Flattened circular container with rounded ring-like top around a wide opening and removable, horizontal, scored baluster handle with tiny finial and spool-shaped cap that screws off threaded collar at side for easy cleaning (contents can be poured out); flat bottom, no foot ring. Horizontal seam at midbody. Bottom underside struck twice with circular Poseidon or Neptune touchmark of Edgar & Son, placed opposite the secondary mark of a crowned "X" above "EDGAR / & SON" and three pseudo hallmarks (fourth possibly gone): a right-facing lion (or other animal) passant, imperial crown, and "E&C\o", all in serrated surrounds.
This silver pencil holder was owned by the Copp Family in Stonington, Connecticut from around 1775 until 1893. Writing implements were precious objects in the early colonies, and a pencil holder allowed the user to protect his hands if writing with bare lead, or use every last inch of a wooden pencil.
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.
Tapered cylindrical, handleless pot with horizontal, single-reeded rim and rounded bottom on an applied, concave foot ring; made to be placed in a commode chair or stool. Plain body. Several letters and numbers lightly scratched into bottom underside. No marks apparent.
Wide-mouthed, side-handled, bulbous pot with narrow, everted rim and slightly rounded bottom on an applied, concave foot ring or base. Double, reverse C-scroll strap handle has rounded thumbrest and slightly flared lower terminal with oval attachment. Horizontal seam at midbody, visible inside bowl. No marks apparent.
Black and white comic print of a woman with a boil on her neck, sitting on a rock looking at a bull frog in a pond. This is one of over 100 in a series of comic parodies of popular songs.
This colored print depicts an outdoor scene in which tree trunks spell out the word "FRAYNE." Various figures surrounding the word; some are rescuing people, some are performing stunts with guns, others are being executed as an example of frontier justice. In addition to the words “The Great Kentucky Rifle Team,” the print contains a caption reading “The Great Sensation of the Age” at the top and “Chas. A. Wing / Business Manager” at the bottom. The word “Champions” is printed vertically on the left side and “Of the World” runs vertically along the right.
Frank I. Frayne (1839-1891) was an actor and expert marksman born in Danville, Kentucky. He got his start as an actor performing on stages in Cincinnati, Ohio and New Orleans, Louisiana. After the Civil War he headed to the mining regions of the American West, where he became an expert shooter. When he returned to the East, he formed a rifle team and began presenting shows that combined shooting tricks with animal stunts involving dogs, ponies, a bear, a lion and hyenas. One of his most famous presentations was Si Slocum, in which he portrayed a ranch proprietor locked in a vicious battle to keep his land. Frayne used live ammunition for his tricks, which included shooting a pipe out of a ranch hand's mouth, extinguishing a candle with a gunshot, and shooting an apple off another performer's head while standing backwards and sighting his target with a mirror. His act went tragically wrong during an 1882 performance in Cincinnati, Ohio, when Frayne shot and killed his fiancé and partner in a William Tell type performance, actress Annie Von Behren (1857-1882). He claimed his rifle accidentally discharged, and he was absolved of responsibility for the death when an examination of his three foot long single breechloading rifle proved the firearm was damaged and not firing properly.
Charles W. Wing was buisness manager for the Frank Frayne Combination in the 1870's and 1880s.
This lithograph was produced by the Metropolitan Printing Company and E. Rothengatter. Emil Rothengatter (1848-1939) was a German-born artist and designer of circus posters who worked in cities including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1896 he won a contest to design the flag of Cincinnati for a work he called “Zero of Burnet Woods.” However, controversy over whether Cincinnati should have a flag delayed the design’s formal adoption until 1940. Emil Rothengatter also wrote a book entitled Art of Poster Making in the United States, published in 1911. He died in New York.
Full-size patent model (U.S. Patent No. 35,936) of a foot warmer or stove, made by Solomon Hunt of Danville, IN, and patented on July 22, 1862. Consists of a wooden box with a black-curtained, angled front opening enclosing a slanted, slotted platform with copper plate underneath on which to place one's feet; the opening at bottom back holds a sliding alcohol-burning lamp with loop strap handle. Top has a bail handle at front and rectangular brass plaque at back marked "Solomon Hunt / Danville, Ind". Two small brass-lined ventilation holes at sides. Black plain-weave curtain with a pink, blue and yellow, machine-stitched border is tacked in place.
Knife-blade andiron with a brass multiknopped finial and applied, beaded-edge plinth block on rounded, arched legs ending in penny feet. Finial is cast hollow in two halves and peened on top of upright, which is tenoned through the legs. Billet bar tenoned into plinth of upright. No marks. One of a pair, DL*388201A-B.
Samuel Whelpley’s Lectures on Ancient History. Comprising a General View of the Principal Events and eras in Civil History, from the Creation of the World to the Augustan Age was published by Wiley and Halsted of New York, in 1821. The book mainly derives its source material from Biblical history, which was common in this time and may be expected from histories written by ordained ministers.
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.