Making Money

This was a fun article to research and write, showing a little-known yet interesting enterprise of women in some colonial households. Some tampered with individual bills while others created actual printing operations. We'll likely never know how many women pursued counterfeiting or how much false money they put into circulation, but in some colonies it was a lot.

To read the article, click here.

 

As Deadly as Battle

A major portion of the American Revolution involved the winter encampments of the Continental Army and its British counterpart. The stories of what Washington's troops endured during these long stretches is startling in terms of human toll. 

To read the article, click here.

Loyal to the Crown

One of the most fun articles for me to research ever, it tells of the men who preferred to stay with England rather than the bands of "hooligans" promoting American colonial independence. The story has plenty of drama, including the first execution of a woman in the new nation.

To read the article, click here.

Bride's Boxes

Popular in Germany for more than a century but never on this side of the Atlantic, colorful painted boxes were given to brides on their wedding day. A group of talented American folk artists today recreate these beautiful boxes for today's brides. In this colorful article I also explore the legend surrounding bride's boxes.

To read the article, click here.

The Valente House

Southern New Jersey is rich in farmland and history, and this early home is a fine example of the area's pristine historic dwellings. Doug and Karen Valente have furnished it with a very pleasing combination of period furniture as well as Karen's wonderful folk paintings.

To read the article, click here.

Folk Art Animal Portraits

Early American folk artists painted animals with a distinctive respect and charm, quite different from the  often brutal animal worlds European artists depicted. This article explores the origins of animal painting in America and the leading artists of those early days. Then we move ahead to the present for discussions with some highly talented artists who share their artistic ancestors' love of animals.

To read the article, click here.

New Year's Superstitions

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.

To read the article, click here.

Woolly-sheep Farm

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.

To read the article, click here.

Engraved Powder Horns

Engraved powder horns were a rifleman's fashion accessory during the days of the muzzle loader, and today can bring $50,000 or more at auction. Here's a fascinating history of the engraved horn, along with tips on collecting them and spotting the reproductions so popular with today's re-enactors.

To read the article, click here.

Stars and Stripes

The history of the American flag is one of the most fascinating historical topics I've ever researched. The flag's origins are murky and filled with half-truths such as the Betsy Ross legend. We don't even know what our nation's earliest flags looked like, and our museums often unknowingly display fakes. No wonder flags are one area where collectors need to be especially wary.

To read the article, click here.

Scenic Murals

Some of America's most charming wall decorations of the 1800s were murals wandering artists painted in homes of people who could afford them. This article examines the history of America's 19th century murals, the artists who painted them, and discusses the work of some excellent contemporary artists who faithfully reproduce these uniquely American scenes.

To read the article, click here.

Bathing in Early America

Bathing was not a priority in early America, and it would be 200 years before we began to understand the connection between filth and disease. And if any country was dirtier during the colonial period, it was England. This article was fun to research because of its strange revelations.

To read the article, click here.

Primitive Rug Hooking

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.

Click here for the article.

Bundling

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.

Click here to read the article.

Game Boards

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.

Click here to read the article.

Antique Christmas

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.

Click here to read the article.

Walking Sticks

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.

Click here to read the article.

Early Personal Lighting

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.

Click here for the article.

Milliner's Models

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.

Click here for the article.

http://www.gregorylefever.com/pdfs/Milliner's%20Models%202.pdf

Windsor Settees

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.

Click here for the article.