10/03/2023
It's a good day for a late afternoon stroll.
Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts
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MESDA is the preeminent center for the research and study of Southern decorative arts and material cu MESDA is located at Old Salem Museums & Gardens.
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Old Salem Inc.'s main page is facebook.com/OldSalemInc
10/02/2023
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Join us Oct 13-14 in Louisville, KY for a unique collaboration with The Filson! Dive deep into untold stories & overlooked perspectives from the 18th & 19th century Ohio Valley. Discover too-often overlooked insights on its rich history. We are excited to have MESDA's Curator, Lea Lane, speaking on Daniel Boone and the development of Kentucky's visual mythology. Let's redefine narratives together! ๐๏ธ
To learn more and register, head to https://filsonhistorical.org/events/filson-biennial-conference/filsonmesda-conference-2023/
10/01/2023
Travel with MESDA from November 3-7 as we explore coastal Georgia!
We're excited to announce that we've reopened registration for this previously fully booked trip with MESDA staff. Register now to join us in Savannah & St Marys, Georgia on our first MESDA Journey since 2019!
Savannah's iconic squares beckon as we enjoy special access to important collections and explore hidden gems in the city founded by James Edward Oglethorpe in 1732 and immortalized in the book Midnight In The Garden of Good and Evil. Heading south, our tour will take us to tabby ruins, on the water to explore several of Georgia's Sea Islands, and to charming St. Mary's City, where entertainment at one of Georgia's premier decorative arts collections awaits. Participants will benefit from the guidance of MESDA's Chief Curator Daniel Ackermann, as well as the expertise of site curators and specialists.
To learn more, visit https://mesda.org/program/journey-2/
09/28/2023
It's not too late to join us in Louisville or online for our Filson + MESDA collab, New Voices in Kentucky Material Culture โ
Join us on October 13-14 in Louisville, KY as the Filson and the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts partner to open new conversations about material culture in the colonial and early-national Ohio Valley. Whose perspectives in the past have been ignored? Which stories have gone untold? Whose work has been un-examined and underappreciated? Who can tell us a new, relevant story now?
Speakers will include Keynote Speaker Kariann Akemi Yokoda (University of Colorado-Denver), Neal Gene Hurst (Colonial Williamsburg Foundation), Phillipe Halbert (Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art), and Mairin Odle (University of Alabama).
To end the conference, MESDA's Curator, Lea Lane, will share her lecture, After You: A Copy of the Emigration of Daniel Boone and the Development of Kentucky's Visual Mythology.
Tickets available at https://filsonhistorical.org/events/filson-biennial-conference/filsonmesda-conference-2023/
09/26/2023
Old Salem was honored to host a group of Liberians as guests of the Liberian Organization of the Piedmont (LOP). Historic Salem has a deep connection to that West African country, and Old Salem has a longtime friendship with LOP.
In October 1836, a lovefeast was held in the Log Church in Old Salem for a group of people about to immigrate to Liberia. Dr. Henry Schumann, who lived across the creek from Salem and held enslaved people including Ceolia and her children, was planning to move into town where slave regulations prohibited him taking the people he enslaved. He manumitted the 17 people he owned and sent them, with six other free people (several related by marriage to the seventeen), to Liberia and provided funds for resettlement. The group departed from Wilmington, NC, on the ship โRoundoutโ and crossed the Atlantic in five weeks to arrive in Monrovia, Liberia, to begin their new lives.
The story in Salem continues. After Emancipation, the Moravian church established a Freedmenโs neighborhood on Schumannโs former farm across the creek and called it โLiberia.โ Soon known as โHappy Hill,โ it was the first planned African American neighborhood in Winston-Salem.
In 2019, the City of Winston-Salem honored this connection with a historic marker on Liberia Street in Happy Hill. LOP is planning to build a nearby international student housing center for Liberian students who study in the area. For more information, visit https://lopnc.org.
09/24/2023
It's fall, friends.
09/21/2023
Have you seen this special pitcher at MESDA in "Thrown Together: The Pots and People of Early Alabama?"
Potter James Williams was born in Georgia around 1820-1825, but lived in Randolph County, Alabama by 1850. He later moved to Perry County. His son, Frank, carried on the trade. They were known for thin walled alkaline glazed wares.
The potter impressed shapes like the heart or the curving band into the unfired clay. Makers marks, like that of James Williams, were also sometimes stamped into the body of the object.
