Domestic Furnishings

Tiffany Floor Lamp

Washboards, armchairs, lamps, and pots and pans may not seem to be museum pieces. But they are invaluable evidence of how most people lived day to day, last week or three centuries ago. The Museum's collections of domestic furnishings comprise more than 40,000 artifacts from American households. Large and small, they include four houses, roughly 800 pieces of furniture, fireplace equipment, spinning wheels, ceramics and glass, family portraits, and much more.

The Arthur and Edna Greenwood Collection contains more than 2,000 objects from New England households from colonial times to mid-1800s. From kitchens of the past, the collections hold some 3,300 artifacts, ranging from refrigerators to spatulas. The lighting devices alone number roughly 3,000 lamps, candleholders, and lanterns.

Date: 1870s

Fork

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1840 - 1870
ID Number
DL.60.1109
catalog number
60.1109
accession number
70138

Portable Lamp and Stove Patent Model

Patent model (U.S. Patent No. 206,960) of a combination portable or travel lamp and stove, made by Robert Rea Moore of Lewisville, AR, and patented on August 13, 1878.
Description
Patent model (U.S. Patent No. 206,960) of a combination portable or travel lamp and stove, made by Robert Rea Moore of Lewisville, AR, and patented on August 13, 1878. Horizontal rectangular box or case, painted black, has a wood top on removable hinge along one end; a right-hinged door on the opposite end that opens to reveal a circular convex element behind a wire mesh screen; and a sliding door along one side. Object is tied together with red wove ribbon. Paper card inscribed with inventor's name pinned to top; model maker's name stamped on sliding door. Paper tags tied to hinge pin with purple wove ribbon and string are printed and handwritten with patent information and object numbers.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1878-08-13
patent date
1878-08-13
inventor
Moore, Robert R.
ID Number
DL.251431
catalog number
251431
patent number
206,960
accession number
48890

Box or Trunk

Plain, rectangular box with scrolled hasp lock on front, wire ring handle pinned to top, and two hinges at back. Flat lid is made of one piece with a wire-rolled rim.
Description
Plain, rectangular box with scrolled hasp lock on front, wire ring handle pinned to top, and two hinges at back. Flat lid is made of one piece with a wire-rolled rim. Box is made of three pieces, two for body and one for flat bottom, with soft-soldered, folded edges; top edge of front and sides are folded down with a wire bead below. No marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850 - 1870
ID Number
DL.245425.0082
catalog number
245425.0082
accession number
245425

Ale Jug

Lidded ale jug with a backward-curved, astragal thumb piece. Double-domed, flat-top lid. Inverted-baluster body with molded rim, neck, and foot.
Description
Lidded ale jug with a backward-curved, astragal thumb piece. Double-domed, flat-top lid. Inverted-baluster body with molded rim, neck, and foot. Compound- or reverse-scroll strap handle with rounded thumbrest and short terminal; upper terminal attached to rounded shield-shape plate on rim. Plain, inset, curved spout with strainer. Rim exterior stamped to left of handle "W. R. LOFTUS / 321 OXFORD S\T." in incuse serif letters.
Maker is W. R. Loftus, located at 321 Oxford Street, London; in business, circa 1859-1960.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1790-1870
ca 1860-1930
ID Number
DL.67.0151
catalog number
67.0151
accession number
250853

Domestic Boiler Patent Model

Full-size patent model (U.S. Patent No. 150,222) of a domestic boiler, made by Ernest B. Beaumont of Ann Arbor, MI, and patented on April 28, 1874.
Description
Full-size patent model (U.S. Patent No. 150,222) of a domestic boiler, made by Ernest B. Beaumont of Ann Arbor, MI, and patented on April 28, 1874. Consists of a wire-rimmed, lipped, conical cup with a hinged flat lid and braced triangular strap handle soldered to a small, shallow fuel pan on a conical, wire-edged base. Hinges for lid and handle are perpendicular to one another with lip opposite lid hinge; handle can fold inside the cup or on top of lid when in use to prevent it from getting hot. Folded vertical seams. No marks. Three darkened paper tags stored with object are printed and handwritten with patent information.
Location
Currently not on view
patent date
1874-04-28
inventor
Beaumont, Ernest B.
ID Number
DL.251415
catalog number
251415
patent number
150,222
accession number
48890

