Sara J. Schechner, Ph. D. (photos: Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard University) This is a story of the impact a collector can have on creating one of the world’s most celebrated of specialized museums. The museum is Harvard University’s Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments and the man responsible is David P. Wheatland of […]
The International Quilt Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is home to the world’s largest publicly held quilt collection. With quilts spanning five centuries and more than 55 countries, the museum is focused on creating an encyclopedic collection. That is, a collection that represents the depth and breadth of quilts and quilt making traditions throughout […]
Assembling Only the Best: The Pedro Correa do Lago Autograph Collection From June 1 through September 16, 2018, what is considered “one of the most comprehensive autograph collections of our era”* was offered on display at the Morgan Library in New York City. For anyone who missed this once-in-a-lifetime display of some of the most […]
The Glass City Museum: How Edward Drummond Libbey’s Glass Collection Started the Toledo Museum of Art Edward Drummond Libbey was one of the most influential leaders who innovated the manufacturing of glass and fostered its craftsmanship and design in the U.S. His management style was based on the powerhouses of the time—Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, etc.—but […]
Inheriting a Collection of Musical Note: An Interview with Jane Porter When her mother passed away in 2011, Jane Porter thought she was prepared to take on her beloved collection of rare books and American sheet music. Her mother had been grooming her since the late 1980s so that when the time came, Jane would […]
Make No Little Plans: A.B. Wells, A Collector of Americana Excerpts from osv.org on their founding collector extraordinaire Old Sturbridge Village began as one man’s hobby, but over the years has evolved into a national institution, recreating life as it was in Colonial New England, right down to the tools of the trade. He gave […]
The Mini Time Machine Museum Collection The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures is dedicated to sharing the wonder of miniatures and inspiring new audiences to cherish and appreciate this universal art form. The museum was created from the imagination and dedication of Founders Patricia and Walter Arnell. Mrs. Arnell’s fondness for miniatures began in […]
My Hand-illustrated Envelopes by Collector Allan Weiss I got started collecting the hand-illustrated envelopes when a stamp dealer friend showed me 10-12 of Gladys Adler’s hand-illustrated envelopes with ladies in fancy hats. He knew my interest in folk art and asked me, “Are these folk art?” I had never seen anything like them before and […]
The Fabric of Their Lives: The Albany Institute of History and Art The Albany Institute of History and Art is home to collections that span our country’s formation, including fine art, decorative art, and historic objects gathered from its founding in 1791. Each item has been carefully selected to support the Museum’s overall vision: collecting […]
Our Stock is Always Fresh: The Mooney-Barker Drugstore Collection at the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History by Carolyn Reno, Collections Manager and Assistant Director In 1985, the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History was allowed to go through the contents of an old drugstore in Pettigrew (Madison County) Arkansas before it was razed to make way […]
