Religion

Page from the Koran

One hallmark of the American experience captured in the Museum's collections is the nation's broad diversity of religious faiths. Artifacts range from Thomas Jefferson's Bible to a huge "Sunstone" sculpture carved for a Mormon temple in Illinois in 1844 to a household shrine from the home of a Pueblo Indian in the 1990s. Furniture, musical instruments, clothing, cooking ware, and thousands of prints and figures in the collections have all played roles in the religious lives of Americans. The most comprehensive collections include artifacts from Jewish and Christian European Americans, Catholic Latinos, Protestant Arab Americans, Buddhist and Christian Asian Pacific Americans, and Protestant African Americans. One notable group is the Vidal Collection of carved figures known as santos and other folk religious material from the practice of Santeria in Puerto Rico.

Place: United States

Communion Flagon

Dome lidded, straight tapered spouted flagon with flattened ball knop, chairback thumbpiece and inset curved spout with fixed cover and pouring hole; engraved below spout in script "To the First Methodist Church / in Greenfield by David S Jones / Jan\y 1835".
Description
Dome lidded, straight tapered spouted flagon with flattened ball knop, chairback thumbpiece and inset curved spout with fixed cover and pouring hole; engraved below spout in script "To the First Methodist Church / in Greenfield by David S Jones / Jan\y 1835". Banded rim, quadruple-reeded fillet on upper body and double-wide band above the flared base; slightly concave bottom with raised center. Thumbpiece is placed below the three-knuckle hinge on the plain, hollow, D-section, S-curve handle with pointed terminal; small oval attachment. Body perforated at spout. Struck once on bottom underside "I TRASK" in raised serif letters inside a rectangle.
One of four pieces - a flagon, pair of chalices and baptismal bowl, 1986.0027.62-.65 - from the First Methodist Church of Greenfield, MA.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1835
engraved date
1835-01
ID Number
1986.0027.62
accession number
1986.0027
catalog number
1986.0027.62

“The Shepherd Boy”

This sheet music for the song "The Shepherd Boy" was written and composed by G. D. Wilson. The song was published by the Armstrong Music Co. of New York, New York in 1903.
Description
This sheet music for the song "The Shepherd Boy" was written and composed by G. D. Wilson. The song was published by the Armstrong Music Co. of New York, New York in 1903. The cover features an illustration of a shepherd boy sitting on rocks among sheep and doing his best to woo a girl.
Location
Currently not on view
publishing date
1903
composer
Wilson, G. D.
publisher
Armstrong Music Publishing Company
ID Number
1982.0439.30
accession number
1982.0439
catalog number
1982.0439.30

Bright Fiery Cross, The

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1913
associated institution
Ku Klux Klan
composer
De Ree, Alira
publisher
Rodeheaver, Homer
maker
Rodeheaver, Homer
ID Number
1986.0309.07
accession number
1986.0309
catalog number
1986.0309.07

African Americans in Richmond

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1874
graphic artist
Harper & Brothers
ID Number
1985.0303.03
accession number
1985.0303
catalog number
1985.0303.03

Footstool

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1840
inscribed date
1840
ID Number
DL.59.2221
catalog number
59.2221
accession number
220211

Antediluvian Record by Endicott and Company

This colored print depicts a large genealogical tree depicting the early history of the world, with a table showing the lineage of the Biblical patriarchs, from the creation of Adam to the Deluge.
Description
This colored print depicts a large genealogical tree depicting the early history of the world, with a table showing the lineage of the Biblical patriarchs, from the creation of Adam to the Deluge. “Antediluvian” means “before the flood” and refers to the period before the Deluge as described in Genesis 6:11-9.19 of the Bible.
This print was produced by Endicott and Company, the successor to the New York firm of Geo. & Wm. Endicott Lithographers. George (1802-1848) and William Endicott (1816-1851) were born in Canton, Massachusetts. George Endicott began working as a lithographer in New York in 1828. He partnered with Moses Swett in the company Endicott & Swett from 1830 to 1834. William Endicott joined the company in 1841. Following George Endicott's death in 1848, the firm continued operating as William Endicott & Co. Francis Endicott (born ca. 1834) worked at the company from 1852 to 1886, and George Endicott, Jr. ran the firm from 1887 to 1891.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1873
designer
Doxsee, A.
maker
Endicott and Company
ID Number
DL.60.2400
catalog number
60.2400
accession number
228146