Mug Case

Mug-shaped, dark red morocco leather fitted case with gold stamped borders for cann, DL*61.1068A. Brass spring clasp on handle side and two brass hinges opposite. Left half of interior is lined with purple silk satin stamped in gold "ARNOLD & LEWIS / LATE / I. SIMMONS / 7 ST.
Description
Mug-shaped, dark red morocco leather fitted case with gold stamped borders for cann, DL*61.1068A. Brass spring clasp on handle side and two brass hinges opposite. Left half of interior is lined with purple silk satin stamped in gold "ARNOLD & LEWIS / LATE / I. SIMMONS / 7 ST. ANN'S SQ. / MANCHESTER" and the right half with matching purple silk velvet.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1877
ID Number
DL.61.1068B
catalog number
61.1068B
accession number
233749

Cake Basket

Bail-handled oval basket on flared oval pedestal base decorated at rim and base with cast bands of two rows of different-sized beads. Fluted, everted lower half encircles oval boss at bottom center.
Description
Bail-handled oval basket on flared oval pedestal base decorated at rim and base with cast bands of two rows of different-sized beads. Fluted, everted lower half encircles oval boss at bottom center. Hinged, semicircular handle has a plain, wavy edge, shell-ended segment at center and tapered ends with graduated beads. Circular medallion or tag applied on bottom underside is embossed "* ROGERS, SMITH & C\o. (arched) / (flourish) / N\o. / NEW HAVEN, C\T. * (curved)" and struck incuse "666".
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1862 - 1877
parent company
Meriden Britannia Company
ID Number
DL.60.1265
catalog number
60.1265
accession number
121578

dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1879
ID Number
CE.75.124C
catalog number
75.124C
accession number
317832

paperweight

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1875
maker
Union Porcelain Works
ID Number
CE.75.114
accession number
317832
catalog number
75.114

"Decilitre" Measure

Lidless, bracket-handled, cylindrical metric measure with a spouted, cutaway collar and molded base.
Description
Lidless, bracket-handled, cylindrical metric measure with a spouted, cutaway collar and molded base. Stamped on face of handle "DECILITRE" sideways in raised serif letters overstruck with two letters in circles, and on top with an indiscernible number of small letters; on body with an imperial crown at front and eight large letters around neck; on collar with nine more letters; and along top of inside rim with more small letters. Flat bottom struck once with touchmark "TRIVELLI / A SAUMUR". One of an assembled set of eight metric measures, DL*67.0326-.0333.
Attributed to Trivelli of Saumur, France.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1861-1873
ID Number
DL.67.0330
catalog number
67.0330
accession number
250853

dish

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
about 1879
ID Number
CE.75.124E
catalog number
75.124E
accession number
317832

chair, piano

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870s
ID Number
DL.66.0028
catalog number
66.0028
accession number
261086

Oven Model

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
patent date
1878-10-29
inventor
Darling, Samuel
ID Number
DL.251520
catalog number
251520
patent number
209,332
accession number
48890

Cigar Case

Three-cigar case featuring identical engraved decoration on hinged lid and underside of a central reserve formed by two bowknots with flowers at lengthwise ends and clusters of flowers near snap closure, all flanked by fleur-de-lis or tripartite scroll motifs at tips.
Description
Three-cigar case featuring identical engraved decoration on hinged lid and underside of a central reserve formed by two bowknots with flowers at lengthwise ends and clusters of flowers near snap closure, all flanked by fleur-de-lis or tripartite scroll motifs at tips. Push-tab catch. Gold washed interior. Lid is struck incuse on inside edge to right of closure with trademark "G H F", each letter in a separate surround, and at inside center "[S]TERLING" in sans serif letters.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1920 - 1939
ca 1870
ID Number
DL.59.0605
catalog number
59.0605
accession number
219034

