by Erica Lome, Ph.D. One April morning, when Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was fishing in a stream outside the center of Concord, Massachusetts, he was distracted by a hawk as it soared gracefully over the water. “It was the most ethereal flight I have ever witnessed,” he recalled. Thoreau began noticing other details around […]
By Donald H. Pfister and Jennifer Brown, Harvard University Herbaria Unless otherwise noted, all images courtesy of the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants, Harvard University Herbaria / Harvard Museum of Natural History. Photos by Natalja Kent © President and Fellows of Harvard College When we look at the Ware Collection of […]
by Kary Pardy Someone mentions taxidermy and a few main themes come to mind: trophies in hunting lodges, decor in rustic cabins, or the old stuffed fox at your grandparent’s house or neighborhood antique store. The practice of preserving dead animals was once an art form, and in several ways still is, but taxidermy’s relationship […]
by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher In 1867, Theodore Roosevelt began what he called the Roosevelt Museum of Natural History. It consisted of 12 specimens that had been carefully preserved and laid out – in his bedroom. He was eight years old. A sickly child who was often confined indoors, it has been written that Teddy […]
Viking Glass grew out of its predecessor, New Martinsville Glass Company, which was established in 1900 by Mark Johnson and George Matheny. The plant was up and running in 1901 in New Martinsville, West Virginia, known for its natural gas and access to transportation by rail and by river – the Ohio river. The company […]
Mercury glass is not all it is wrapped up to be as there is no actual mercury used in the encased silvered part of the glass, except during its first few years. While rumors abound regarding the danger of being poisoned when using tableware made with “mercury glass,” it is a myth that comes from […]
By Kary Pardy, writer of “Exploring Antique Technology” Mickey Mantle’s baseball, a celebrity-signed photograph, the copy of the Declaration of Independence from your relative’s attic: the value of each of these items lies in its authenticity. Forgers go to great lengths to dupe collectors, but unfortunately, several other roadblocks are not inherently sneaky. Collectors of […]
by Maxine Carter-Lome, Publisher Since ancient Roman times, a man’s ability to sign his name separated him from the masses and marked him as a member of the ruling class at a time when all but a very few were illiterate. A man’s signature entitled him to make decisions that affected people, property, and wealth, […]
Story and photos by Donald-Brian Johnson In the world of mid-twentieth-century décor, it wasn’t enough for a designer to be a household name. What sold everything—from dinnerware to dishwashers to draperies—was exactly the right household name. That name had to be exotic, but not so exotic as to frighten away customers. It had to suggest […]
by Mary Sue Lyon, director, Fostoria Glass Society of America The Fostoria Glass Company began operations in Fostoria, Ohio in 1887 where natural gas was offered at low cost to attract new industries. That rate was very short-lived, and the Fostoria Glass Company moved to Moundsville, West Virginia in late 1891. Fostoria existed as […]
