On the complex origins of whirligigs, a seaside art form that unfolded from the dying whaling industry. ⬬
Objects: String Theory
Once more familiar than the harpsichord, the salterio is being rediscovered by musicians drawn to its complexity, history, and spellbinding sound. ⬬
Objects: All the News That’s Fit to Print
British transferware made for American homeowners is sturdy and sometimes surprisingly topical, bringing international events to everyday tabletops.
Object lesson: Bringing Stained Glass Up Close
The multi-dimensionality of mosaic glasswork.
Object lesson: Social Engineering
The refined forms and high-minded purpose of A. W. N. Pugin’s gothic revivalism.
Object lesson: A Stitch from Time Past
On collecting antique sewing boxes.
Object lesson: Keeping Time with the Willards
Keynotes on a classic nineteenth-century American clock.
A Blueprint for Early America
On Owen Biddle’s 1806 book, The Young Carpenter’s Assistant.