Tilting and Revolving Ice Pitcher with Stand

Insulated, tilting and revolving pitcher with ovoid body and domed, double-walled, hinged lid topped by a cast four-leaved bud on stepped, flared circular foot; two dome-headed knobs on sides of pitcher fit atop caryatids mounted to the removable slop bowl, which has a perforated
Description
Insulated, tilting and revolving pitcher with ovoid body and domed, double-walled, hinged lid topped by a cast four-leaved bud on stepped, flared circular foot; two dome-headed knobs on sides of pitcher fit atop caryatids mounted to the removable slop bowl, which has a perforated top and spindle at bottom that rotates inside the circular stand. Inset, curved, fixed-cover spout with anthemion base. High-loop handle with square-scrolled upper terminal, lower arc terminal and faceted sockets. Seamless, one-piece interior wall has a convex perforated strainer inset at spout. Bottom undersides of pitcher and stand each have two drilled holes and two affixed metal tags with patent and maker information. Pitcher underside is also scratched "130" while the bowl underside is scratched "30".
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1876
ID Number
DL.297342.0001
catalog number
297342.0001
accession number
297342

Salt Dish

Open salt shaped as a hemispherical water lily with horizontal, S-scroll stem attached to flat lily pad. Gilt-washed interior. Underside of pad struck with incuse circular mark containing a pointed shield with balanced scales bordered by "x MERIDEN x / B.
Description
Open salt shaped as a hemispherical water lily with horizontal, S-scroll stem attached to flat lily pad. Gilt-washed interior. Underside of pad struck with incuse circular mark containing a pointed shield with balanced scales bordered by "x MERIDEN x / B. COMPANY." in sans serif letters above "31". Black plastic label embossed "459" adhered on bottom underside. One of four, 1984.0424.04-.07.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1873
maker
Meriden Britannia Company
ID Number
1984.0424.05
accession number
1984.0424
catalog number
1984.0424.05

Broiler

Wire broiler or toaster made of two rectangular racks hinged with three S or figure-8 hooks opposite handles.
Description
Wire broiler or toaster made of two rectangular racks hinged with three S or figure-8 hooks opposite handles. Racks have 19 parallel vertical bars hooked over crimped top and bottom pieces; two bars at center of each rack form a looped, twisted wire handle, the two handles are held closed with a bent wire ring. No marks.
Could be used for broiling or toasting food held between the gridirons. An identical example is illustrated in the 1895 Montgomery Ward & Co. catalog, p. 439; it was available in six sizes (9"x6" with 9 bars to 9"x13 1/2" with 19 bars) ranging in price from $.12 to $.20.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1870
ID Number
DL.329467
catalog number
329467
accession number
88149

Quart Measure

Lidless bulbous or bellied measure with a beaded, galleried rim and cast circular foot; quart size. Two pairs of thick and thin incised lines at shoulder; line at seam. Tapered, S-scroll handle with ridged and stepped thumbrest and lower semi-bud terminal attached above seam.
Description
Lidless bulbous or bellied measure with a beaded, galleried rim and cast circular foot; quart size. Two pairs of thick and thin incised lines at shoulder; line at seam. Tapered, S-scroll handle with ridged and stepped thumbrest and lower semi-bud terminal attached above seam. Rim exterior stamped incuse to left of handle "QUART" in serif letters, and on front with circular verification mark for the City of Manchester.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1820-1870
ID Number
DL.67.0133
catalog number
67.0133
accession number
250853

