Art

The National Museum of American History is not an art museum. But works of art fill its collections and testify to the vital place of art in everyday American life. The ceramics collections hold hundreds of examples of American and European art glass and pottery. Fashion sketches, illustrations, and prints are part of the costume collections. Donations from ethnic and cultural communities include many homemade religious ornaments, paintings, and figures. The Harry T Peters "America on Stone" collection alone comprises some 1,700 color prints of scenes from the 1800s. The National Quilt Collection is art on fabric. And the tools of artists and artisans are part of the Museum's collections, too, in the form of printing plates, woodblock tools, photographic equipment, and potters' stamps, kilns, and wheels.

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1890
printer
L. Prang & Company
maker
L. Prang & Company
ID Number
GA.06947
catalog number
06947
accession number
-
Black and white print of whaling ships and small whaling boats. The whaling ships are receiving the captains, officiers and crews of the abandoned whalers. The seven whaling ship names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships and small whaling boats. The whaling ships are receiving the captains, officiers and crews of the abandoned whalers. The seven whaling ship names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3260
catalog number
60.3260
Black and white print of whaling ships; three whaling vessels are anchored in the ice while one, the bark Roman, is trapped and sinking. Men are escaping to the other ships. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; three whaling vessels are anchored in the ice while one, the bark Roman, is trapped and sinking. Men are escaping to the other ships. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
maker
Newell, J.P.
ID Number
DL.60.3256
catalog number
60.3256
Color print of a whaling scene; five rigged whaling vessels wait while men in two smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities. Walrus on ice on left and right foreground.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a whaling scene; five rigged whaling vessels wait while men in two smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities. Walrus on ice on left and right foreground.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3252
catalog number
60.3252
Black and white print of whaling ships; nine whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field while one, the Awashonks, is trapped. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; nine whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field while one, the Awashonks, is trapped. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3257
catalog number
60.3257
Black and white print of six small whaling boats in open water between the ice and shore. Numerous canoes are pulled up on shore and people, campfires, and tents are visible in the background.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of six small whaling boats in open water between the ice and shore. Numerous canoes are pulled up on shore and people, campfires, and tents are visible in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3259
catalog number
60.3259
Color print of a whaling scene; four rigged whaling vessels wait while men in smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of a whaling scene; four rigged whaling vessels wait while men in smaller vessels engage in a variety of activities. Captions below the image identify the activities.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1870
maker
Bufford, John Henry
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3251
catalog number
60.3251
Black and white print; bust portrait of a man (James Fenimore Cooper).Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print; bust portrait of a man (James Fenimore Cooper).
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
depicted
Cooper, James Fenimore
publisher
Peabody & Co.
Childs & Inman
maker
Pendleton's Lithography
ID Number
DL.60.3130
catalog number
60.3130
accession number
228146
Black and white print of whaling ships; seventeen whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of whaling ships; seventeen whaling vessels are on the edge of an ice field. All the ships names are listed below the image and above the title.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Bufford, John Henry
Newell, J.P.
original artist
Russell, Benjamin
ID Number
DL.60.3258
catalog number
60.3258
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
The New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded about 1818 by Deming Jarves along with three wealthy businessmen, and probably began producing paperweights by the mid 1850s. In 1888 the business moved to Ohio, under the name Libbey Glass Company.
This New England Glass Company faceted paperweight features a dark-blue double Clematis.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852-1880
maker
New England Glass Company
ID Number
CE.60.110
catalog number
60.110
accession number
211475
In the 1970s and 1980s, photographer Henry Horenstein documented the lives and performances of country and bluegrass musicians. The time marked the end of an era of less commercialism and closer relationships between fans and musicians.
Description
In the 1970s and 1980s, photographer Henry Horenstein documented the lives and performances of country and bluegrass musicians. The time marked the end of an era of less commercialism and closer relationships between fans and musicians. It was a time when the casual atmosphere of outdoor venues was popular, and the music fans could often meet their favorite musicians in the parking lots or other areas of the grounds. In this image, taken in 1972 at Indian Ranch in Webster, Massachusetts, bluegrass musician and singer Joe Val (1926-1985) plays a Gibson mandolin in a picnic area. He is accompanied by other guitarists and is being watched by fans. Val (born Joseph Valiante) was an accomplished mandolinist and guitarist who played both traditional and progressive bluegrass in his band, the New England Bluegrass Boys.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1972
1972
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.072
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.072
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
Deming Jarves found the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1825, after leaving the New England Glass Company. The wares of these two companies can be easily confused as they shared owners, employees and managers.
This Boston & Sandwich Company paperweight is decorated with a vase of pink and white Roses against a pink, red, and white swirl latticinio (latticework) ground.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852-1880
maker
Boston & Sandwich Glass Company
ID Number
CE.60.158
catalog number
60.158
accession number
211475
