Museum Monday!

c1815-20 Green Silk Purse 680.2012.53

 This week's Museum Monday number is 680~ a beautiful bottle green silk purse, or reticule, as purses were referred to in the early to mid 19th c, this one, circa 1850-20. One nearly identical in shape can be found here at the Met Museum. 

  Construction is very simple with a single strip of silk taffeta gathered front and back onto two pieces of kid leather. The materials used are what gave this purse its class and fashion~ the silk taffeta was easily enough acquired by anyone at the time, but the gilt stamped green kid would have been expensive.

 The back piece is cut with a flap at the top that folds over and catches a button. We see a dorset button has been used, but it was once covered with matching green silk taffeta as evidenced by remains still on its underside.

 Looking under the flap, there is a little loupe catch for the button, and we can see the remains of the fragile silk binding that once covered the edge of the kid, the same as the one in the Met Museum's collection.

 Examining the corners of the kid, the overlap of the gilt design tells us a roller was used, as commonly was used in bookbinding. I have two different pair of children's shoes in the collection here with gilt stamping on the vamps, so am of the opinion that book binders most likely sold stamped kid leathers for their customers to take and have made up in to shoes, purses and other little trifles

We dont see many of these purses surviving because of just how fragile they were when made~ thin tissue silk taffeta is all that held the two front and back pieces together~ there is no lining in any of them I have studied. 

Happy Hallowe'en & Museum Monday

1790-1800 Gold & Chalcedony Letter Seal 656.2012.30

 Happy Hallowe'en! The children carved their punkins yesterday...can you tell which one is Pip's????...Hers is the one on the left, carved with a 'heart, 2 Bake', and a three tier cake...lol! 

Befitting the day, today's Museum Monday number I picked~ 656.2012.30, which is one of my favorite letter seals,  and the one I use for all my Hallowe'en correspondence.

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 I love early letter seals~ each one shows the character of its once owner, to be sure! This one is by far my favorite, and is of a witch on her broom with a wooden spoon in her hand. The stone is a clear chalcedony set in gold, completely hand carved.  If you have bought a dollye or a padded mirror case or the like from me, and received a letter, it has been sealed with an antique seal from the collection.

 Real sealing wax is different than candle wax~ it doesn't crumble when dry, nor does it have oily paraffin in it that soaks into the paper. I never use the 'fake' sealing wax that is nothing more than a colored hot glue stick. One just needs a few drops to seal a letter, and a stick literally can last me years....and I use them alot!

 The seal is pressed into the hot wax with a short pause.....

And then taken up to reveal the impression....I usually like to use red wax for my letters, but during the Hallowe'en season...only black will do for this witchy ladye!

Museum Monday....late on a Tuesday!

c1859 Daguerreotype Sisters with Baskets  (161.)

This week's Museum Monday number is 161....but instead of my general catalogue, I thought I would share item 161 from the image collection instead....along with a couple early baskets like the ones the girls are holding. This is a 6th plate size and I left it large so you can click on it to really enjoy the details~ not only of their hand painted basket purses, but their matching stripe gowns and paletot jackets. These girls are of an age I refer to inbetween, due to their hairstyles~ not young enough for side/bottle curls or ringlets, but not old enough to draw ones hair back in a bun either~ no~ at this age, girls wore their hair neatly combed back and caught up behind the ears.

Now really study those fabulous basket purses! Each rectangular in shape, with double handles and the girls's on the right looks to have a lid. So many times I study early photographs and think....if I just just see it at a slightly different angle....if she would have held it in the other hand....a little higher...a little lower.....turn it a little bit~ I could see the details I need to see! Heck...there have been times I have thought 'why not just take a picture of the basket...just the basket!' 

I am lucky to have two different examples of the baskets they are holding~ so that, even tho they arent the actual baskets in the photo, they are still of same shape and in color!!

 The first is 698.2013.16, in pretty good shape~ outstanding shape actually as these baskets can get so dry and brittle they break apart easily into a million teensy tiny little pieces (dont ask me how I know...please. just. dont. ask). It also still retains its 2 original handles, which is nothing short of a miracle. Each handle is attached to the basket body by way of a single willow splint that has been drawn thru the upper edge of the basket into a ring shape ~ the weakest part of the entire construction~ and the weight of what was in the baskets broke the rings more often than not. I have several period images & baskets  with make do handles~ strings, rope...ribbons, wire...these baskets were a status symbol in early to mid 19th c America, and were highly prized by their owners. If both handles broke of, the baskets were still used as table baskets for sewing & such.   Looking at this basket you may not think that the lid is missing...but it is~ in my over 300 examples, there is not a single basket without a lid now, that doesn't have remains of original lid latch or hinges....so I can say without a doubt that all these early painted basket purses were originally sold with lids...and in this case.... not just one lid, this type basket had two!