Hair Flowers

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1855 - 1885
ID Number
DL.022467.0001C
catalog number
022467.0001C
accession number
22467

The Book of Common Prayer

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date published
1836
ID Number
DL.033664
catalog number
033664
accession number
70138

Missionary Society Certificate by Nathaniel Currier

This black and white print is of a life membership to a Mr. Philip J.A. Harper issued by the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Description
This black and white print is of a life membership to a Mr. Philip J.A. Harper issued by the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Society, begun in 1820 and headquartered in New York City, was among the earliest organizations that focused on mission within and outside the United States. It initially worked to convert Native Americans and slaves before extending its activities to inhabitants of West Africa and elsewhere overseas.
A vignette depicting missionary activity appears above the text that was inspired by the Society’s proselytizing during the 19th Century. On the right side is a depiction of Native Americans and Africans who were “saved” due to the preaching of a missionary. The left side shows the damnation that comes to those who fail to hear God’s word. Above the scene floats a triumphant angel sent by God who is blowing a trumpet, Bible in hand.
This print was produced by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888). Currier was the founder of the company that eventually became the Currier & Ives lithography firm. At the age of fifteen Currier apprenticed with the Pendleton lithography firm in New York City. Five years later he moved to Philadelphia to work with the lithographer M.E.D. Brown (1810-1896). After a year Currier moved back to New York, where he intended on going into business with one of the Pendleton brothers. Instead he formed a partnership in 1834 with Adam Stodart who was in the sheet music business. Within a year he opened his own lithography company on Wall Street and then moved to Nassau and Spruce. In 1852 a bookkeeper named James Merritt Ives joined the firm. He married Charles Currier’s sister-in-law and brought to the firm a critical eye and business acumen. In five years he had become a partner. Currier & Ives would become arguably the most successful and prodigious lithography firm of the 19th century. Although especially well known for prints celebrating American landscapes and pastimes like sailing and ice skating, Currier & Ives also produced lithographs that featured current events, social issues and political controversies
Location
Currently on loan
Date made
1848
issuer
Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church
maker
Currier, Nathaniel
ID Number
DL.60.2929
catalog number
60.2929
accession number
228146

The Book of Common Prayer

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date published
1845
inscribed date
1847-05-20
publisher
D. Appleton and Company
ID Number
DL.033665
catalog number
033665
accession number
70138

Plate

Plain-rim circular plate with flat well; no foot ring. Underside has three faint, partial stamps, a touch or quality mark of an undecipherable crowned figure, "[?]S.(T?)[?]" in a curved reserve, and a small pseudo hallmark of "SE" with two pellets below, all in a shaped shield.
Description
Plain-rim circular plate with flat well; no foot ring. Underside has three faint, partial stamps, a touch or quality mark of an undecipherable crowned figure, "[?]S.(T?)[?]" in a curved reserve, and a small pseudo hallmark of "SE" with two pellets below, all in a shaped shield. One of two plates, DL*388311A-B.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1750 - 1780
ID Number
DL.388311B
catalog number
388311B
accession number
182022

Child's Miniature Bible (Thumb Bible)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850 - 1875
ID Number
DL.298065.0169
catalog number
298065.0169
accession number
298065

Common Prayer Hymnal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date "Book of Common Prayer" published
1868
date "Hymnal" published
1878
presentation date
1879-04-21
confirmation date of T. B. M. Mason
1877-01-21
printer
Eyre and Spottiswoode
ID Number
DL.070138.0064
catalog number
70138.0064
accession number
70138

Memoirs of the Life of Catherine Phillips

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1798
Associated Date
1817-03-30
1898
ID Number
DL.61.0382
catalog number
61.0382
accession number
232677