Stop by MESDA this week to learn more! Exhibit on view through September.
Pitcher
Circa 1850
Shop of James Williams
Perry County, Alabama
Stoneware with lime-based alkaline glaze
Collection of Ron Countryman and Joe Forbes
09/20/2023
We're proud to have had the chance to honor the recipients of our Frank L. Horton Society Distinguished Award and Frederic William Marshall Society Distinguished Service Award during our Gratitude Gathering weekend.
Mr. William Mariner and Mrs. Susan Mariner were recognized for their incredible contributions to MESDA and early Southern and decorative arts with our Frank L. Horton Society Distinguished Award!
Dr. Eugene W. Adcock and Mrs. Carolann Adcock received the Frederic William Marshall Society Distinguished Service Award for their dedication to the preservation of Old Salem and authentic living history.
It is not an exaggeration to say that without these wonderful friends of Old Salem and MESDA, we would be incapable of doing all that we do.
Thank you, from all of us.
09/19/2023
Everyone loves above-ground Salemโฆ but ground penetrating radar (GPR) helps us see the cool stuff below ground! Weโre excited to be working with New South Associates today to survey Lot 48, the site of Gottfried Austโs pottery! Lot 48 is now the site of the Shaffner house built in 1873.
Aust, Salemโs first master potter, established Salem as the most important pottery production center in North Carolina at the time. Potters Rudolph Christ and John Holland continued to make pottery at Lot 48 after Austโs death in 1788. Peter Oliver, an enslaved and later free potter, was one of the many men and women who worked at the site.
Old Salem is a national historic landmark for history, architecture, and archaeology, and Old Salem is lucky to work with so many wonderful partnersโincluding the owner of Lot 48โto explore and preserve this special place above and below ground!
09/16/2023
It's hard not to love our gardens.
This was just one of so many tours our team gave over the course of our Gratitude Gathering here at Old Salem! We're thrilled to have had such a fantastic turnout of some of Old Salem's strongest supporters. Thank you to all that helped to make this a reality!
09/13/2023
Join us for a special moment at the Old Salem Tavern Museum! On Friday, September 15th, at 10 a.m., we'll be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony. Witness a new chapter in our history and be part of this unforgettable day. Your presence will make it even more memorable. See you there!
09/12/2023
Join Lea Lane, Curator of the MESDA Collection, for a virtual lecture today at noon as she speaks for the DAR Museum! She'll be sharing the work of women's hands in MESDA's collection!
Join us at the link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1516657615333/WN_fm87jdtJTMmPgYyQD8PBgw #/registration
09/11/2023
Step into history at Old Salem's Single Sisters' House Museum! ๐ฐ๏ธ Discover the captivating story of Moravian single sisters and their lasting impact on our community. This is a FREE self-guided collection of exhibits! ๐๐
09/07/2023
Autumn is looming.
Additional textiles and wordplay available at the Single Brothers House at historic Old Salem Museums and Gardens. Plan your visit today!
Photo credit: Dan Routh Photography
09/05/2023
Discover the charm of the South's artistic heritage at the Museum of Early Southern and Decorative Arts! Explore history through exquisite craftsmanship Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
08/31/2023
Have you seen these pipe bowls at MESDA in "Thrown Together: The Pots and People of Early Alabama"?
Pipe bowls were among the basic wares produced by Alabama potters. Fragments are found in abundance at kiln sites, like these recovered from the Ussery shop site in Randolph County, Alabama. The pottery likely had several different lead molds on hand, as each of these fragments has a distinct pattern.
Stop by MESDA this week to learn more! Exhibit on view through September.
Pipe bowls
circa 1850
Ussery pottery shop site
Bacon Level, Randolph County, Alabama
Stoneware
Collection of Rick Messer and James โBeefyโ Cormany
08/28/2023
Bobby Davis, our own birdhouse man, donates half of the proceeds he receives to help those with food insecurity throughout the community. Take a look at his handiwork next time you visit the second floor of the Winkler Bakery!
Learn how โthe Birdhouse Manโ is making Winston-Salem a better, prettier place. (And how you can, too!) By Tina Firesheets | Photos by Scott Muthersbaugh Bobby Davis has built hundreds, if not thousands, of homes [...]
08/27/2023
Have you noticed all the work being done to the Old Salem Tavern Museum?
Thank you to everyone who's been a part of this restoration!
