NEW RESEARCH
In addition to the Decorative Arts Trust’s support of scholarship through the Emerging Scholars Program, we eagerly promote the research, exhibitions, and projects undertaken by colleagues at museums around the country in our member magazine, The Magazine of the Decorative Arts Trust. We invite you to enjoy the online versions of magazine articles featured below.
See more stories about recent research in The Decorative Arts Trust Bulletin.
A Place That I Think You’ll Like
BY JULIE SIGLIN
The story begins with a magnificent cherry tree. Wharton Esherick (1887–1970), an artist often considered the father of the Studio Furniture movement, was recently married and searching for a home in which to start his family. While exploring properties for sale in the Paoli, PA, area with his realtor, the agent said, “I’ll show you a place that I think you’ll like.”
American Classicism and Frederick Douglass’s Sculpture Collection
BY ELIZABETH S. HUMPHREY
Some of the sculptures contained in Douglass’s collection were Greco-Roman mythological figures such as Clytie, Mercury, and Psyche. However, Douglass’s ownership of a Diana of Versailles bust and a miniature version of The Greek Slave carry special significance.
The Follet Sampler at the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
BY ALEXANDRA M. MACDONALD
Supported by a Decorative Arts Trust Research Grant, I was able to conduct research into the Follet sampler in the MESDA collection and at the Library of Virginia in Richmond. While my research is far from complete, I posit that all four members of the Follet family—Francis, Eliza, Mary, and Ann—are represented in this unique embroidery.
Hooked on Beds: Stenton’s Re-created Flying Tester Bedstead
BY LAURA KEIM
Iron hooks embedded in second-floor chamber ceilings at Stenton pose questions about bedstead type.
MESDA’s Southern Pathways: Visiting Curators Connect Community with Collections
BY DANIEL ACKERMANN
As part of the Study South Initiative, MESDA invited three scholars—Michael J. Bramwell, Simiyha N. J. Garrison, and Robert Hunter—to join us as guest curators.
A Square Piano in Time and Space
BY BRENTON GROM
The Read House includes a Charles Trute square piano that recalls one Read acquired around 1806 for his daughter Kitty.
Horse Stables and Musical Chairs: Scholars Share New Research During Virtual Colloquium
BY MARY FESAK AND ALEXANDRA CADE
The 2021 Virtual Emerging Scholars Colloquium featured presentations on elite horse culture and the material culture of music.
Jenrette’s Legacy at Your Fingertips: CAHPT to Launch Collections Catalog
BY GRANT S. QUERTERMOUS
Classical American Homes Preservation Trust (CAHPT) is finalizing a redesigned website that fully reflects our educational mission.
Revitalizing Charleston’s Chancognie House: An Accidental Preservationist’s Journey
BY JULIANA FALK
As I learned more about the house, I started to research Chancognie and soon found he was somewhat of an international man of mystery.
Edward Caledon Bruce: A Deaf Artist in the Shenandoah Valley
BY A. NICHOLAS POWERS
The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) in Winchester, VA, is home to one of the largest collections of works by painter Edward Caledon Bruce (1825–1900).