Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit! We have been making models of ships for thousands of years…wonderful examples have survived from ancient Egypt. Miniature models of a ship in a bottle have fascinated us since the 18th, perhaps even 17th Centuries. What […]
Nantucket History & People
Burn Clear & Bright – Whale Oil
Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit! In the dark ages, homes were lit by horribly smoky and evil smelling fat lamps and grease candles. The superior and extremely expensive beeswax candle was reserved for churches and nobility. The success of the whale […]
Odds Bodkins! Antiques Snippets
Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit! The wee cousin to a marlin spike or fid, these little ivory or bone carved “needles” are the most common form of scrimshaw. Sailors crafted bodkins in an endless variety of forms and sizes, presents for […]
New Events at Antiques Show
The Nantucket Summer Antiques Show is back for it’s second year, opening in the Nantucket Boy’s and Girl’s Club at 61 Sparks Avenue this Friday, August 11. According to Kaye Gregg, Director of Shows, “We were delighted with the reception to last year’s show, and this year the show promises […]
Spill Proof Ingenuity – Gimbals
Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit! On board ships (and now in antiques shops) one often finds whale oil lamps, candleholders, compasses and barometers held by hinged circular frames that pivot so that the instrument remains ever upright and even, no matter […]
Bagatelle
Commonly asked questions and misunderstandings about antiques… and the odd or end fascinating bit! If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck… except when it comes to pool tables. As various outdoor ball games were brought inside from the 15th Century onwards, […]
Down to the Sea in Ships
The Nantucket Historical Association (NHA) is pleased to announce the return of the silent film Down to the Sea in Ships (1922), with live piano accompaniment by Grammy Award-nominated pianist Jennifer Maxwell at the Whaling Museum, 13 Broad Street, on Wednesday, July 19 at 7 pm. This one-night only performance […]
Tony Sarg, Artist, Genius, and Prankster
by Sanibel Chai The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade conjures up images of floats, balloons, marching bands, and lavish performance. Notions of entertainment come to mind before artistry, but the giant inflatable balloons that the parade is most famous for are the brainchild of celebrated German-American artist Anthony Frederick Sarg (1880-1942). […]
Nantucket’s Golden Age
Nantucket Preservation Trust (NPT) is kicking off Nantucket’s Preservation Month with a new three-day symposium from June 6 to 8 called Nantucket’s Golden Age: Architecture – Interiors – Historic Landscapes. The symposium will take place at various island venues and feature nationally recognized architectural critic and educator, Paul Goldberger, as […]