Winter Sniffles Got You Feeling Down?

Like many cold-weather dwellers, I suffer from my fair share of sniffles, coughs, and colds during the  winter season. While desperately searching the local pharmacy for a wonder drug, I wondered what exciting cures from yesteryear lived in our Apothecary Shop. Here are some of my findings:

Dr. J. H. Moore Air Medicator & Injector

This clear glass vaporizer, or "Air Medicator & Injector," was patented in 1884 by Dr. J. H. Moore of Cincinnati. The globe-shaped center is topped with two smaller glass globes. A hand-compressed air pump (similar to a perfume atomizer ball) attaches to one of these small globes. When the ball is compressed, it forces medicated air from the large globe through the other small globe --the patient then inhales medicated air through a tube attached to the second small globe.  According to an advertisement from Unity, Volume 15, published by Harvard University Press in 1885, the medicator "forces or pumps Medicated Air into the most remote passages of the head or lungs." The Air Medicator was advertised as "sensible, practical, scientific and certain." Even weak lungs could benefit from the Air Medicator and Injector!

Vapo-Cresolene Vaporizer

The lamp-like Vapo-Cresolene Vaporizer "charges the atmosphere" with medicinal inhalant that combats bacteria. On the box, Vapo-Cresolene explains the Germ Theory of Diseases: "It is now an admitted fact that all Zymotic Diseases, as Scarlet, Typhoid, and Typhus Fevers, Whooping Cough, Catarrh, Asthma, Croup, Measles, Diptheria, and Hay Fever are generated by the agency of bacteria and other low forms of life." According to its label, this gold-painted iron stand with alcohol lamp disperses medicinal vapors that could cure you of all your maladies.

Blosser's Cigarettes

Marketed "for the Temporary Relief of the Paroxysms of Asthma and for the Relief of Discomforts of Minor Nasal and Bronchial Catarrhal Conditions associated with Head Colds," Blosser's Cigarettes are another example of an early medicinal cure for seasonal ailments. These cigarettes "soothe the mucous membranes of the Nasal and Bronchial Tracts" and "loosen the phlegm in the Nose and Throat," making "Breathing Easier."


Make sure to take a look at some of the other interesting pharmaceutical items on your next visit to the Apothecary Shop during the 2012 season!

It's Hammer Time

A selection of snowball hammers.

Did you know that Shelburne Museum has one of the largest collections of snowball hammers in the nation? Do you even know what a snowball hammer is? I definitely did not before I started working here.






Snowball hammers, also known as snow knockers, are used to remove excess snow and ice from horseshoes. Most hammers are made of iron and often have snap rings or hooks that can easily clip onto a horse's harness.


Our snowball hammer collection includes many varieties from early America. Blacksmiths gave snowball hammers, like the ones featured on the left, as gifts to customers. The hammers served as small tokens of appreciation for their loyal business, as well as a way for blacksmiths to practice and demonstrate their skills.






Recently, I traveled to some co-workers' houses to groom their horses and further investigate snowball hammers. While iron hammers like the ones in Shelburne Museum's collection are not often used today, you can definitely see how they would come in handy.

Habibi models a snowball stuck in her horsehoe.

Snowball hammers: Yet another example of the wonderful things you'll find at Shelburne Museum!

Sandy Sock's hooves are snow free!

The Covered Bridge Circus Saga: Part II

...I hope you haven't forgotten where I left off...

...because it's about time I finish the story of the covered bridge circus! I think you can tell why I was so fascinated by this photograph in the first place; it's a unique view that highlights two important areas of our collection--covered bridges and circus posters. As I analyzed this photo last month, I began to look more closely at the posters pasted on the inner left-hand side of the bridge. Thanks to a little careful zooming and cleaning, here's what I was able to extract:

Can you read what the posters say?

