Curious Curator: Art Deco Dance Purse

Unlike the rage of today where purses are huge, well at least mine are, and I seem to carry everything I need for a weeks survival, I stumbled or re-stumbled upon this little gem this morning as I was hiding artefacts away in Adelaide's closet, preparing for filming this week. This lovely Art Deco dance purse. The idea for the dance purse is that it hangs from a chain attached to your wrist avoiding cumbersome purses that would detract from your dress (as dresses became tiny in the 1920s) and would be easy to locate when needed. This hammered sterling piece, with gold and rose gold linear decoration is 2 3/4" in height and 3" in width at the bottom. The mesh silver wrist chain, also sterling, measures 5" in length.                  

The interior of the purse shows the compact mirror, the coin dispensers for nickels and dimes for tipping, and the small clip for holding your mad money in place, or if preferred, your prepared powder puff, for the evening.  In an era where makeup application and powdered noses were en-vogue, this was a must have piece among any woman's accessories.

Our compact dance purse comes from Ryrie Birks. A jewellery company located throughout Canada, but with main offices/stores in Toronto.  This tiny artefact resides in Adelaide McLaughlin's walk-in closet and is rarely displayed.  

 

 

 

 



Curious Curator: Book Accessories ( Book Ends & Book Marks)

When you have been through Parkwood, I am sure you have noted the amount of books within the house. Not just within my favourite room, the Library, but the entire home. We boast approx. 4000 volumes of books in the Estate, and those who remember their tour will note the built- in reading lights in the headboards of the Master Bedroom. This household loved to read. As we were accessioning the books in 2000, and subsequently vacuum them annually, thanks to our integrated pest management program ( another subject entirely), we are reminded of the hidden gems tucked away between the pages of a few volumes. Like any household, we find small notecards or random pieces of paper used to mark the pages, but in other volumes we find actual book marks that are holding a favourite passage, or perhaps the last page read, before the book was re-shelved.

Adelaide McLaughlin was a serious reader. She read all sorts of different works, making notes in the margins, underlining her favourite phrases or ideas, and this habit of making notes continued in all of her books, including her Bible. Within a household Bible which has her handwriting on the fly leafs, referencing sermons she had attended, is this woven silk bookmark, embroidered with its own biblical passage. Better yet, from the curatorial perspective, is the threaded company name of Marshall, Morgan and Scott, a publishing firm of religious texts, and providing a date of 1931.

These bookmarks and their location, when discovered, helps provide a glimpse into the private lives of the family, highlighting how evenings may have been spent, perhaps dealing with a worry or concern, or perhaps the seeking and locating of the perfect passage to write to a dear friend, as is sometimes noted in the margin.

The silk thread book mark is an interesting one, as it is the only one of its kind within the collection we have come across. The others within the household tend to be heavier, and made of brass or silver.

The sterling silver book mark to the left with a pair of love birds, is typical of the book marks that start to emerge in the 1900s. Sturdier, and often with a point, the idea behind the knife or sword like bottom was to help the reader separate the pages that did not get "cut through" in the manufacturing process, of mass publication.
The Drake book mark, featuring the Golden Hind is an interesting piece, almost reminiscent of a tourist item or like many of the book accessories in the collection, I am wondering if they were a gift item to family members over the years.


Certainly presented as gifts to the family, would be some of book ends that we have within the collection, found throughout the Estate.
Everything from the "always be prepared" Boy Scouts book ends, to the whimsical art deco pieces in the Library.






In the more formal living spaces, like the Drawing Room, one finds the alabaster woman style book ends on the writing desk. While the Sunroom, has a more contemporary book end of the green globular style. (pictured above)

Among the children's books in the Library, a small gnome reads on his wooden book end, while tucked among the more "serious" literature are book ends depicting the death of Lord Darnley.

In the private spaces of the home, one will find the book ends that have a definite connection to the McLaughlin family and their leisurely pursuits. Horses, fishing and duck shooting definitely make up many of the book end styles that can be found.


An eclectic array of all subject matters, but all provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of Parkwood, as a family home.

If each piece could tell its story, I wonder what we would hear?!




Curator favourite- the Death of Darnley bookend
Etched brass and wood