July Exhibit: Victorian Accessories at Col. Paul Wentworth House

Adornments: “Accessories from the Victorian Era” on Exhibit at the 

Colonel Paul Wentworth House

“Adornments,” an exhibit of fashionable accessories from the Victorian era, will be on display at the Colonel Paul Wentworth House in Rollinsford through the month of July.  The exhibit features jewelry, fans, handbags, parasols, capes and other items worn by ladies of the Abbott-Goodwin family of Massachusetts from the 1830s through the early 1900s.  The collection is on loan from South Berwick resident Jean Demetracopoulos.

An unusual highlight of the exhibit is a collection of hair jewelry, sentimental jewelry made from the hair of loved ones.  While often thought of as mourning jewelry, just as often such jewelry was presented to a friend or family member as a token of affection.  The collection includes pins, bracelets, earrings, and lockets.

Another highlight is an assortment of fans, including a fan commemorating the opening of trade between Japan and the US in the 1850s, an autograph fan, and a variety of other examples made from ivory, sandalwood, ostrich feathers, silk, and other materials.

Please note: An illustrated lecture and guided tour of the exhibit will be presented on Thursday evening, July 19 at 7 pm by Julia Roberts and Tara Vose, curators of the exhibit.  Admission to the lecture and tour is $5 for the general public and free to ARCH members.

Illustration: Courtesy of Jean Demetracopoulos, woven shoe, c. mid 19th century

http://www.paulwentworthhouse.org/