Early American Writings

Woolly-sheep Farm

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

It took years of collecting and saving, but Harry and Hazel Harman eventually got their dream home in the Blue Ridge region of western Virginia. Their Woolly-sheep Farm is a showcase for their extraordinary American country antiques, plus serves as home base for Hazel's rug-hooking business. Harry and Hazel are a fun-loving and spirited couple and their little farm reflects it.

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New Year's Superstitions

2011-12-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

American colonists brought with them dozens of age-old European superstitions regarding New Year's Day. Commonplace events such as the home's first visitor of the year, whether the fire in the hearth had gone out, and even the direction of the wind could bring good or bad tidings for the coming year. I did extensive research on this fun article and learned a lot about superstitions in the process.

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Primitive Rug Hooking

2011-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Rug hooking continues to grow in popularity, with colorful patterns being recreated from antique rugs, as well as new rugs using traditional themes. This article discusses the history of rug hooking in America, the varying styles, plus includes interviews with some of the leading rug hookers in the country today. I was honored to co-author this article with well-known rug-hooking authority Edyth O'Neill.

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Bundling

2011-02-01T11:08:00.000-08:00

Early America's distances between homesteads complicated courtship, so our ancestors developed a practice called "bundling," where the young man shared a bed with his sweetheart. Propriety called for no physical contact, yet a number of brides in rural areas were pregnant. Here's a look at this unusual custom that we don't usually associate with the 18th and 19th centuries.

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Game Boards

2010-12-01T17:21:00.000-08:00

Games such as checkers and backgammon provided endless hours of recreation for early Americans, both at home and in taverns. Today their artistic, brightly colored boards still grace many walls as decorations, thanks to the efforts of traditional craftspeople. This article includes a history of game boards, the reasons for their popularity with our ancestors, and interviews with some of the leading creators of reproduction boards.

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Antique Christmas

2010-11-01T20:31:00.000-07:00

Beth Karp and her husband Jay literally fill their Cincinnati home each Christmas with an astounding collection of seasonal ornaments and decorations, many of them rare. Beth has alternated between collecting Christmas and collecting antique dolls, and each year features arrangements where they all complement each other in a joyous manner.

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Walking Sticks

2010-08-01T19:27:00.000-07:00

No personal accessory in human history has a more diverse heritage than the walking stick, and it was great fun for me to trace the evolution of the cane and especially its varied presence in early America. An astounding array of folk-art canes ~ as well as their more formal counterparts ~ from that era are highly collectible and today can fetch several thousands of dollars.

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Early Personal Lighting

2010-06-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

America's colonists carried a variety of personal light fixtures, such as lanterns, chambersticks, and even pocket-size candleholders, sometimes regarded today as "colonial flashlights." A select few of today's most skilled tinsmiths and blacksmiths continue to reproduce these items, mostly to satisfy demand from the growing numbers of Revolutionary-era and Civil War re-enactors. This article explains the history of these lighting devices, plus I talked with several of the leading artisans who are still making them in the traditional ways.

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Milliner's Models

2010-05-01T09:46:00.000-07:00

It turns out this charming, early-1800s German doll so popular in Europe and America was not at all a model for displaying milliners' offerings, but always was as originally intended ~ a true doll for play. This article dispels the myths surrounding the "varnished head" doll that remains so popular today with doll collectors around the world.

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Windsor Settees

2010-04-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

Settees were a natural extension of the popular American Windsor chair in the early 1800s, but furniture makers quickly found that the settee presented a number of major challenges to build. This article explores the evolution of the Windsor settee and explains how several of today's finest Windsor artisans are producing settees of exceptional quality and durability.

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The Chopping Bee

2010-04-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

Clearing the land was the most daunting task early Americans confronted. A single man could clear less than a hundred acres in a lifetime, so people frequently banded together for "chopping bees." In this short article I tell about these events, including their dangers and some of the spectacular ways our ancestors met the challenge.

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Spring Cleaning

2010-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Each spring, people in early America scrubbed themselves and their households clean of months of filth that had accumulated to a degree shocking to our modern sensibilities. Not only did I describe the winter and spring household habits of the era to explain the importance of the annual cleansing ritual, but also accumulated some fascinating demographics for the article regarding living conditions in the first two centuries of European settlement in the New World.

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Burl Treen

2010-02-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

America's earliest European settlers were astounded at the exquisite beauty of Native American woodware carved from burl and quickly set out to replicate it. Since the 17th Century, burl treen has remained a highly prized form of American woodware. This article traces the origins of burl treen, featuring the research of New York antiques dealer Stephen Powers as well as the work of a modern master of burl treen, Michael Combs of Indiana.

