American Ceramic Circle 2023 Symposium | November 29, 2023

I recently was offered an amazing opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour with Dr. Laura Johnson at the Winterthur Museum in​ Wilmington, Delaware. This was my first time at Winterthur and I was very excited for what she would show me. It was a cool and blustery autumn day, the grass was still bright green but sprinkled with crimson leaves throughout the campus. I started at the Visitor Center and took the shuttle to the Museum where I met Dr. Johnson. She was immediately personable and welcoming. I was led through a maze of rooms, doors, and elevators to a moderately sized textile storage room with dim lighting. There Dr. Johnson began opening drawer after drawer of unique and surprising finds!

Among my favorites was a collection of 17th century hand-worked table caskets. Similar to today’s jewelry box, a table casket was made to hold a young lady’s personal effects, including needlework tools, jewelry, and anything else she deemed to be personal or private. A stunning example, dated from 1650-1700 (1970.0507), was a bequest from Francis Henry du Pont. Composed of wood, glass, silk, and paper, the casket depicts figures on the outer doors which open to a series of silk-worked drawers. The lid, having a mirrored interior, is fitted inside with a series of bottles. Despite the obvious functionality, the piece displays a remarkable example of skill and creativity with a variety of stitches and designs.