Textile Note: Victorian Luxury, E. Hosking Nims Dress

This gown (jacket shown here) is one of the few that has the name of an owner attached to it within the Irma Bowen Collection at the University of New Hampshire Museum. This is fortunate for the woman who wore this garment, Elizabeth Hosking (Nims) had impeccable taste and an eye for not only lovely, but perfectly crafted details. One will note the use of monochromatic tones for this silk taffeta dress, relieved by various treatments showcased in Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail (coming September 2012); including bound edges, pleats, and elaborate seaming and gathers.

Although Elizabeth Hosking, born in St. Austell, Cornwall, England on December 11, 1826, there is a strong local connection between the gown and the region. She was the second wife of Lanmon Nims . Lanmon was born in Sullivan on Feb 3rd, 1811. He married his first wife, Lydia Locke on Feb 14, 1837; she died on Feb 2, 1851, two months after giving birth to their 4th child. Lanmon married Elizabeth on October 28th, 1851. They were married by Reverend Dr. Joel Clapp of Bellow Falls, VT (possibly of Immanuel Episcopal Church). Lanmon and Elizabeth resided in Keene, NH, where Lanmon was very successful in real estate, constructing the first town hall and church of Keene. Lanmon died on Sept 20, 1887 and Elizabeth died October 18, 1906; they had four children. Lanmon, his first wife Lydia, and his second wife Elizabeth were all buried in Woodland Cemetery in Keene NH. Research on E. Hosking Nims is ongoing.

Bridget Swift, Research Associate

Augmented Post on the Montgomery Store

 General Montgomery’s wealth and status may be seen in the commodious late Georgian home he built c. early 1790s, with its second floor ballroom, his outbuildings (including the store, which was readily accessible via a door cut into the side elevation closest, and at least one barn) and land holdings. Similar to the house, the store also had multiple entries, including one facing the street (pictured) and one leading down to the Oliverian Brook, again for easy access for the owner and his customers.  It appears from a number of small purchases of alcohol, made by 6-8 men simultaneously, that they were most likely working in the General's factories and mills, and would have benefited from direct entry to the store.

Congratulations to Astrida of SchaefferArts!

UNH alum and guest curator of Embellishments: Constructing Victorian Detail was featured in UNH today!
http://www.unh.edu/unhtoday/2012/02/museum-quality-astrida-schaeffer-99

Shoe Files: Historic New England, c. 1770

Jonathan Hose and Son, London, c.1770

Courtesy, Historic New England

These cream silk brocaded shoes, with blue and red flowers on a patterned ground, were made by a London family of cordwainers named Hose. The upper features an attractive floral silk in browns and greens on white with an oval toe. A well-proportioned 2.5 inch heel and period buckles (owned by Prudence Jenkins and worn for her wedding in 1778) complete this tasteful ensemble.

As Historic New England catalog information notes, many eighteenth-century shoes are called buckle shoes because a removable metal buckle was used to fasten the straps along the top. The high heel, round toe, angled side seams, and exuberant floral pattern of this buckle shoe are characteristic of shoes made in the third quarter of the eighteenth century.

In eighteenth-century Boston, Massachusetts, as in Philadelphia, PA, Newport, RI and Portsmouth, NH, the latest London fashions were readily available to those who could afford them. These brocade shoes were made in the section of London called Cheapside, known for its textile merchants and shoemakers. Like most shoes of the period, they have no right or left but were made to be interchangeable. The long tabs were intended to be fastened by buckles, which were worn like jewelry and could be transferred from one pair of shoes to another. Buckles could be set with diamonds for the wealthiest wearers, or, like these, made of paste.

For similar examples by the Hose family, see earlier posts and collections at Historic Deerfield and the Charleston Museum.