Heating Stove Patent Model

Patent model (U.S. Patent No. 168,992) of a heating stove with undulating front corners and shallow ovoid firebox with perforated grate that is connected to a stove pipe elbow; made by Louis M. E. Raveaud and Vincent Marty of New Orleans, LA, and patented on October 19, 1875.
Description
Patent model (U.S. Patent No. 168,992) of a heating stove with undulating front corners and shallow ovoid firebox with perforated grate that is connected to a stove pipe elbow; made by Louis M. E. Raveaud and Vincent Marty of New Orleans, LA, and patented on October 19, 1875. Soft-soldered seams. Draft opening with handled ash-damper below grate. No marks on object, but paper tags tied to smoke pipe with white and purple wove ribbons are printed and handwritten with patent information and object numbers.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1875-10-19
patent date
1875-10-19
inventor
Raveaud, Louis M. E.
Marty, Vincent
ID Number
DL.251504
catalog number
251504
patent number
168,922
accession number
48890

Clichy Paperweight

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 French firm, Verrerie de Clichy, began operation after merging with another local glassworks in 1837. The height of paperweight production at the firm was 1846 to 1857.
This faceted Clichy paperweight features concentric millefiori surrounding a central white and red Rose cane, and turquoise and white staves (flattened rods). Millefiore paperweights, first manufactured in Venice, consist of sections from rods of colored glass encased in a clear, colorless sphere. By the mid-nineteenth century, glass factories elsewhere in Europe were emulating the millefiore style.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1845-1870
maker
Clichy
ID Number
CE.66.33
catalog number
66.33
accession number
268356
collector/donor number
70

vase

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1876-77
maker
Union Porcelain Works
ID Number
CE.75.112A
accession number
317832
catalog number
75.112A

Portrait miniature of Meribah Farmer

Oval bust-length portrait of an older woman with white cap tied beneath her chin, turned and looking to the viewer's left. She appears to wear a white neckerchief and yellow-brown dress with matching outer garment or robe. No jewelry.
Description
Oval bust-length portrait of an older woman with white cap tied beneath her chin, turned and looking to the viewer's left. She appears to wear a white neckerchief and yellow-brown dress with matching outer garment or robe. No jewelry. Faint gray shadow behind her right shoulder; light is from front right. Not signed. Housing includes a flat lens, gilt cable- or ropework bezel, and matte gilt, oval case with post-and-ring hanger; flat reverse of case is engraved "MERIBAH FARMER. / 1872" in shaded block letters. Hangs in a red velvet-covered display frame fitted to hold eight miniatures, 1989.0343.16-.23.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1872
ID Number
1989.0343.17
catalog number
1989.0343.17
accession number
1989.0343

Biscuit Box

Mechanical triple folding biscuit box consisting of three, repousse chased, shell-shape, hinged sides that open from the top to reveal a gilded interior fitted with three, fanlike, piercework, hinged covers that fold down and secure closed using the spring retainers mounted on th
Description
Mechanical triple folding biscuit box consisting of three, repousse chased, shell-shape, hinged sides that open from the top to reveal a gilded interior fitted with three, fanlike, piercework, hinged covers that fold down and secure closed using the spring retainers mounted on their fronts. Frame is formed from three, fasces-pattern arches on triple-pad feet to which the hinge mechanisms, each topped by a fleur-de-lis finial, are attached. Cast, three-scroll top handle and smaller, triangular, broken-scroll side handles. Top of one foot struck incuse "13". No other marks. One of two biscuit boxes, DL*304621.0001-.0002.
Location
Currently not on view
date used
ca 1870-1873
ID Number
DL.304621.0002
catalog number
304621.0002
accession number
304621

Tea Canister

Swelled- or rounded-top, japanned canister with friction-fit, low-domed, stepped cover stamped as one piece; half pound size.
Description
Swelled- or rounded-top, japanned canister with friction-fit, low-domed, stepped cover stamped as one piece; half pound size. Canister is made in four pieces, the collar, rounded conical shoulder and cylindrical body have soft-soldered lapped seams; the shoulder and body are joined by a folded seam while the flat bottom has a folded edge. No marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850 - 1870
ID Number
DL.257491.0014
catalog number
257491.0014
accession number
257491

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