I studied these for awhile, and finally I was able to make out what they advertise! The poster on the left, closest to the viewer, advertises the Walter L. Main Circus. The one on the right announces a specific occurrence of the Walter L. Main Circus in Bellows Falls, Vermont on Wednesday, July 20th. Bellows Falls is just one of the many communities where the Walter L. Main circus performed--their route extensively covered much of New England and the mid-Atlantic.

As I continued to think about this discovery, I decided to look farther into our circus poster collection to see what I could find about Walter L. Main. Turns out, we have some Walter L. Main circus posters here at the museum! (Of course, not the ones you see in the photo but still...) Here are some examples:

3-Ring shows of "Beauty and the Beasts"

The "Main" man himself!

High-Wire artists and trained animal shows!

Speaking of circus posters, however, we've also got a lot of other great examples on display this season. The circus building is just one of our 39 exhibition buildings and it houses posters, figurines, sculptures and even a special exhibit on the circus photography of Elliot Fenander. Come check it out!

I'll leave you with one last perk about the circus building: the working Herschell-Spillman carousel!

During installation week, Monica and I were able to catch Randy, Paul and Greg setting up the carousel one morning. It's certainly a popular attraction! Maybe one of these days I'll have to take a spin...

Welcome to the 2011 Season!

Shelburne Museum welcomes you to come visit during the 2011 season! Fran and I thought we would share with you some of the museum's most hospitable objects --those featuring pineapples. Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality and friendship in the Western hemisphere. To welcome you to the 2011 season, here are just a few of the pineapples in our collection!

This Amasa Parker target rifle is featured in Lock, Stock and Barrel: The Terry Tyler Collection of Vermont Firearms. Pay special attention to the patch box of this rifle --there's a pineapple detail on top!

This folk art sculpture features grapes, leaves, pears, apples, cherries, plums, peaches, a melon, and a PINEAPPLE!

Before the museum acquired this pineapple decoration, it welcomed visitors to a private home. Set on a wooden post at the corner of the home's exterior, this pineapple served as a warm welcome to all of the guests.

Created in New England during the late 19th century, this quilt displays 25 red pineapples with green leaves arranged on a diagonal pattern.

We encourage you to visit during the 2011 season. All are welcome!

The Covered Bridge Circus Saga: Part I

A simple trip into the records room turns into a very interesting story...

I've been working on a fascinating side project that I just have to share. Early last week, I was perusing our records to find objects given to the museum by a specific donor. During my search, I happened to pull out a card with the name and address of someone who made a gift to the museum in the 1960's. This card caught my eye because the address listed a home in my small New Jersey neighborhood, quite close to where I grew up and went to school. Quite the coincidence, right? I was extremely curious as to what this New Jersey resident gave to Shelburne Museum, so I put aside my work for a few minutes and searched for the record for this item.

When I found the card listing the familiar New Jersey address, it gave the accession number "1966-221," which told me the item was accessioned or assigned to the museum's permanent collection in 1966. I immediately went to the book for 1966 to see what the object was. The record read: "Historical photograph of covered bridge with circus lithographs inside. Catalog reference 27.12." Sounds awesome, right? I had to learn more.

Shelburne Museum also has its own completely unique catalog system--this is separate from accession records and is based on groups of objects that go together, i.e., "furniture," "horse-drawn vehicles" and "scrimshaw." The accession record for this item 1966-221 lists the catalog reference for "27.12." That points me in the direction of our historical photograph collection.

Tuesday afternoon, about two minutes before 5, I was just about to close the catalog book I had been looking through and head home for the evening. Then suddenly, I stumbled upon exactly what I wanted to find: my magical mystery photo! Here it is:

27.12-287 (1966-221): Photo of Covered Bridge

Here is a note from the donor that goes with the 1966 record:

"This photo was taken from inside a covered bridge looking out (unusual) and, at the left posted inside the bridge are two circus lithographs (posters). This photo was made from an old glass negative."

