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Baleen, Plastic of the 18th Century
Baleen comes from a suborder of whales, Mysticeti, which includes, among others, humpback whales, gray whales, right whales and blue whales. What sets these whales apart is baleen. These whales do not have teeth, but have upper jaws filled with two rows of baleen plates fringed with fine baleen hair. These plates are so closely aligned that they act like a comb or a sieve; whales pull water [...] Click here to continue reading.
Marion and Donald Woelbing, Franklin Wisconsin.
Marion and Donald Woelbing were the solid citizen types that for generations have built American small businesses. They were a true partnership supporting each other in their diverse interests ranging from breeding and showing American Kennel Club grand champion prize winning dogs, to building with their own hands “Thorntree,” their home in suburban Milwaukee, to building an impressive collection of 17th and 18th century American antiques, to collecting [...] Click here to continue reading.
Collection of Margaret and Lawrence H. Skromme, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lawrence H. Skromme, P.E. was a lover of farms and farmers all his life. He was born on a farm in Roland, Iowa on August 26, 1913, the son of Norwegian immigrant parents Austin G. and Ingeborg (Belle) Holmedal Skromme.
Lawrence Skromrne graduated from Kelley, Iowa High School in 1931 winning an agricultural scholarship for his work in Future farmers of America. He graduated from [...] Click here to continue reading.
Collection of Gertrude Dittmar, Colts Neck, New Jersey
In 1943, from the army camp where he was stationed, my father wrote to my grandparents asking them to store for him an 18th century table and corner cupboard he’d just purchased for the home he would make with my mother after the war. Once in that home, these two pieces were gradually joined by others, until the farmhouse my parents share for over half a [...] Click here to continue reading.
Bent Family Collection Provenance Note
Designed and furnished in the Mediterranean Revival Style, Quattro Venti is the last great private residence in Annisquam Village, a small fishing hamlet near Gloucester, Massachusetts. Quincy Bent, vice president in charge of production at Bethlehem Steel at the turn of the last century, built the summer retreat around 1912. His forebears purchased quarries in West Gloucester in 1820 and originally used the property, situated on the tip of [...] Click here to continue reading.
Shakudo – Definition
Shakudo is the Japanese term for a copper and gold alloy consisting of 2% to 7% gold and the remainder copper. This alloy can then be treated to achieve a blue-black color sometimes resembling lacquer. It was historically used to make and/or decorate Japanese swords. Contemporary jewelry makers have revived the use of shakudo for its unusual and beautiful coloring.
p4A editorial staff, March 2013
The Rick and Terry Ciccotelli Folk Art Collection-An Introduction
Rick and Terry Ciccotelli’s love of folk art began with fraktur, the decorated manuscripts produced by Pennsylvania-German immigrants and their descendants. Because many fraktur artists were teachers, as Rick was early in his career, the Ciccotellis found themselves drawn to the material. The scriptural nature of the texts resonated particularly with Rick, as a former college professor of religious studies. Their growing interest in fraktur [...] Click here to continue reading.
The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. James Grievo, Stockon, New Jersey
It all started around 1971. Just home from college and having a difficult time finding a job, I started going to house tag sales where I would find small interesting things to sell to antique dealers. It was something I really enjoyed doing, and 1 was amazed I was making real money for the first time. I soon realized that this was [...] Click here to continue reading.
Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Jay Moyer, Lederach, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Jay R. Moyer, a public servant and former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, is a proud descendant of Mennonite and Schwenkfelder immigrants, who arrived on ships such as the “Good Ship Friendship,” which docked in the City of Philadelphia in 1729. Jay’s ancestor, Hans Christian Meyer, along with other early settlers from Switzerland and Germany, finally settled and helped to form [...] Click here to continue reading.
Trinity House Boxes
Trinity House was the name for the lighthouse service in Great Britain in the 19th century. While on station, the keepers of lighthouses and lightships made exceptional boxes with fancy wood inlays, including marquetry and parquetry, often featuring sloops, lighthouses and other nautical symbols of the period. Sizes typically fall in the 6- to 12-inch range. The keepers sold these boxes directly to the captains of sailing vessels using Trinity House [...] Click here to continue reading.
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