Acc. # 1919.140AB

Gift of Miss Mary C. Wheelwright

Information and photograph courtesy, Historic New England

Visit the Amesbury Carriage Festival on Facebook

You can now follow preparations for one of the most exciting events this summer in New England - the Amesbury Carriage Festival on Facebook. This is a not to be missed event!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/AmesburyCarriageFestival

Wood in the 21st Century, Conference + Training Program

PHOTOGRAPHER:Dr. Roy Winkelman

Organized by Technology and Conservation, MIT - Department of Architecture, and the BSA/AIA Historic Resources Committee, this two day intensive program is packed with excellent speakers and geared toward experienced contemporary and historic design and preservation professionals, students and the interested public. Held March 24-March 25 in Cambridge, MA,

For full conference program, see below and link:
http://network.aia.org/events/eventdescription/?CalendarEventKey=5e2a581f-d0c6-42bd-8c61-35f87c0fd419

************

Wood in the 21st Century: Design & Preservation of Contemporary & Historic Architecture

Saturday, March 24 – Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sponsored by - Technology & Conservation
- MIT Department of Architecture's Building Technology Program
- Boston Society of Architects/AIA's Historic Resources Committee

This important symposium will be held on the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Continuing education credits will be available (approx. 16 units for the March 24-25 program and 6 additional units for the optional program on March 26). Below are details on the topics to be covered, the speakers, a call for posters, hotel information, and the conference registration form...We hope that you will be joining us for this informative and stimulating conference.CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: 
SATURDAY, March 24, 2012  
7:30-8:15 am  Check-in
8:15-8:25        Welcome,  Susan E. Schur, Hon. AIA, FAPT, Publisher-Editor, Technology & Conservation, and Prof. John Ochsendorf, MIT  Department of Architecture
8:25-9:15        Perspectives - Historical-Styles, etc., Giles Downes, RIBA, Partner, SidellGibson Architects; Chairman of the Judges for The Wood Awards; Sr. Warden, Carpenters’ Company; and Governor, The Building Crafts College
9:15-10:00    Perspectives – Conservation/Restoration/Repair, Dr. David T. Yeomans, ACS Consulting Structural Engineers; and Visiting Lecturer, Bournemouth University, & Chair, ICOMOS UK Wood Committee
10:00-10:15    Lessons Learned from Historic Construction, Matthew B. Bronski, PE, Senior Project Manager, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.
10:15-10:30    Coffee Break + Posters

Developments in Technology & Materials – Properties, Structure, & Attachment 
10:30-11:00    Uses of Wood in the 21st Century (types of wood, forest management, grading, economic concerns, etc.), Dr. Scott Bowe, Professor & Wood Products Specialist, Russell Labs, University of Wisconsin - Madison
11:00-11:25    Mechanical & Structural Properties - including fire safety, Dr. Ben Brungraber, PE, President, Fire Tower Engineered Timber, Inc.
11:25-11:50    Moisture & Chemical Properties, Dr. Samuel V. Glass, Research Physical Scientist, Building Moisture & Durability, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
11:50-12:20    Biodegradation and Treatment, Dr. Brian R. Ridout, Entomologist & Senior Architectural Conservator, English Heritage 12:20-12:30    Q&A
12:30-2:10      Luncheon - MIT Faculty Club
2:10-2:25        Investigative Tools I - Resistance Drilling, IR, Ultrasonic, John Wathne, PE, President, Structures-North
2:25-2:40        Investigative Tools II - Microscopic ID, Philip L. Westover, PE, Staff Consultant, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. 
2:40-2:55        Investigative Tools III - Dendrochronology, Dr. Daniel Miles, FSA, Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory
2:55-3:10        Investigative Tools IV -  - Wind & Seismic Properties, Prof. John W. van de Lindt, Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Alabama
3:10-3:25        Coffee Break + Posters 