Noah's Ark by unknown lithographer

This image is identical to the same titled print at the Connecticut Historical Society by D. W. Kellogg though it could also possibly by an unsigned copy by Currier & Ives. Hand colored print of a animals filing two by two onto the ark.
Description
This image is identical to the same titled print at the Connecticut Historical Society by D. W. Kellogg though it could also possibly by an unsigned copy by Currier & Ives. Hand colored print of a animals filing two by two onto the ark. Animals include zebra, cows, horses, sheep, pigs, giraffes, dogs, and cats. Birds are flying above.
Noah’s Ark, an Old Testament story, appealed to 19th-century children as part of their Bible study. The animals also appeared in the form of games and toys. Prints of religious scenes and other uplifting subjects were recommended as encouraging moral improvement, especially for the benefit of children. In the Bible (Genesis, Chapters 6-9), the ark is described as a massive wooden ship built at God’s command that saved pious Noah, his family, and representatives of every kind of animal from the global flood that God wrought to punish humanity for its misdeeds. After the waters receded, Noah’s family, with all the animals that were saved, eventually spread throughout the world. The story of Noah is repeated with variations in the Quran.
This print is attributed to D. W. Kellogg & Co. While it is unsigned, this image is identical to the same titled print at the Connecticut Historical Society by D. W. Kellogg. Daniel Wright Kellogg (1807-1874) founded D. W. Kellogg and Company in Hartford, Connecticut in 1830. Even before its first retail store opened in 1834, the D.W. Kellogg & Co. lithography firm was well established and popular in United States, particularly in the South and the Southwest. As the founding member of the family company, Daniel Wright Kellogg was responsible for the initial growth and popularity of the firm. After he left the company, it continued to flourish for decades under his younger brothers and other family members.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1830-1840
maker
D. W. Kellogg and Company
ID Number
DL.60.2962
catalog number
60.2962
accession number
228146

Chalice

Handleless inverted bell-shaped cup with single-reeded everted rim on flared pedestal base with incised ball knop and circular foot with flat outside edge; incised bands around lower part of bowl, top and bottom of stem and foot. No marks.
Description
Handleless inverted bell-shaped cup with single-reeded everted rim on flared pedestal base with incised ball knop and circular foot with flat outside edge; incised bands around lower part of bowl, top and bottom of stem and foot. No marks. One of a pair, DL*388310B-DL*388310C; spacing of their incised bands differs.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1830
ID Number
DL.388310B
catalog number
388310B
accession number
182022

Order for Daily Evening Prayer and Book of Common Prayer

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date book published
1886
date corner covers made
1887
inscribed date
1888-04-01
printer
Eyre and Spottiswoode
maker
Gorham Manufacturing Company
ID Number
DL.033670B
catalog number
33670B
accession number
70138

Hapisgoh (The Summit)

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1852-1853
1890
ID Number
GA.285049.02.01
accession number
285049
catalog number
285049.02.01

Bible

This Bible is one of 13 contained in the Copp Collection. The book is undated with no publisher noted.The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town.
Description
This Bible is one of 13 contained in the Copp Collection. The book is undated with no publisher noted.
The Copp Collection contains about 150 books of early American imprint and shows a wide range of reading matter typical of a New England Puritan family living in a port town. Literacy was expected of many New Englanders, as Puritan doctrine required everyone to read the Bible. The abundance of multiple Bibles, psalms, hymnodies, sermons, and morality tales reflects the Copp’s religious beliefs. Other highlights of the library include the works of Shakespeare, almanacs, historical and political texts, and travel narratives.
The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
Location
Currently not on view
users
Copp Family
ID Number
DL.006864
catalog number
006864
accession number
28810

Baptismal Bowl

Footed circular bowl with flared sides and single-reeded, everted rim on a circular, ogee-molded pedestal base with tall, incurved stem. Plain exterior. No marks.Currently not on view
Description
Footed circular bowl with flared sides and single-reeded, everted rim on a circular, ogee-molded pedestal base with tall, incurved stem. Plain exterior. No marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1830
ID Number
DL.388310A
catalog number
388310A
accession number
182022

Untitled (Christ Blessing Little Children) after an 1866 Currier & Ives print titled Jesus Blessing Little Children