08/27/2023
We're excited to have taken not one, but TWO spots in the 25 Best Places to Visit in North Carolina! Thank you, Travel + Leisure!
Here are the top places to visit on your next trip to the Tar Heel State.
08/24/2023
โTickets out now for Filson + MESDA: New Voices in Kentucky Material Culture โ
Join us in Louisville, KY or online on October 13-14 as we work with The Filson Historical Society to open new conversations about material culture in the colonial and early-national Ohio Valley. Whose perspectives on the past have been ignored? Which stories have gone untold? Whose work has been un-examined and underappreciated? Who can tell us a new, relevant story now?
Our very own Curator of the MESDA Collection, Lea Lane, will close out the conference with a lecture on the visual mythology of Daniel Boone examined through the lens of the iconic painting, The Emigration of Daniel Boone and his Family by William T. Ranney (pictured here).
Learn more about the conference and register at https://filsonhistorical.org/events/filson-biennial-conference/filsonmesda-conference-2023/
Image courtesy of Duncan Tavern Historic Site, Paris, KY
08/17/2023
Tickets out now! Virtual and in-person options available ๐๏ธ
Join us on October 13-14 in Louisville, KY as the Filson and the Museum of Southern Decorative Arts partner to open new conversations about material culture in the colonial and early-national Ohio Valley. Whose perspectives on the past have been ignored? Which stories have gone untold? Whose work has been un-examined and underappreciated? Who can tell us a new, relevant story now?
The conference will feature panels exploring Black, Indigenous, female, and q***r perspectives on the confluence of rivers and cultures in the 18th and 19th century. Speakers will include Keynote Speaker Kariann Akemi Yokoda (University of Colorado-Denver), Neal Gene Hurst (Colonial Williamsburg Foundation), Phillipe Halbert (Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art), and Mairin Odle (University of Alabama).
To end the conference, MESDA's Curator, Lea Lane, will share her lecture, After You: A Copy of The Emigration of Daniel Boone and the Development of Kentucky's Visual Mythology.
To purchase tickets and learn more, head to https://filsonhistorical.org/events/filson-biennial-conference/filsonmesda-conference-2023/
08/15/2023
Country Living Magazine, we couldn't agree more. Thank you for the shout-out!
Picturesque ice cream shops, antique stores, and bed and breakfasts galore.
08/15/2023
Thank you all for voting Old Salem Museums and Gardens YES! Weekly's Best Museum in Forsyth County! We're always heartened to see the love and support you all in the community share with us.
Take a full look at all of YES! Weekly's winners here: https://ow.ly/fr3l50PzoVK
08/11/2023
When did John Smithโs map of Virginia become an icon of American memory? More recently than you might think.
John Smithโs maps of Virginia and New England are both widely recognized as important pieces of colonial American history. Virginia, with its representations of Powhatanโs village and the Indigenous tribes living in the Tidewater region, has become synonymous with the founding of Virginia itself.
But when did this map become so ingrained in public memory? And why didnโt Smithโs New England ever achieve this same iconic status? Cassandra Farrell, Senior Map Archivist at the Library of Virginia, explores the fascinating historiography of these maps through their use in celebrations, festivals, expositions, and illustrations in literature.
Head to the MESDA Journal to read her newly published article, โIcons of American Memory? John Smithโs Maps of Virginia and New England.โ
https://www.mesdajournal.org/2023/research-note-icons-of-american-memory-john-smiths-maps-of-virginia-and-new-england/
Credit: "Virginia"
Sixth state by Captain John Smith (cartographer), William Hole (engraver)
London, England
1624
Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. G3880 1624 .S541.
08/11/2023
The hiring fair continues! Pop by the Visitor Center today until 5:00 p.m., bring a resume, and learn more about a career at Old Salem Museums and Gardens!
08/10/2023
Tickets coming soon ๐
The Filson Historical Society(Louisville, Kentucky) and the Museum of Southern Decorative Arts are partnering to open new conversations about material culture in the colonial and early-national Ohio Valley. Whose perspectives on the past have been ignored? Which stories have gone untold? Whose work has been un-examined and underappreciated? Who can tell us a new, relevant story now?
This two-day conference will feature panels exploring Black, Indigenous, female, and q***r perspectives on the confluence of rivers and cultures in the 18th and 19th century. It is intended to spark new ideas by bringing together academics, curators, collectors, and practicing artists.