Conservation/Preservation of Buildings/Building Types Constructed from Early Times Up Through the 20th Century
3:25-3:55        Athletic Facilities, Paul Fast, PE, PIStructE, Managing Partner, Fast + Epp
3:55-4:15        Military & Cultural Buildings - Fort Adams, Fogg Art Museum, Kimball Art Museum, and others, Ronald W. Anthony, Wood Scientist, Anthony & Associates, Inc.             
4:15-4:30        Wood in Traditional Japanese Architecture, Prof. Alice Y. Tseng, Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Deaprment of History of Art & Architecture, Boston University    
4:30-4:45        Gamble House, Kelly Sutherlin McLeod, Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architecture, Inc.
4:45-5:00        Housing (including Stickley’s Craftsmen Farms) & Mill Buildings, Ronald W. Anthony, Wood Scientist, Anthony & Associates, Inc.      
5:00-5:15        The Wooden Tomb Chamber in Tumulus MM at Gordion in Turkey, Prof. Richard F. Liebhart, Archeologist 
5:15-5:20        Archeological Wood, William C.S. Remsen, AIA, Preservation Architect
5:20-5:35        Historic Wooden Religious Structures, Nat Crosby, Bruner/Cott & Associates                 
5:35-6:05        Two Viewpoints - Building Framer and Sawyer, Jan Lewandoski, Principal, Restoration and Traditional Building; Other Speaker - TBA
6:05-6:20        Covered Wood Bridges, Arnold M. Graton Jr., Arnold M. Graton Co. 
6:20-6:30        Q&A
6:30-8:00        Reception - The Cambridge Marriott Hotel

SUNDAY. March 25, 2012 
7:30-8:00 am  Relevant Film  

New Technologies, New Methods of Retaining/Achieving Architectural Concepts
8:00-8:30 am Philosophical/Aesthetic Aspects (including wood in combination with other materials), David N.Fixler, FAIA, LEED AP, Principal, Design and Preservation, EYP Architecture & Engineering Inc.
8:30-9:15       Developments – Computer Modeling, Wood-Concrete Composites, Dr. Peggi Clouston, Assoc. Professor, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Dept. of Environmental Conservation          
9:15-10:00     Energy and Sustainability Aspects of  Wood (including certification), Jack Mackin, Chief Operating Officer, F.D. Sterritt Lumber Co.
10:00-10:10    Q&A
10:10-10:25    Coffee Break + Posters
10:25-10:55    Finishes and Coatings - Factory and On Site, Jon Graystone, Principal Research Scientist, Paint Research Association
Bringing Wood into 21st Century Architectural Design & Ornamentation
10:55-11:50    Arches, Grids, and Shells for 21st Century Architecture, Michael Dickson, FREng, FIStructE, Founding Partner/Senior Consultant, Buro Happold; and Visiting Professor, Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, University of Bath, UK        
11:50-12:05    Q&A
12:05-2:00      Luncheon - MIT Faculty Club
2:00-2:30        Improved Wood Composites, Prof. Stephen Shaler, Associate Director, Advanced Engineered Wood Composites Center, and Program Coordinator, Wood Science & Technology, University of Maine
2:30-2:50    Religious Buildings including Bigelow Chapel (MN) and Lakewood Garden Mausoleum, Joan Soranno, FAIA, Design Principal/Vice-President, HGA          
2:50-3:35        Cross Laminated Timber and Other Engineered Wood Structures, Simon Smith, Director, Ramboll UK; Design Teaching Fellow, Cambridge University; and Director, TRADA UK
3:35-3:50        Coffee Break + Posters
3:50-4:15        Cultural Facility, Shane Burger, Associate/Head of Design Technology USA, Grimshaw Architects PC
4:15-4:50        Implications of Recent Research, TBA
4:50-5:10        How will New Materials and New Manufacturing Techniques Affect/Impact Design and Conservation Work, John A. Fidler, RIBA, Staff Consultant & Practice Leader, Preservation Technology, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.
5:10-5:30    Q&A

