorgeWashington⁠⠀
#JamesPeale⁠⠀
#Locket⁠⠀
#EighteenthCentury⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Americana⁠⠀
#Philadelphia⁠⠀
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Oct 16

Peek into the world’s largest collection of historical pigments! In the fascinating 'A History of Color: An Audio Tour of the Forbes Pigment Collection' online resource, Narayan Khandekar, senior conservation scientist and director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums, and Alison Cariens, the Straus Center’s conservation coordinator, the stories behind some of history’s most fascinating colors. The Forbes Pigment Collection at the Harvard Art Museums began at the turn of the 20th century and today contains more than 2,500 pigments. ⁠⠀
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Experience the online audio tour here: https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/tour/a-history-of-color-an-audio-tour-of-the-forbes-pigment-collection ⁠
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@HarvardArtMuseums⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#Pigment⁠⠀
#Paint⁠⠀
#Museum⁠⠀
#MuseumFromHome⁠⠀
#Conservation

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Oct 14

📆 October 31 is the deadline to apply for a Dean F. Failey Grant. The Decorative Arts Trust will underwrite grants totaling $25,000 this fall in support of noteworthy research, exhibition, publication, and object-based conservation projects through the Dean F. Failey Fund, named in honor of the Trust’s late Governor. Areas of interest include new scholarship in decorative arts, material culture, craftsmanship, and historic preservation. ⁠
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More information: https://decorativeartstrust.org/failey-grant/ ⁠
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Pictured: Alexandra Ward, a past recipient of a Decorative Arts Trust Summer Research Grant, introduces a sequence of didactic displays that were developed to contextualize the Leslie P. and George H. Hume American Furniture Study Center, partially funded through a Dean F. Failey Grant from the Trust. ⁠
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#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Grants⁠
#Funding⁠
#HistoricPreservation⁠
#Craftsmanship⁠
#Research⁠
#Exhibition⁠
#Publication⁠
#Conservation⁠
#Museum⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#History

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Oct 12

The National Trust in the UK recently completed a study of colonialism and slavery in relation to the houses in their care. This 'Interim Report on the Connections between Colonialism and Properties now in the Care of the National Trust, Including Links with Historic Slavery' details the connections 93 historic places have with colonialism and historic slavery, including the global slave trades, goods and products of enslaved labor, abolition and protest, and the East India Company. The report has been designed as a catalyst for further research and future editions are already planned. ⁠
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Pictured: A view of the 'Clive Museum' and Tipu Sultan's palanquin at Powis Castle, Powys, Wales (courtesy of the National Trust/Paul Highnam). In the 18th century, under Robert Clive (1725-74), the East India Company used its wealth and armies to forcibly invade and conquer the Indian subcontinent to exploit the rich natural resources held there. As well as creating the British Empire in India, this ensured that Clive became vastly wealthy, and in 1768 he spent around £100,000 remodelling the Claremont estate in Surrey. Today, Claremont gardens are cared for by the National Trust. Robert's son, Edward Clive (1754–1839) as Governor of Madras, bears responsibility for the defeat and death of Tipu Sultan (1750–99), the ruler of Mysore. Both Robert and Edward Clive’s colonial legacy can be seen today in a collection known as the ‘Clive Museum’ at Powis Castle. Edward Clive’s son, also called Edward, inherited Powis when his maternal uncle, the Earl of Powis, died. The collection of Indian objects include Tipu Sultan’s magnificent state tent and a gold and jewelled tiger’s head finial from his throne. ⁠
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Read the study here: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/addressing-the-histories-of-slavery-and-colonialism-at-the-national-trust.⁠
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@NationalTrust ⁠
@NTPowisCastle ⁠
#PowisCastle⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture ⁠
#Colonialism⁠
#Slavery⁠
#History⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Research⁠
#Study

