Features
American Fashion and Tailoring as made by The John J. Mitchell Publishing Company
by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor, with information shared by Jean Druesdow, director emerita, Kent State University Museum A gentleman never talks about his tailor. – Nick Cave, artist, and creater ...
Styling the 19th Century Gentleman
By Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher In the 19th century, men, like women, literally wore their wealth on their sleeves. From the cut of the cloth to the numerous accessories that styled ...
Collecting Ophthalmic Antiques
Photos and information by Ron Harmic at www.medicalantiques.com, and www.CollegeofOptometrists.org The 19th-century customer had a wide choice of corrective visual devices of which spectacles were only one. Notice in this ...
Prepared to Record History: Inkwells
By Melody Amsel-Arieli Writing systems have existed since ancient times. Sumerians, for example, used a stylus to create meaningful wedge-like impressions in soft-clay. Highly trained Egyptian scribes penned spells and ...
The Writing Desks and Habits of Famous Authors
by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher It is said that Kurt Vonnegut used his hardwood floor as his desk. He worked from his lap with everything—papers, notes, drafts—spread out around him. Virginia ...
John Deere: Master Blacksmith & Innovator
By Judy Gonyeau, managing editor John was born into a family of six children on February 7, 1804. His father had a tailor shop, and his mother was a seamstress ...
Worldly Possessions: The Material World of a Black Farmer in New England
By Erica Lome, Ph.D. In 1827, an obituary posted in the Concord, Massachusetts, newspaper Yeoman’s Gazette noted the passing of Thomas Dugan, a yeoman, or land-owning farmer. The obituary did ...
The Almanac: A Guide to the Future
By Kaitlin Servant Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” This well-known piece of advice was attributed to Ben Franklin and appeared in ...
The Tradition of Heirloom Seeds
With Rich Giordano If you travel back in time to 175 years ago, chances are you are a farmer. Your kids are going to grow up to be … a ...
Canning the Harvest
by Jessica Kosinski Fall in New England is a beautiful time of year. It brings to mind images of crisp, cool air, hot apple cider, and leaves changing colors. Historically, ...
Cyrus McCormick: The Father of Modern Agriculture
by Maxine Carter-Lome, publisher At the age of 22, Cyrus McCormick created the first grain-harvesting machine in the United States: the horse-drawn mechanical reaper, which made it possible to harvest ...
Tokens of Service: Collecting Military Memorabilia
by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor Remembering and honoring the many who have served our country fills numerous museums, is written on monuments, and is in the hearts of all who ...
