JULY/AUGUST 2026
GUEST EDITOR'S LETTER
Jason T. Busch
PERSPECTIVES
Jason T. Busch describes the painting that began his
love of art, David Fierman explains how the Living
Museum at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center got its
start, and Peter Pap delves into a controversial trend
in antique rugs.
THE OBSCURE CONNOISSEUR
Part VI: In which the author takes a field trip to the
ashtray show at the International Museum of
Dinnerware Design.
Ralph Gardner Jr.
Illustrated by Colleen Bayley Harrington
OBJECTS
Here Comes the Sun: Obsolete yet beloved, the sundial
traces a path from ancient necessity to decorative art,
preserving centuries of ingenuity and romance.
Benjamin Davidson and Pippa Biddle
IDEAS
Cara Zimmerman compiles dealers’ thoughts on
the state of the folk and outsider art markets at the
Semiquincentennial, Emily Bode offers a new
perspective on the art of the quilt with the American
Folk Art Museum’s Emelie Gevalt, and a new school
for art and meditation opens in Upstate New York.
CONVERSATIONS
Art Beyond Boundaries: Jason T. Busch speaks with
Christophe Cherix, director of the Museum of Modern
Art, about championing folk and self-taught art at one
of the nation’s most influential museums.
Edited by Mitch Case
MUSEUMS
Long Island Preservation dives into the history of its
rich local furniture trade, Historic Bethlehem opens a
vault of rare dollhouses, the Katonah Museum of Art
receives a special loan, and the Center for American
Decoys celebrates a distinctly Illinoisan art form.
HIDDEN GEMS
The curator emeritus of the Academy of Natural
Sciences at Drexel University explores the strange
history of the bezoar, and a curious new antiques
gallery opens in Connecticut.
STYLE
Finery and Fortune: An excerpt from the author’s new
book Gilded Age Fashion explores couture houses and
society rituals among America’s Gilded Age elite.
Elizabeth L. Block
AUCTIONS
Back in the Saddle: Recent auction sales highlight the
artifacts, artworks, and everyday objects that helped
shape—and mythologize—the American West.
WORDPLAY
“One Today” by Richard Blanco
Poetry editor Sean Nevins
The American Landscape by Will Nediger
Edited by Rick Sharp
FLEA BITE
Found Photography: An unexpected flea
market discovery uncovered a hidden
world of friendship, self-expression,
and the enduring emotional
power of vernacular photography.
Christine Hope Hildebrand
MITCH'S MUSINGS
Everyday Gallé: A reflection on Émile Gallé’s lesser-known ceramics, a cherished Saint Clément fruit basket, and the enduring beauty of objects meant to be used, not merely admired.
Mitchell Owens

Features

Folk Nation
At the American Folk Art Museum, objects from
across centuries reveal how patriotism, memory,
family, faith, and dissent are crafted, contested,
and carried.
Emelie Gevalt and Caroline Culp