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Colonial Reading

2010-02-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

Despite the hardships of living in the wilderness, America's earliest colonists were avid readers, eventually achieving a literacy rate that surpassed that of England. In this article I explore the growth of reading in the colonies, what types of books the colonists read, and the impact on early American society. (This article first appeared under one of my pseudonyms.)

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Theorem Painting

2009-12-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

Stencil painting is an ancient art, but it became the rage in America in the early 1800s as artists created extraordinarily beautiful stenciled paintings on velvet, silk and paper. In this article I trace the history of stencil painting and explain why it became so popular in early America and why it declined. I also interview four of the country's leading theorem painters who are keeping this wonderful decorative artwork alive.

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The Malmberg House

2009-11-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

John and Randee Malmberg have spent decades amassing an extraordinary collection of early American furnishings as well as prized Christmas ornaments. This article takes you through their beautiful saltbox in Rockford, Illinois, where the Malmbergs proudly display their treasures in the spirit of the Christmas holiday.

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Colonial Cooking Hearths

2009-10-01T17:37:00.000-07:00

Hearth cooking has sustained people for millennia and was prevalent in early America from the 1600s until popularity of the cookstove in the 1830s. This article discusses the American evolution of hearth cooking, colonial fireplaces and hearth utensils, plus explains some of the common historical errors people make in equipping their hearths. It also has a useful guide on who makes cooking-hearth equipment today and where it can be obtained.

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Colonial Punishments

2009-08-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

America's earliest European settlers brought a fair share of Old World religious and punitive practices with them, relying on shame and humiliation to keep their fellow citizens in line. This article examines colonial punishment from the 1600s to mid 1800s, explaining the rationale behind these often harsh practices.

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Silhouettes

2009-06-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Silhouette cutting reached its pinnacle in early 19th century Europe and America, when itinerant artists faithfully captured their subject's appearances and even personalities with only the use of paper and scissors. This fascinating article traces the history of silhouette cutting from ancient times and explains the reason for its popularity ~ and eventual decline ~ in early America. It also features interviews with four of the country's leading silhouette artists still practicing the art in a traditional fashion.

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Chip Carving

2009-02-01T17:12:00.000-08:00

Chip carving is an ancient skill that found great favor in early America as skilled artisans applied it to all sorts of domestic items and furniture. This article traces chip carving's history and explores its cultural implications in America. It also features interviews with three of the country's most highly skilled chip carvers still practicing this traditional art form.

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The Geer House

2008-12-01T17:41:00.000-08:00

An amazing account of one family's dedication to the Connecticut soil they've owned since the 1680s. It's a dramatic tale of deceit, struggling orphans, hard work and love, culminating in the story of a remarkable woman, Charlotte Geer, and the house she built on land held by her family for ten generations.

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Early Tin Cookie Cutters

2008-12-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

This article sheds fascinating light on the evolution of shaped cookies from ancient times to the 1850s, from pagan ceremonies to the heyday of the American tinsmith. It also features interviews with four of today's leading creators of tin cookie cutters, using the traditional methods.

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Windsor Writing Chairs

2008-10-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

Windsor chairs are a hallmark of American furniture making, and the Windsor writing chair is the pinnacle of the line. Throughout the 19th Century it was favored by statesmen, doctors and clergymen for its elegant lines and utilitarian appeal. This article presents the fascinating history of the Windsor writing chair and features a half-dozen of the country's most notable furniture makers who still create by hand this distinctive chair.

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The Reeves House

2008-10-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

Visiting collector Vernon Reeves in his unique eastern Missouri home that integrates an 1840 log cabin into a new structure designed to showcase his extensive array of antique furnishings. An antique collector since he was 10, Vernon's pieces span the 18th and 19th centuries, with emphasis on primitive pioneer pieces of the early 1800s.

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Early Nails

2008-06-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

A deeply researched article tracing the development and use of the common nail from the Stone Age to the mid 19th Century. A number of fascinating facts are included, as well as interviews with a handful of blacksmiths who still maintain the long legacy of creating nails by hand for historic homes and museums. The article also has a look at the one steel-cut nail factory still operating in the US.

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Simplicity in Storage

2008-04-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

The Shakers demonstrated an incredibly clean and ingenious approach to everything they created. One of the most lasting examples has been the simple Shaker box. This article presents a history of the Shaker box and features interviews with five of today's finest creators of things Shaker, plus a man who has taught more than 5,000 people to build the boxes.

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Early Pistols

2008-04-01T20:06:00.000-07:00

Early pistols were a sign of social prestige. Military officers carried them and duels were fought with them. Yet they were were difficult to handle and amazingly inaccurate. This article traces the history of the pistol through several centuries, culminating with the famed American flintlock pistol. Noted antique gun dealer Paul Ambrose was a great source of information of interest to today's collector.