A man listens to music at the Hillbilly Ranch bar.Currently not on view
Description
A man listens to music at the Hillbilly Ranch bar.
Location
Currently not on view
print
2003
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.067
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.067
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
The New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded about 1818 by Deming Jarves along with three wealthy businessmen, and probably began producing paperweights by the mid 1850s. In 1888 the business moved to Ohio, under the name Libbey Glass Company.
This New England Glass Company paperweight features a single Poinsettia on a latticinio (latticework) ground. Small bubbles in the glass give the appearance of dew drops on the flower.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1878
maker
New England Glass Company
ID Number
CE.66.32
catalog number
66.32
accession number
268356
collector/donor number
203
Rebecca "Dolly" Parton (b. 1946) was the subject of Henry Horenstein's first published photograph. It appeared in Boston After Dark (now the Boston Phoenix). He had an hour to meet and photograph Parton, a lengthy sitting photographers today rarely have.
Description
Rebecca "Dolly" Parton (b. 1946) was the subject of Henry Horenstein's first published photograph. It appeared in Boston After Dark (now the Boston Phoenix). He had an hour to meet and photograph Parton, a lengthy sitting photographers today rarely have. When Horenstein photographed Parton, she already had twenty albums to her name. But the crossover hit, "Here You Come Again," made her a superstar in 1977.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1972
print
2003
Associated Name
Parton, Dolly
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.103
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.103
Black and white print, half length portrait of a man (Timothy Cole) at a pulpit. He has one hand raised and another on a book, which is resting on the pulpit.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print, half length portrait of a man (Timothy Cole) at a pulpit. He has one hand raised and another on a book, which is resting on the pulpit.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
depicted
Cole, Timothy
maker
Moore, Thomas
original artist
Howes, S.P.
ID Number
DL.60.3206
catalog number
60.3206
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1785
ID Number
CE.P-850Hab
catalog number
P-850Hab
accession number
225282
The Johnson Mountain Boys was a traditional bluegrass band formed in the Washington, D.C. suburbs in the 1970s. Its members were vocalist, banjoist, and guitarist Dudley Connell, David McLauglin, fiddler Eddie Stubbs, and bassist Larry Robbins.
Description
The Johnson Mountain Boys was a traditional bluegrass band formed in the Washington, D.C. suburbs in the 1970s. Its members were vocalist, banjoist, and guitarist Dudley Connell, David McLauglin, fiddler Eddie Stubbs, and bassist Larry Robbins. Connell worked for Smithsonian Folkways for a time and Stubbs went on to host the Grand Ole Opry.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1981
print
2003
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.030
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.030
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
The New England Glass Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded about 1818 by Deming Jarves along with three wealthy businessmen, and probably began producing paperweights by the mid 1850s. In 1888 the business moved to Ohio, under the name Libbey Glass Company.
A collection of four yellow and salmon colored pears and five cherries rests on a latticinio (latticework) background in this New England Glass Company paperweight.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852-1880
maker
New England Glass Company
ID Number
CE.65.485
catalog number
65.485
accession number
264964
collector/donor number
148
Color print of four sailing vessels in a choppy sea. The one in the center is towing a rowboat.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of four sailing vessels in a choppy sea. The one in the center is towing a rowboat.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
maker
Haskell & Allen
ID Number
DL.60.3290
catalog number
60.3290
A man sells Tex Ritter photographs to fans waiting for his autograph.Currently not on view
Description
A man sells Tex Ritter photographs to fans waiting for his autograph.
Location
Currently not on view
print
2003
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.066
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.066
Best known for her crossover hit, "Harper Valley PTA," Jeannie C. Riley (b. 1945) is pictured her on her tour bus.Currently not on view
Description
Best known for her crossover hit, "Harper Valley PTA," Jeannie C. Riley (b. 1945) is pictured her on her tour bus.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1973
print
2003
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.033
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.033
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter.
Description (Brief)
In the 1700s, paperweights made from textured stone or bronze were part of the writer’s tool kit, which also included a quill pen and stand, inkpot, and blotter. By the mid-1800s, decorative paperweights produced by glassmakers in Europe and the United States became highly desired collectibles.
Decorative glass paperweights reflected the 19th-century taste for intricate, over-the-top designs. Until the spread of textiles colorized with synthetic dyes, ceramics and glass were among the few objects that added brilliant color to a 19th-century Victorian interior. The popularity of these paperweights in the 1800s testifies to the sustained cultural interest in hand craftsmanship during an age of rapid industrialization.
Deming Jarves found the Boston & Sandwich Glass Company in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1825, after leaving the New England Glass Company. The wares of these two companies can be easily confused as they shared owners, employees and managers.
This Boston and Sandwich Glass Company paperweight encases a twelve-petal red and white Poinsettia with a green and white center Rose. It was made by glassworker Nicolas Lutz.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1852-1880
maker
Boston & Sandwich Glass Company
ID Number
CE.60.109
catalog number
60.109
accession number
211475
Black and white print; bust portrait of a man in clerical garb (the Reverend Edward Sprague).Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print; bust portrait of a man in clerical garb (the Reverend Edward Sprague).
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
depicted
Sprague, Edward
maker
Pendleton's Lithography
original artist
Belknap, Zedekiah
ID Number
DL.60.3129
catalog number
60.3129
accession number
228146

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