Tickets available on Tuesday 8/15, with reduced rates available for MESDA members.
Learn more about the speakers and schedule at https://filsonhistorical.org/events/filson-biennial-conference/filsonmesda-conference-2023/
08/09/2023
Don't forget! Old Salem is Hiring!
We are looking for potters, metalworkers, public history professionals, and people with a passion for interpreting African American history!
Check out https://www.oldsalem.org/employment-opportunities/ for more, or come see us at the Old Salem Visitor Center this Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for our hiring fair!
08/04/2023
History professionals, artisans, and educators unite! Old Salem is !
If you're passionate about hands-on history, research, and engaging with people, then consider joining Old Salem in a museum interpreter position.
Visit https://www.oldsalem.org/employment-opportunities/ to apply, or bring your resume to our hiring fair on Friday, August 11, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Old Salem Visitor Center. Join us in living history!
08/03/2023
Do you know what these unique pieces of pottery were created for?
Don't forget to take a tour through Thrown Together: Pots and People of Early Alabama during your next visit to MESDA!
08/02/2023
We're SO excited to have the pottery re-launched in the Single Brothers' House! Come on down and see the new space Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.!
07/25/2023
First Waughtown Baptist Church (FWBC) will celebrate its 157th anniversary this upcoming weekend!
With historic ties to Salem and St. Philips Moravian Church, FWBC members recently visited Old Salem for a special Hidden Town tour.
The start was made in the Old Salem Visitor Center at the Happy Hill exhibit โSelections from Across the Creek.โ
Learn more about this wonderful exhibit here: https://www.oldsalem.org/selections-from-across-the-creek/
Included in the exhibit is a portrait of Washington Fries with a grandchild, from the collection of descendant Clara Caldwell, a resident of historic Waughtown-Belview. Mrs. Caldwell attended the Hidden Town tour and shared about the portrait of her ancestor.
Learn more about the Hidden Town Project here: https://www.oldsalem.org/hidden-town-project/
According to historian Mel White, โWashโ was born in Virginia in 1836 and had early ties to the Fries Woolen Mill in Salem, first as an enslaved man and after Emancipation, as a mill worker. He was also a barber and a gardener. He married Harriet in 1859 in the Waughtown community, and they had eleven children.
For more information about First Waughtown Baptist Church, visit https://www.firstwaughtown.org.
Congratulations FWBC!
07/24/2023
Experience the remarkable intersection of cultures in 'Thrown Together: The Pots and People of Early Alabama' at MESDA. Trace the influence of Indigenous, colonial, and enslaved potters in shaping Alabama's rich pottery tradition. A story told in clay.
07/22/2023
This week Old Salemโs Hidden Town Project hosted Happy Hill Arts campers for a session about research in the Wachovia Room!
The children enjoyed โAsk an Elderโ featuring St. Philips Moravian Church member Barbara Chisholm Morris.
They also toured the Visitor Center exhibit โSelections from Across the Creek: Happy Hill.โ
You can learn more about this impactful exhibit here: https://www.oldsalem.org/selections-from-across-the-creek/
You can learn more about the Happy Hill Summer Arts program here: https://www.facebook.com/happyhillsummerarts/
Happy Summer!
07/20/2023
Our interpreters get this same question ALL the time. You'd be surprised how well 19th-century clothing stands up to North Carolina's trademark summer weather!
Old Sturbridge Village
ใปใปใป
One of the most common questions our Costumed Historians answer in the summer is, โArenโt you hot?!โ While itโs hard for anyone to beat the heat in the sun on a 95-degree day, the reproduced 19th-century clothes you see worn are cooler than you may think for several reasons.
Last week, we shared reason #1: fabric choice! Today, we're highlighting reason #2: coverage. 19th-century daily wear leaves little skin exposed to the sun and doesnโt fit too tightly. As a result, the absorbent, breathable fabrics weโve already mentioned not only wick moisture away from the body and allow for cooling airflow, they also protect skin from the direct warmth of the sun.
07/17/2023
Thank you so much for the kind words! Don't forget to stop in for an enriching tour of during your visit - our summer Alabama pottery exhibit's not one you're going to want to miss!
Discover the past at the Old Salem Museums & Gardens, conveniently located near our hotel. ๐ This summer they're featuring 'Salem Saturdays', so grab your tickets at oldsalem.org/summer-2 today! ๐ป
07/11/2023
Who created this gorgeous piece of art, part of a larger collection of artwork that is kept in ? Bonus points for whoever can name this insect and plant!