You can see why I was so excited--it is an unusual and very unique photo, but it also relates to our collection in numerous ways. We have our very own covered bridge on the grounds (as well as many photos of other examples!) and a very substantial circus poster collection. What an interesting find for the week!

This story gets even better, however. Stay tuned for Part II of the Covered Bridge Circus Saga, coming soon!

Hello Dolly!

Recognize the fabric on this photoframe? I did! Here's a chronicle of the sleuthing that followed.

Museum fellows, Frances, Monica, and I sometimes stumble upon mysteries in Shelburne's vast collection. While looking through a box of miscellaneous objects, I knew I had seen this fabric before.

Not only is the lovely pink silk damask worn by the woman in the photograph, it is also identical to the iconic bodice by Charles Frederick Worth from the Museum's upcoming In Fashion exhibition! My excitement could not be contained; could I, the brand new fellow, have discovered the missing link? If I was Sherlock, Museum Archivist Polly Darnell was my Watson. She determined the woman pictured to be Frances Sarah (Dolly) von Stade thanks to extensive genealogical records.

******

Only one obvious disparity left to be answered:

Is the bodice Dolly's wearing the same as the Worth?

******

Initially, I thought not because the bust and necklines are so different, but upon closer examination of the Worth bodice, and the expertise of Objects Conservator Nancie Ravenel, we determined that barring extraordinary coincidences, these bodices are one and the same! In the picture below, I'm pointing to button holes in the bust area that must have been added after the Dolly posed for the photograph. The lining in this area is much darker cream, and the button holes are smaller.

Just as in modern times, Fashion was(is) constantly changing!

Luck of the Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Shelburne Museum! In honor of the holiday, we thought we would share with you some of the "Irish" objects in our collection.


Although none of the following items were actually produced in Ireland, they all share a common thread --the are ornamented with Irish crochet.

Women's Boudoir Cap, Circa 1900

Lawn and silk cap with floral springs and pink ribbon.

Irish crochet first appeared in the 1840s, during the famine years in Ireland. This unique type of intricate lace was perfected in an effort to turn pastime creations into commercial products.

During the 1930s, mass-produced Irish crochet appeared on the market from China and was used to trim dresses and undergarments.

Here are just a few of the Irish crocheted garments in our collection!

Cream Lace Jacket, 1915.

Hand made knee-length jacket with floral leaf design.


Sources:

Pat Earnshaw, A Dictionary of Lace (Aylesbury, UK: Shire Publications, LTD, 1982)

Clara M. Blum, Old World Lace: Or, A Guide for the Lace Lover (New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1920)

Corset Cover, 1913-1920.

Hand sewn corset cover embellished with Irish crochet.

A Sappy Time of Year

A folk art model of Vermont maple sugaring.

Town Meeting Day in Vermont heralds the traditional start of the maple sugaring season.

In honor of the beginning of maple sugaring festivities, we will give you a behind-the-scenes look at all of Shelburne Museum's sugaring equipment. Keep in mind, there are much more advanced techniques for maple sugaring today.

Presenting....

Shelburne Museum's (Sweetened) Condensed Guide to Historic Maple Sugaring

By Fran and Monica (resident experts)

1. Sugar Maple trees need to be tapped and a sap spout inserted. We have many sap spouts in our collection, including some of metal...






...and others of wood.







2. The sap is collected in sap buckets and transferred to larger tanks or buckets. We have some pretty neat buckets in our collection.

Monica inspects some of our buckets in Dutton House.

3. You then use a yoke to transport the sap-filled buckets to an evaporator. A yoke is worn over your shoulders and helps you bear the weight of these heavy loads.

Fran holds one of our finest wooden yokes.

4. Maple sap could also be transported in hauling tanks instead of buckets.

This is a model of a hauling tank. Models like these were used a trade fairs as demonstrative tools.

5. Using an evaporator, the sap is heated and condenses into maple syrup. Evaporators can be quite large, but we have a nice model evaporator in our collection.