This black and white print depicts Jesus Christ with four little children, three men and three women. All of the figures are wearing stylized flowing robes. Christ is shown placing his right hand on a boy’s head in blessing, while his left arm is gently around a young girl.
Description
This black and white print depicts Jesus Christ with four little children, three men and three women. All of the figures are wearing stylized flowing robes. Christ is shown placing his right hand on a boy’s head in blessing, while his left arm is gently around a young girl. Two of the mothers are kneeling and looking reverently at the figure of Christ. The apostle Matthew recounts an occasion when families brought their children to Jesus for his blessing, only to be rebuked by his disciples. In response, Christ said: "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these" (Chapter 19:13-14).
The print is titled in pencil script below the image as “Christ Blessing Little Children.” The image is of an 1866 Currier & Ives print entitled Jesus Blessing Little Children. This print could be a proof before letters print or a copy of the Currier & Ives print, but it is unsigned with no indication of the original artist, lithographer, or publisher.
Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and after serving an apprenticeship in Boston, he moved to New York City in 1834. In New York, he briefly partnered with Adam Stodart, but their firm dissolved within a year, and Currier went into business on his own until 1857. James M. Ives (1824-1895) was a native New York lithographer who was hired as a bookkeeper by Currier in 1852. In 1857, the two men partnered, forming the famous lithography firm of Currier and Ives, which continued under their sons until 1907.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1866-1900
depicted
Jesus Christ
artist attribution
Currier & Ives
ID Number
DL.60.2963
catalog number
60.2963
accession number
228146

Bible Verses

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
owner
Copp Family
ID Number
DL.006791.03.028
catalog number
6791.03.028
accession number
28810

The Good Tree or Hieroglyphics of a Christian by E.B. and E.C. Kellogg

This hand colored print depicts a tree labeled "Hope" and "Love" growing from soil marked "Faith" and "Repentance". Above the tree the word "Grace" appears. There are two angels at the foot of the tree.
Description
This hand colored print depicts a tree labeled "Hope" and "Love" growing from soil marked "Faith" and "Repentance". Above the tree the word "Grace" appears. There are two angels at the foot of the tree. One is pushing away the devil who carries an axe; the other is watering the tree from a watering can. The tree bears fruit labeled with various Christian virtues such as justice, chastity, goodness, industry, purity and so forth. The inscription below the image explains its Biblical inspiration is Psalm 1, Verse 3: “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season.”
This print was based on a 1791 print, The Tree of Life by John Hagerty. It was produced by the lithographic firm E.B. & E.C. Kellogg. Edmund Burke Kellogg (1809-1872) and Elijah Chapman Kellogg (1811-1881) were brothers of the founder of the Kellogg lithography firm, Daniel Wright Kellogg (1807-1874). After D.W. Kellogg moved west, his two brothers took over the family lithography firm in 1840 and changed the name to E.B. & E.C. Kellogg. The younger two of the four Kellogg brothers, they were responsible for the continued success of the family firm. These two brothers were also involved in the eventual partnerships between the company and Horace Thayer in 1845 or 1846, John Chenevard Comstock (1818-1862) in 1848 and William Henry Bulkeley (1840-1902) in 1867.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1846
agent
Needham, D.
distributor; publisher
Kelloggs & Thayer
lithographer
E.B. and E.C. Kellogg
maker
Kellogg, E.B. and E.C.
ID Number
DL.60.2919
catalog number
60.2919
accession number
228146
maker number
124

Chalice

Handleless inverted bell-shaped cup with single-reeded everted rim on flared pedestal base with incised ball knop and circular foot with flat outside edge; incised bands around lower part of bowl, top and bottom of stem, and foot. No marks.
Description
Handleless inverted bell-shaped cup with single-reeded everted rim on flared pedestal base with incised ball knop and circular foot with flat outside edge; incised bands around lower part of bowl, top and bottom of stem, and foot. No marks. One of a pair, DL*388310B-DL*388310C; spacing of their incised bands differs.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1830
ID Number
DL.388310C
catalog number
388310C
accession number
182022

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