07/02/2023
St. Augustine has the honor of being the oldest American settlement, but Old Salem might be one of the coolest."
Thank you, Southern Living, for your kind words!
Simply called โWinstonโ by locals, Winston-Salem is a twin city town with deep roots. Whether you're looking to explore Old Salem or eager to soak in the arts and culture scene, here are the best things to do in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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924 S Main Street
Winston-Salem, NC
27101
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| Friday | 10am - 4pm |
| Saturday | 10am - 4pm |
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Videos
New to the Collection - Georgia Chest
New to the Collection is this Chest made in Georgia in 1853. Join Curator Lea Lane at MESDA and learn about some of elements that made this chest special! Chest, 1853, Georgia, yellow pine with paint. Loan courtesy of Fred and Beth Mercier.
Are you a student or emerging professional who would like to attend Map Seminar? Through the generosity of our donors, we're able to offer several in-person scholarships to Map Seminar this year, inclusive of conference registration and a small travel stipend. If you're interested in applying, please head to https://mesda.org/2022-map-seminar-scholarship-form/ Not a student but interested in attending? We've opened up a handful of tickets available at https://mesda.org/program/mesda-fall-seminar/
New to the Collection - John Anderson Chair
New to the collection is this Chair made in Annapolis, Maryland in the mid 18th century by John Anderson. Anderson made this chair with a very difficult and rare technique that made this chair extra special. Join Chief Curator, Daniel Ackermannm to find out what the technique is and why it is so special. Chair John Anderson Annapolis, Maryland 1745-1755 Acc. 6042.1 Gift of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Sears, Jr.
New to the Collection - View of Salem 1943
New to the collection is this 1943 View of Salem by Pauline Bahnson Gray. The artist meticulously tries to include every detail painted in the original 1787 View of Salem by Ludwig Von Redeken. Join Johanna Brown, Curator of Moravian Decorative Arts at MESDA to find out why this 20th century piece is in our collection! View of Salem after 1787 Von Redeken View by Pauline Bahnson Gray 1943 Acc. 5878.2 Gift of William Bahnson Gray in honor of Thomas A. Gray
New to the Collection - Pictorial Embroidery
New to the collection is this Pictorial Embroidery, a great example of combined medium, silk and watercolor, and combined work by a student-teacher duo from St. Josephโs Academy for girls in Emmitsburg (Frederick County), Maryland. Learn more about this piece from Jenny Garwood, Curator of Textile at MESDA. Pictorial Embroidery by Margaret Jane Wood and Sister Josephine (Ann Collins) Emmitsburg, Frederick County, Maryland 1831 Acc. 6028 #textile #crafts #silk #watercolor #pictorialembroidery #newtothecollection #MESDA #art #19thcentury #collection #museum #oldsalem #maryland #stjosephsacademy
New to the Collection - Desk and Bookcase
New to the collection is this Desk and Bookcase made by master joiner, Johannes Krause (1742-1807) of the Single Brothersโ joinery in the late 18th century. It is considered to be one of the finest Moravian desks ever made. Join Johanna Brown, Curator of Moravian Decorative Arts at MESDA to find out more about this significant piece. Desk and Bookcase by Johannes Krause Salem, North Carolina 1775-1795 Acc. 5692 Gift of Eaddo Hayes Kiernan in memory of Rowena Eaddy Williams and Eaddy Williams Hayes #newtothecollection #MESDA #decorativearts #deskandbookcase #furniture #18thcentury #crafts #woodwork #antique #collection #museum #oldsalem
HOUSE PARTY R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. April 22 to July 16
โAn object-driven approach not only looks at the object, but it looks at the context in which it was created,โ says exhibit curator Michael J. Bramwell. House Party R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. is gathering of works by important historical and contemporary artists including Thomas Day, David Drake, Michelle Erickson, David Hammons, Joshua Johnson, Alison Saar, Kara Walker, and others in MESDAs White Hall Dining Room. For more information about House Party (April 22 to July 16), visit: https://mesda.org/exhibit_category/houseparty/ House Party is made possible by support from the Chipstone Foundation, the Wunsch Americana Foundation, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. House Party is part of Old Salem and MESDA's Out of Bounds contemporary art initiative. To learn more about this project visit: https://www.oldsalem.org/core-initiatives/salemoutofbounds/