One of our nicest glass maple syrup bottles came from Wilmington, Vermont.



Maple syrup is truly one of Vermont's treasures. We hope you enjoy maple sugaring season!

Blizzard on the way? Time to stock up...

The ultimate convenience "store."
Merchant's Sleigh (ca. 1910) by maker Fred Brether

This week it seems like most of the country is buried under heavy blankets of snow. I didn't get to make it to the grocery store to stock up on milk and bread before the most recent heavy storm hit, but I'm sure a lot of other people did.

The snow inspired me to look through our collection of sleighs and see if I could find something especially interesting. This one caught my eye--it's a horse-drawn vehicle that sold milk, cheese, eggs, butter, and even "tea, coffee, sausages, all delicacies and farm products." It was pulled by one horse and belonged to the grocer Frederick E. Brether, a German immigrant who lived in Manchester, New Hampshire. Our records state that he sold his own homemade sauerkraut, sausages and dill pickles from this wagon.

I suppose something like this would come in handy for our next big blizzard--no need to get to the grocery store ahead of time because the milk and eggs will come straight to you!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Brrrrrr....

As the temperature in Shelburne hovers around -10 degrees Farenheit, I started to wonder what amazing cold-weather clothes we have in our collection.

Searching through our database, I came across these fabulous carriage boots from the late 19th century.

Women's Carriage Boots

Made of velvet in a green and gold honeycomb pattern, the brown fur edging was sure to keep the wearer warm and fashionable. Plus, they have a quilted pink silk lining.

While these boots would probably not be practical for trudging through the snow, I wish I had a classy pair of boots like these for rides around town!

From Drab to Fab: A Razor Room Redo

Shelburne Museum is busy preparing for the upcoming season! Not only are we creating some new and fascinating exhibits, but we are also adding a little glamour to our permanent exhibition spaces.

You might remember the Razor Room from previous visits to the museum. This small space off the back of the Apothecary Shop is home to over 700 razors --the majority of which were purchased from Henry T. Lummus in 1958. Barber's poles, lotion bottles, razor straps, and shaving mugs also deck the walls.

The Razor Room was beginning to show some wear and tear as the old red felt slowly turned orange. Kory Rogers, associate curator, decided he wanted to give the space a "facelift."

From Drab...

...To Fab!

With the help of Collections Management and the Buildings department, Rogers turned his vision of a red, white, and blue, barber's pole-inspired, Razor Room into a reality.

Collections Management Fellow Kelsey Adams shows off the makeover.

Make sure to check out the Razor Room in the upcoming 2011 season. Shelburne Museum is open from May 15-October 30.

Scrimshaw...Pie?

Co-Collections Management Fellow Monica and I arrived here in June and started photographing and labeling objects in the museum's collection. We've sorted through trade signs, folk art and equipment used to make maple syrup. (I'm positive we'll be blogging about some of those projects in the near future.)


Right now, however, I'm currently thinking back to my work on the scrimshaw collection in August. I also recently heard that one of the newest food trends for 2011 is pie--all different types. Seriously! Cupcakes were the popular food of the past few years, but now that it's a NEW year we might turning to a NEW food trend, and that thought leads me straight back to the museum's collection. Here's a little sample that I've picked out for today:

So...what is it?

37.1-28: Scrimshaw Jagging Wheel

Scrimshaw itself is a pretty fascinating art form: the term refers to artistic and utilitarian carvings made by whalers when they were on long trips at sea. Whalers usually created scrimshaw with whale teeth or bone. Sometimes the carvings were just decorative, and other times they could actually be used for something, like this particular example. This photo shows a completely hand-carved pie crimper, or "jagging wheel," made from whale bone. The fluted edges of the wheel made decorative cuts in pie dough or pastry. It's just like a modern pastry cutter, only WAY more elaborate and stylish. Very trendy, right?

We're all about forging ahead at Shelburne Museum. So, let's hear it for 2011, scrimshaw, and pie.