 This basket , 399.2007.17, is in a bit finer condition with beautiful bright paint, both its handles and one of the two original lids~ yay!

Each lid opened from the center out on a hinge, that way no sneaky hands could snag something from ones basket while walking thru market!

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2016

Albuquerque NM. Balloon Week Oct 1-9 2016

  Oh My golly~ what a week!  Last year I went to the Fiesta for just one day during our South West Get Together~ and while it was absolutely magical, it was nothing like this years experience. I was so tired when we got back home... heck, I'm still worn out!  Last year I caught the park & ride but from the Intel lot~ because there is soooooo much traffic during the Fiesta, I didn't want to deal with it~ using the park & ride is super easy~ you buy your ticket on line, hop on the bus at 4 am....yes, 4 AM in the morning.....and it zooms you to the Fiesta and drops you off at the gate...the only drawback was that you HAD to catch the bus back to your parking lot, and the last bus left at 9.30am.....so just enough time to see all the balloons get off, but not much else!   So the last day of  Balloon Fiesta last year, when registration opened for the RV parks, I bought our tickets for this year(they sell out QUICK!). We parked in VIP West, right up on the field next to the Balloon Museum. 95 bucks a night gets you a spot so close, if you dont want to , you dont even have to get out of your camper to see the balloons~  which is what my husband did and one morning he took a video of one missing our camper by about a foot as it landed in a field right beside us. Also included is a pass for each session of the Fiesta while you are there~ so its a pretty good deal if you ask me! No driving!!! YAY.  They park 'Rally Style'...and as you can see above, its purdy darn close!!

 The Balloon Museum is great~ they go thru the complete history of balloons. There is a 4D movie I didnt much care for, but the children and husband really enjoyed the virtual reality goggles and 3D painting .

 I guess my favorite of the museum was Marie Merton's balloon~ she embroidered it all by hand in 1880.

 Prepare to be WORN OUT! if you go to Fiesta~ it starts early~ shops & food open on 'Main Street' at 4am or earlier~ there is always a laser light show around 5.30ish....after thats finished, the Dawn Patrol takes off

 I love the Dawn Patrol~ its usually about 6 or so balloons that fill & take off at night, while its still dark~ they test the air currents for the rest of the field~ 

 And are absolutely breath taking in the air~ the balloons light up and twinkle like huge fire flies~ its really magical....well worth my teeth chattering from the cold!

 Once the sun comes up tho, it really warms up and the balloons all start coming to life at the same time

 You can get as close to the as you like, and if you have paid around 450.00 per person, could even take a ride in one of the Rainbow Rider Balloons.

 Yes, thats a cow butt~ the Cream Land Dairy Cow to be exact~ its a HUGE balloon!

 Yoda & Darth Vader having a stare down.....

 There were also of really neat special shapes this year~ several were new~ this Dragon looks like she is people surfing as she is filling up

 My favorite at the special shape rodeo was 'Flutter' the butterfly

 They are overwhelming when you look up and there are so many balloons all at once!

 After the last of the Park & Ride buses leaves, Main Street really clears out and there are so many things to enjoy. From the Balloon Museum all the way down the edge of the fields is tent after tent of shops, entertainment and food... you can really spend all day! If you get tired of walking, there are always courtesy shuttles (little golf carts) that can pick you up and take you where you want to go. 

 At the far end of the field NASA had a huge tent set up with cockpits you could get into, thermal cameras, space suits, books~ all sorts of fun hands on things. Beyond the tent, out by the the big white spike sticking up, was the chainsaw carving competition that went on till about 2 I guess each day~ you could watch folks carving away at huge trees and buy what they were carving.....and Oh My Golly.... if that wasnt enough....

Up at the opposite end....had to be over a mile away....was the kids area~ things for them to do, rides~ there were big blow up clear plastic balls that they could get into and zoom around in like hamsters....both on the ground and over water....there was a huge bouncy house thing...some carnival rides, and Josh & Emma had to take the Gyro Ball for a spin...literally~ the LONGEST 5 minutes ever!