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Lighting the Night

2008-02-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

We see quaint colonial lights on porches, lightposts and doorways of countless early American buildings. The fact is, these lights never existed during the period. This article was great fun to research, with comments from leading curators and from several of today's leading creators of early exterior lighting fixtures.

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Pewter Tableware

2007-12-01T20:05:00.000-08:00

Like many other common goods in pre-Revolutionary days, British law prohibited the colonists from creating pewter tableware. This lead to some fascinating developments for pewterers, as I discovered during my research. The article also features four of the country's best modern makers of traditional pewter tableware.

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Men's Embroidered Pocketbooks

2007-12-01T20:03:00.000-08:00

Few people today realize the social prestige a man's pocketbook created for him in 18th century America. These brightly colored, embroidered accessories still can be found and are highly collectible. This article explains the history and includes insights from leading historical clothing authorities.

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Early Tea Tables

2007-10-01T20:36:00.000-07:00

Tea tables were often the social center of the colonial American home and over time came to be created in a number of beautiful yet functional styles. This article traces the history of the tea table and presents photos of numerous examples, from the 17th century to now. It also features interviews with seven cabinetmakers who make outstanding tables.

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A Tryal of Glasse

2007-04-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, this article delves into the ill-fated first attempt to create glass in the New World. My research unearthed stories of murder, massacre, and even contemporary archeological disputes regarding the glassmaking site. It includes profiles of today's leading creators of what is known as Jamestown Glass.

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Early Candlemaking

2007-02-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

This article recounts the importance of candles in American history, plus provides some tips on achieving an early ambience. Also included are interviews with two purist candlemakers and a leading manufacturer of candles in traditional styles.

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Painted Country Tinware

2006-12-01T20:29:00.000-08:00

Painted tinware was big business in early America, including some of the nation's first factories. It was sold in city shops and by itinerant peddlers alike. This article explains this fascinating history plus features interviews with some of the most skilled artists painting country tin today.

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Early Wooden Toys

2006-12-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

This article discusses the role of wooden toys in American childhood since the earliest settlers, plus provides details on the changing nature of childhood itself since colonial times.

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Tall Clocks

2006-08-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

Tall clocks are among the most stately furnishings in American homes. I shared writing credit on this article with noted early clock expert Gordon Converse (Antiques Road Show), and interviewed a half-dozen of today's most skilled makers of early style tall clocks.

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Floorcloths

2006-04-01T18:52:00.000-08:00

Painted canvas floorcloths were both durable and attractive additions to the early American home. This article relates the history of floorcloths and features three of today's leading makers of floorcloths whose creations can brighten any room.

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Finding Your Home's History

2006-02-01T19:55:00.000-08:00

This article gives pointers on how to research the history of your home. It includes interviews with foremost researchers and authors of house genealogy and explains current trends in dating such as dendrochronology.

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The Rhodus House

2005-12-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

Betty and Jack Rhodus have spent a lifetime collecting and selling superb antiques, and today their prized reproduction 1715 home is like stepping back 300 years in time. Their house near Cincinnati is one of the best colonial reproductions I've had the pleasure to visit.

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Period Interior Lighting

2005-12-01T19:51:00.000-08:00

Another article useful for decorating colonial-style homes, with tips on creating a period ambience. This one presents a history of authentic vintage lighting and includes interviews with four leading producers of reproduction early lighting fixtures.

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The Curry House

2005-12-01T18:46:00.000-08:00

Ginny and Bill Curry have created a primitive wonderland amid the rolling hills of southern Ohio, with several log cabins and a thriving antiques business.

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The Fascinating Art of Fraktur

2005-04-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

Here is an examination of an early and colorful Pennsylvania Dutch art form, with several photos of period Fraktur, plus interviews with three of the country’s most talented Fraktur artists whose work stands alongside any of the vintage best.

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The Newkirk House

2005-02-01T20:02:00.000-08:00

This is an unusually touching article. It features Wes Newkirk and his late wife Elizabeth and their long search for a house to restore and then the years of painstaking work to achieve what is now one of Kentucky’s most remarkable residential landmarks.

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Door Hardware

2005-02-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a history of door hardware from Plymouth through the colonial period, providing a useful restoration and decorating guide. It features discussions with four blacksmiths and manufacturers who create outstanding period hardware.

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The Henson House

2004-06-01T19:01:00.000-07:00

My first article for Early American Life and one of my favorites. Here's a visit with Joy and John Henson in their primitive home that recreates the early Ohio frontier. The article generated a number of letters from readers inspired by Joy’s lifelong search for rare furnishings on a tight budget, plus a glimpse into the fascinating mind of a reenactor.

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