HOUSE PARTY R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. April 22 to July 16
โHistory is a contemporary event,โ says exhibit curator Michael J. Bramwell, โwhen you bring contemporary art into this discussion its a way of acknowledging that these artists are dealing with the same difficult historyโฆโ House Party R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. is gathering of works by important historical and contemporary artists including Thomas Day, David Drake, Michelle Erickson, David Hammons, Joshua Johnson, Alison Saar, Kara Walker, and others in MESDAs White Hall Dining Room. For more information about House Party (April 22 to July 16), visit: https://mesda.org/exhibit_category/houseparty/ House Party is made possible by support from the Chipstone Foundation, the Wunsch Americana Foundation, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. House Party is part of Old Salem and MESDA's Out of Bounds contemporary art initiative. To learn more about this project visit: https://www.oldsalem.org/core-initiatives/salemoutofbounds/
HOUSE PARTY R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. April 22 to July 16
โOne of the things about a party, about a celebration, is that you need to be invited,โ says exhibit curator Michael J. Bramwell. House Party R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. is gathering of works by important historical and contemporary artists including Thomas Day, David Drake, Michelle Erickson, David Hammons, Joshua Johnson, Alison Saar, Kara Walker, and others in MESDAs White Hall Dining Room. For more information about House Party (April 22 to July 16), visit: https://mesda.org/exhibit_category/houseparty/ House Party is made possible by support from the Chipstone Foundation, the Wunsch Americana Foundation, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. House Party is part of Old Salem and MESDA's Out of Bounds contemporary art initiative. To learn more about this project visit: https://www.oldsalem.org/core-initiatives/salemoutofbounds/
HOUSE PARTY R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. Opens April 22
โI wanted to invite contemporary artists into a space where they would have traditionally been excludedโฆ and have a celebration,โ says exhibit curator Michael J. Bramwell. House Party R.S.V.P. B.Y.O.B. is gathering of works by important historical and contemporary artists including Thomas Day, David Drake, Michelle Erickson, David Hammons, Joshua Johnson, Alison Saar, Kara Walker, and others in MESDAs White Hall Dining Room. House Party opens April 22. For more information about the project visit: https://mesda.org/exhibit_category/houseparty/ House Party is made possible by support from the Chipstone Foundation, the Wunsch Americana Foundation, and the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Party is part of Old Salem and MESDA's Out of Bounds contemporary art initiative. To learn more about this project visit: https://www.oldsalem.org/core-initiatives/salemoutofbounds/
If you are a textile fan, this one is for you. Join Jenny Garwood, Education Coordinator, MESDA Programming and Adjunct Curator of Collections, at the MESDA textile gallery, as she opens the doors of this piece that you might walk past, and introduce the fabulous woven coverlets and blankets in there. #textile #woven #coverlet #blanket #earlysouth #weaver #overshot #jacquard
โShouldnโt he be wearing gloves when touching those artifacts?โ Well, not necessarily. When it comes to handling objects in a museum, the number one goal is to best preserve them in the long run, and sometimes, gloves might be in the way of us doing that. Learn from our Chief Curator, Daniel Ackermann, about when to and when not to wear gloves while handling museum collections. #MESDA #artifacts #gloves #curator #museum #antique #ceremics #silver #oldbooks
Study South in 60-seconds: Self Portrait of Daniel Welfare
Whoโs that man in the doorway and whatโs he hiding behind those brushes? Itโs Salem painter and gallerist Daniel Welfare! Learn more about this early Salem artist (and the naughty bits heโs hiding behind his brushes!) from Johanna Brown, curator of Moravian Decorative Arts! Self Portrait Daniel Welfare Salem, North Carolina 1825 Oil on canvas HOA: 84โ Collection of the Wachovia Historical Society (P-86)
Study South in 60 Seconds: Diminutive Salem Clock