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Oct 9

Do you know how to identify this sofa as made in Philadelphia from this photo alone? Answer in the comments and watch our latest Trust Tour to find out for yourself. ⁠
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpGPqH9QjFk⁠
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#TrustVirtual ⁠
#Dogs⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Furniture⁠
#Sofa⁠
#Antiques ⁠
#Philadelphia

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Oct 8

"Lucy Parke Byrd stands outdoors and wears a yellow wrap dress with blue ribbon at her breast. Her right hand is lifted and pointing to her right. A young enslaved male attendant wearing a blue Ottoman-inspired suit with silver trim and a red belt stands just behind her to her left. He offers her a gold-embroidered, red textile with his left hand. A coiled basket, likely made by Southeastern Indians, rests on a stone to her right. A white cloth hangs out of it.” - Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD
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Find out what details, like these, found in Virginia Portraits, can reveal in our upcoming Trust Talk. Join us on Thursday, October 22 at 7:00 pm EST to hear from Janine Yorimoto Boldt, PhD, from the American Philosophical Society as she unpacks two portraits and shares information about their subjects’ complicated lives, the development of Virginia society, and the impact that diverse peoples had on early American art. Janine will be joined in conversation with Daniel K. Ackermann, PhD, Interim Chief Curator, Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts. This is sure to be a fascinating conversation you won’t want to miss. ⁠⠀
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➡️ Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/trust-talk-paintings/.⁠⠀
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🖼️ Detail of: Unknown artist, ‘Lucy Parke Byrd,’ 1716. Virginia Museum of History & Culture. ⁠⠀
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@Janine_Marie31 ⁠⠀
@MESDAgram⁠⠀
@AmPhilSociety⁠⠀
#StudySouth⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts⁠⠀
#MaterialCulture⁠⠀
#ArtHistory⁠⠀
#Art⁠⠀
#History⁠⠀
#Research

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Oct 6

"The framing of our inquiries and the direction of our focus can shed new light on well-known objects associated with well-known makers.”⁠
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This tall case clock by William Faris is the only extant object with a signed label featuring John Shaw and Archibald Chisholm. At the time of the clock's construction, Shaw and Chisholm enslaved 8 and 7 individuals, respectively. This reliance on enslaved craftspeople was typical of successful artisans in colonial Annapolis. Learn about the contribution of enslaved labor in the production of material goods, like this clock, in the recording and blog post about the September 29 Trust Talk, ‘Who Built the City on the Severn? Slavery and Craft in Early Annapolis’ with Bethany McGlyn and Tiffany Momon. ⁠
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te0Nd7LE_J0⁠
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Blog post: https://decorativeartstrust.org/annapolis-trust-talk/⁠
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📷 Workshops of John Shaw, Archibald Chisholm, and William Faris, Tall case clock, 1772-1776, Annapolis, MD. Mahogany, mahogany veneer, pine, silver, brass, paint. Historic Annapolis, Inc., 2004.08. ⁠
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@BethanyMcGlyn_⁠
@TMomonHP⁠
@BlackCraftsPeopleDA⁠
@HistoricAnnapolis⁠
@WinterthurMuse⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#BlackHistory⁠
#Annapolis