We had a great time and I couldn't recommend the Balloon Fiesta more~ tho it is a weather permitting event~ if its too windy for a session, you can use your ticket again at the next one. If you want to go next year, and especially if you want to camp at one of several RV sites~ better get your tickets, now~ they may already be sold out!

www.balloonfiesta.com

Museum Monday

   1785 Lady's Shoes with Rare cutout vamps, 516.2010.12

 This week's Museum Monday number is 516!  Unlike many other collections, Museum & private, who focus on objects in pristine condition, I have many pieces here that are anything but nice condition~ some arent even whole, but fragments of a larger 'thing'.  If an object is rare and unique, such as this pair of 18th c shoes, condition is no factor for my decision to add it to the collection or not. The second I saw these, my heart literally skipped a beat! The cut out vamps.....Oh... my..... golly....the cutout vamps!

  This pair of Lady's shoes were elaborate and wild when they were first made~ the cutting edge of fashion~ their owner would have been considered an 'elite'. Shape of the toe, vamp and heel sets them firmly in the 1780s. Construction is amazingly fine and since they are in such tattered condition, this allows for a look at details that would otherwise be hidden.  One shoe retains its original 'pom' or rosette.... and while the other's is sadly missing, it gives us a great look at the shoe's construction underneath of it.

 The pointed leather vamps have been elaborately cut away in a number of heart shaped designs~ each segment then backed in, what was at the time, a bright pink silk.  The silk is stitched to the vamp round the edges of the cutouts in a contrasting color, making the stitching both utilitarian and decorative.

 The top of the vamp has a small hole cut in the leather to easily secure the throat decoration, in our case, the fancy silk corded poms, or rosettes.   Now faded to a dull rosey cream color, the silk only reveals its bright original color deep under seams and in stitching channels.

 With pom missing we can also examine the silk binding over the top of the silk throats

  Kid covered Louis heels are 2" tall~ this squatty shape is a transitional one common in the 1780 time period

 Silk ribbon would have originally covered all seams, including this center back seam. The amount of hand stitching , and the perfection in each and every stitch, never ceases to amaze me.  The patterned black leather of the shoe upper can also be appreciated here.

 The pom, or rosette is made up of several layers of silks~ first a flat ribbon at the bottom, next to the shoe, then a layer of flat filament silks, black silk cord and finally a center of the same silk cord but in pink. Looking deep within the pom we can see it was once a beautiful, rosy pink color, that has nearly all faded away over time. 

 These shoes, in their colorful original condition would have been stunning~ black patterned leather uppers with rich pink and black poms, pink stitching over pink satin cutouts on the vamps, and pink gimp fringing all round the foot. w.o.w.

 This gimp travels the length of the opening for the foot~ while it has unraveled for the most part, it is still attached to the shoe all way around

  They are just as fabulous from the sole view, as from the top~ here we can admire the tiny stitches connecting the kid covered wood Louis heel to the leather sole.

 The channel cut in the leather soles of the heels can easily be seen, with some of the stitching showing

A look from the bottom ~ one piece, straight last, pointy toes (with a slight spring upwards), very narrow throats that are quite short before transitioning to the heel. The 'holes' at the tips and middle of the soles are last marks~ note the decorative glazing of the throats of the soles. This is a perfect example of pride in craftsmanship.

Shoes are fully lined in white kid with unmarked linen footbeds.

Museum Monday

19th c Chemisette 44.1998.28

 This week's Museum Monday number is 44, a mid 19th c short chemise, or chemisette.  It is one of a pair, and while the cut is rather plain, the workmanship is anything but.

 Construction wise, the chemise is a short 23" from neck to hem, and cut in just two pieces, a front and back. There is a seam down each side with a narrow  1/16th inch entredeux  insertion. Both shoulder tops are open with button hole/ loupe closures. Material is a butter soft muslin, and by muslin, I mean in earlier terms when muslin was a sheer finely woven cotton one could see thru.

 What is so fabulous about this undergarment, is the fine stitching~ every tiny stitch done by hand~ from the elaborate cutwork, the Russia Braid applications, closures, to side seam insertions.

 The shoulder fastenings consist of three loupes on the front side, and three corresponding button holes on the back side. Our Ladye would have used a set of 6 studs (3 each shoulder)  for closing. Studs were very popular in the 1860s,  one could have a nice set of buttons and interchange them with what ever they were wearing at the time.

 Inside view

 Neckline~ what first caught my eye was the Russia braid and how it has been applied on its edge, instead of flat.

 The hem has a different cut work design, but same braid applique.

This is the inside showing the backside of the insertion~ the weensiest and perfectly rolled seams I have ever seen.