This NEW acquisition may be smallโฆ But it sure has a BIG presence in our Moravian Decorative Arts gallery! This diminutive case clock was made in Salem, North Carolina, about 1825. Learn more about this clock and its makers from Johanna Brown, curator of Moravian Decorative Arts. And be sure to check it out on your next visit! Diminutive Tall Case Clock Johann Thomas Welfare Salem, North Carolina c.1825 Maple, poplar, and pine HOA: 42โ Frank and Carol Holcomb Purchase Fund (6022
Study South in 60-Seconds: Mary Ann Speed's Mount Vernon
๐จDo you put your childโs or grandchildโs artwork on your wall or fridge? In the case of Mary Ann Speed, this piece of artwork she completed at the Salem Girlsโ Boarding School (Now Salem College!) was preserved for generations and now hangs, thanks to generous donors, in our Moravian Decorative Arts Gallery! The accounting of Mary Annโs school expenditures between June 1811 and January 1812 records her purchase of the variety of materials she would have needed to complete this needlework including 81 skeins of embroidery silk, 41 ยฝ yards of silk chenille, ribbons and tape, and satin. Learn more about Mary Annโs embroidered picture from Moravian Decorative Arts Curator Johanna Brown! Come check it out the next time you visit Old Salem and MESDA! Mount Vernonโฆ Mary Ann Speed (1796-1826) Salem, North Carolina Silk, chenille, and watercolor on silk HOA (framed): 29 5/8โ Gift of Frank H. and Carol C. Holcomb in Memory of Charles and Rebecca Sherman (5717.1)
๐NEW to the Collection๐ Check out this clothes press made by Scottish-born Virginia cabinetmaker Robert Walker! Learn more about this recent addition to the MESDA collection from chief Curator Daniel Ackermann. Want to know more about Robert Walker? Check out Robert Leathโs 2006 article in American Furniture from the The Chipstone Foundation: http://www.chipstone.org/article.php/559/American-Furniture-2006/Robert-and-William-Walker-and-the-โNe-Plus-Ultraโ:-Scottish-Design-and-Colonial-Virginia-Furniture,-1730โ1775 CLOTHES PRESS Robert Walker King George County, Virginia 1760-1765 Walnut and yellow pine HOA: 78 1/2" Partial gift of John G. Beverley; Partial gift of Carolyn and Mike McNamara, Christopher H. Jones, and the Anne P. and Thomas A. Gray MESDA Purchase Fund in honor of Robert Leath.
Study South in 60-Seconds: An Iconic Kentucky Chest of Drawers
Laissez les bons temps rouler and mint juleps all in one, y'all! This iconic Kentucky chest, made along the Ohio River in Mason County, Kentucky, fuses elements of Virginia and Louisiana furniture into a unique expression of place. Want to learn more? Check out this video and chief curator Daniel Ackermann's article in the February issue of The Magazine Antiques https://www.themagazineantiques.com/article/conformable-to-that-of-the-waters-the-search-for-the-origins-of-an-early-kentucky-furniture-group/ #antiques #studysouth #kentuckyfurniture #louisianafurniture
It's SOOO Old!: Study South in 60-Seconds
It doesnโt get older than this! Did you know that MESDA is home to the oldest piece of Southern furniture? Check out the story behind this court cupboard made in Jamestown, Virginia, in the middle of the 17th century! #StudySouth Court Cupboard Jamestown, Virginia 1650-1670 Walnut, oak, yellow pine, iron Gift of Frank L. Horton (2024.6)
Study South in 60-Seconds: Samuel F.B. Morse
Dit-dit-dit-dit dit dit-dah-dit-dit dit-dah-dit-dit dah-dah-dah Did you know that before inventing the telegraph, Samuel F.B. Morse was an accomplished artist? Learn more in 60-seconds from Jane Sutton, manager of MESDA Interpretation!
Time Out XI
Take a time out and enjoy this moment at Old Salem. ๐
Who made this desk? Thereโs some clue.
๐ง๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐. ๐๐ Learn more about this desk: ๐ https://mesda.org/item/collections/desk/2371/
Study South in 60-Seconds:
NEW TO THE COLLECTION: With the help of a generous donor we were recently able to acquire a 1632 printing of John Smith's ๐โ๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐... What makes this book so special? In addition to the text it includes all of its original maps and printed plates! Learn more from Gary Albert, Director of MESDA Research and the Gray Rare Book Library. ๐โ๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐โฆ John Smith London 1632 Paper, ink, leather HOA: 10 7/8โ Partial Gift of Thomas A. Gray in memory of Anne P. and Bahnson Gray (5851.1)
A Mug Story
๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐บ๐๐ด? This mug descended John Michael Zeiglerโs family for 300 years before it came to MESDA in the 1970s. Find out more about this mug: ๐ https://mesda.org/item/collections/mug/2000/
Raw or Painted?
๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐น๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ? Come to MESDA from 10AM to 2PM from Wednesday to Saturday to learn more about some of the furniture that show you the best of both worlds!
Crops from America Part 2 of 2
Join Director of Horticulture Eric Jackson to explore some crops people have been in relationships with in America for thousands of years. ๐
An unexpected secretโฆof this desk. ๐คซ
๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐โ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฟ, ๐๐ผ๐ต๐ป ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฟ? โฃ โฃ Visit MESDA 10AM to 2PM from Wednesday to Saturday to take a closer look at this piece and find out more stories behind the artifacts of our MESDA collection!
Study South in 60-Seconds: The Cumberland River at Nashville, Tennessee
We love Nashville, Tennessee! (It's one of our favorite places!). We're lucky to have this 1820s landscape painting of the Cumberland River just outside Nashville by the artist Ralph E.W. Earl. ๐จ (He painted this scene a number of times, often times changing the craft on the water ๐ถโต๏ธ!) Want to learn more? Study South in 60-seconds with Gary Albert, MESDA's Director of Research.
Time Out X
Take a time out and enjoy this moment at Old Salem. โ๏ธ
Who thinks we need 3D prints of Winchester our Bell family lion?
Salem Silversmith John Vogler: Study South in 60-seconds
Who was John Vogler, Salem, North Carolina's most famous silversmith? Find out in just 60-seconds from Gary Albert, Director of MESDA Research and Adjunct Curator of Silver and Metals. #StudySouth
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Our Story
The Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts at Old Salem Museums and Gardens is dedicated to the researching, collecting, exhibiting, and sharing the story of the early American South through the objects made and used by its diverse people. MESDAโs website is http://www.MESDA.org
Old Salem Inc.'s main page is facebook.com/OldSalemInc
Nearby museums
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S Main Street
Other History Museums in Winston-Salem
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Reynolda House Museum of American Art
Reynolda Road -
Old Salem Road
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S. Liberty Street
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S Main Street
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Forest Hills Road
Comments
Upcoming auction piece that appears to be S.C. in origin.
https://www.pookandpook.com/lot/unusual-silk-on-silk-embroidery-19th-c-4048136
https://www.pookandpook.com/lot/unusual-silk-on-silk-embroidery-19th-c-4048136
A pair of rare O.O. Woodman 5 gallon jugs produced while he was a druggist in Vicksburg, Mississippi. (He moved to New Orleans in 1847) Both were made (and filled) in Kentucky. The one on the right was made by "Thomas and Mendel" You'll probably never see tow of these together again.....:-) Kudos to Susan Mariner for introducing me to your wonderful museum!
Don't miss our Chief Curator Robert
Leath's lecture at Wilton House Museum about "Friends with benefits." It's about Quakers.
Leath's lecture at Wilton House Museum about "Friends with benefits." It's about Quakers.
Happy 100th Frank!
Watched a very informative video on CSPAN-3 of Daniel Ackerman's walking us through the museum. I was struck especially by the painting of Charleston's waterfront -- especially the luminescence of the wave. -- and the original Jamestown furniture. Made me want to drive right on down to Winston-Salem, but it's still snowing outside at the moment, first full day of spring 2018. Keep up the good works.
I wore my white socks in honor of Frank L. Horton. Happy 100th Birthday!
#100
#100
Curious Kitten showing off his white socks in honor of Frank Horton's 100th birthday! Happy Birthday Frank!
Thanks for your legacy of scholarship, Frank Horton and MESDA! Happy 100th from Winterthur's Academic Programs Department. We broke out the white socks and some great reading for .
The first time Beverley and I visited MESDA was the day after a big snow storm. We had made an appointment to do some research and had gotten into W-S on Sunday just before the snow. Of course on Monday the entire town was shut down with 8" of snow. The museum was closed but the back door to downstairs was open. And there was Sally Gant to meet us and show us how to use the research files, and Frank was in the far corner pecking away on his typewriter. Here was this icon of Southern decorative arts that I had heard about for years, totally unassuming and of course wearing his white socks. Wish I had a photo. Thanks Frank and all the MESDA family!!!
In honor of Frank Horton's 100th birthday. My Hero!!!
https://janicecolehopkins.blogspot.com/2017/11/candlewicking-old-craft-candlewicking.html
The old craft of candlewicking - - -
The old craft of candlewicking - - -
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