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Oct 5

When Jay Krehbiel became CEO at Hindman Auctions in October 2019, there was no way to predict what the year ahead would hold. He has seen the best of times and worst of times, but Hindman’s strong sell-through rates and busy schedule serve as a testament to the resilience of the market. In advance of their Fine Furniture, Decorative Arts and Silver sale and his one year anniversary at the helm, Krehbiel reflects on the Herculean efforts of Hindman to serve their clients: https://decorativeartstrust.org/hindman/.⁠⠀
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Images 1 & 2: Ten French Painted Canvas Panels of Various Ports in France. 18th Century. Largest panel 73 ½ x 81 ¼ in. Property from a Robert Metzger-designed interior, Maryland.⁠
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Image 3: A Pair of Chinese Chippendale Giltwood and Reverse-Painted Glass Mirrors. 18th Century. 36 x 13 in. Property from the Estate of Joseph E. Suiter, Columbus, Ohio. ⁠⠀
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Image 4: An Italian Neoclassical Green-Painted and Parcel Gilt Marble-Top Console Table. Late 18th Century. 31 ¼ x 46 ¾ x 23 ¼ in. Property Sold to Benefit the Acquisition Fund of The San Diego Museum of Art. ⁠⠀
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@HindmanAuctions⁠⠀
@TarynUpMyHeart14⁠⠀
#DecorativeArts ⁠⠀
#HindmanAuctions ⁠⠀
#AuctionHouse ⁠⠀
#Chicago ⁠⠀
#18thCentury ⁠⠀
#Silver ⁠⠀
#Furniture⁠⠀
#Antiques

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Sep 30

🗓️ Event Reminder! Join us at 4:00 pm on Saturday, October 3, for a private virtual Trust Tour of Curt Chinnici’s 1860 Philadelphia Victorian! Hear the tales earned from over 30-years of collecting as Curt shares some of his favorite objects that make his Fishtown rowhouse a remarkable home. ⁠
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Register at https://decorativeartstrust.org/chinnici-trust-tour/ today, and we will ""see"" you online on Saturday! ⁠
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📷 Dining room photo by Michael Bryant, courtesy of The Philadelphia Inquirer. ⁠
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#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#Antiques⁠
#Furniture⁠
#AntiqueFurniture ⁠
#Design⁠
#InteriorDesign⁠
#Architecture⁠
#Victorian⁠
#Philadelphia⁠
#Fishtown

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Sep 28

Although a trip to Charleston might not be feasible at this time, you can still participate in an important virtual program viewing the city’s material culture through the lens of race. The Drayton Hall Preservation Trust and the Decorative Arts Trust present ‘Exploring Race, Place & Identity through Low Country Collections,’ a virtual symposium on November 18–19, 2020. With presentations by leading scholars at the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive, Classical American Homes Preservation Trust, Drayton Hall Preservation Trust, and the International African American Museum. ⁠
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Registration is pay what you wish. Register today at https://decorativeartstrust.org/exploring-race/. ⁠
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@DraytonHall⁠
@BlackCraftspeopleDA ⁠
@ClassicalAmericanHomes ⁠
@IAAMuseum⁠
@SavingPlaces ⁠
@TMomonhp⁠
@LaurenSouthDown⁠
#ElonCookLee⁠
#CarrieVillar⁠
#PatriciaLoweSmith ⁠
#AmberSatterthwaite⁠
#BrendaTindal⁠
#TrustVirtual ⁠
#DecorativeArts⁠
#MaterialCulture⁠
#ArtHistory⁠
#Art⁠
#History⁠
#Charleston⁠

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Sep 24

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

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

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 Whitaker 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

#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

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

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

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

In one week, @BrunkAuctions will open its fall season with the sale of the William N. Banks, Jr. Estate. Bill Banks, who passed away in 2019, was a renowned collector, connoisseur, and frequent contributor to @AntiquesMag. He collected an expansive range of fine and decorative art with a focus on nineteenth-century American paintings and furniture, suited for display in his historic Georgia home Bankshaven. Preview the auction and several standout objects with Vice President Lauren Brunk in our new blog post!⁠
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👉 https://decorativeartstrust.org/brunk-auctions/⁠
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📷 Interior view of Bankshaven, Newnan, GA. ⁠
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#DecorativeArts ⁠
#BrunkAuctions ⁠
#LiveAuction ⁠
#AmericanPainting ⁠
#FederalFurniture ⁠
#Antiques ⁠
#19thCentury ⁠
#HistoricInteriors

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IN THE FIELD

Edgefield District Stoneware at The Met

Exploring the Charles and Ray Eames House

A Spanish Chamber Pot in New Orleans

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Yale's New Furniture Study Center

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