MONDAY, March 26, 2012– Optional program 
9:00am-2:00pm
Focus on maritime use of wood and introducing new systems into existing historic building. Individuals registering for the conference will be able to attend, at no additional cost, the optional program.HOTEL: For those who require a hotel room, a block of rooms (single and double)  have been reserved at the Cambridge Marriott Hotel at the special rate of $159 (plus tax) per night - group booking code for website bookings is: tnctnca. The direct link is: http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/boscb?groupCode=tnctnca&app=resvlink&fromDate=3/23/12&toDate=3/27/12. For booking through Central Reservations at 1-888-236-2427, the booking code is TNCC.CALL FOR POSTERS: Poster presentations on a project or research involving wood performance, detailing, specification, use, care, or repair as well as innovative wood structural design are welcomed. A poster presentation is one 30” x 40” board or two 20” x 30” boards showing project and/or research information relevant to the conference subject matter – exteriors of contemporary and/or historic/traditional wood buildings, buildings incorporating wood as a major element of their design, and other wood structures such as covered bridges and grave markers. An area will be set aside during the conference for the display of posters and discussion. Poster proposals should be submitted, by e-mail, by January 2, 2012 to: ses_tec_con@msn.com.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------REGISTRATION FORM
WOOD IN THE 21st CENTURY:
Design and Preservation of Contemporary & Historic Architecture
Saturday, March 24–Sunday, March 25, 2012

Early Rate: Prior to Jan. 30, 2012             Rate after Jan. 30, 2012                 

                 $450/person                         $525/person     .  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $  ____________

Basic fee covers:
• the 8:00am–6:00pm conference program – Sat., March 24 & Sun., March 25, 2012
• the March 24 and March 25 luncheons, and                                                                               
• the Saturday evening, March 24, reception

Please indicate any special accessibility or dietary needs:  
_____  vegetarian meals    ___________________________________other needs

Guest tickets for the March 24 reception can be purchased @ $50/ticket . . . . . . . $ ____________

Optional Maritime Wood Program, March 26– no charge for persons registered for the conference
__ I would like to attend the maritime wood program _____________________

                                                                                        TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$  ____________

Check for $ __________ U. S. funds (drawn on a U. S. A. bank) for registration fee (and for any guest  tickets for the Sat., March 24, reception) is enclosed. Check should be made payable to: The Technology Organization, Inc.

Please register me (us) for the conference:

Name(s)________________________________________________________________________________________________________Title____________________________________________________________________________________________________Organization_____________________________________________________________________________________________Address_________________________________________________________________________________________________City, State, Zip (Postal Code__________________________________________________________________________________________
Tel:______________________________  Fax: _____________________________e-mail:_____________________

Each person listed on the registration must sign the following statement:
I(we) understand and agree that the participation of Technology & Conservation, The Technology Organization, Inc., conference organizers, and cooperating organizations and individuals in the 2012 “Wood in the 21st Century” conference is limited to providing educational background and guidance; that all transportation, accommodations, tour, and other arrangements in connection with this Conference are under the exclusive control of others and that Technology & Conservation, The Technology Organization, Inc., conference organizers, and cooperating organizations and individuals have no liability or responsibility whatsoever for the death of any person or for any loss, expense, delay, injury, or other damage to any person or property (however occurring) on, during, and/or in relation to this “Wood in the 21st Century” conference and the information furnished.


Signature(s) _____________________________________________________________________________   
Date  ____________________________________________

Return this form, with check (made payable to The Technology Organization, Inc.), to: 
Technology & Conservation,  76 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143

Refund policy: Prior to January 15, 2012 – 100% of the registration fee less $50 service charge; January 15-February 20, 2012 – 50% of registration fee; after February 20, 2012 – no refund.
EM-1

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you have any questions on the conference, please contact:
Susan E. Schur, Hon. AIA, FAPT
Conference Organizer/Chair
Tel: 1-617-623-4488; Fax: 1-617-623-2253; e-mail: ses_tec_con@msn.com

MIT Campus
Cambridge, MA 

Susan Schur

1-617-623-4488

ses_tec_con@msn.com

Harriett Low's Unitarian Bookshelf in China, 1829-1834

Harriett Low by George Chinnery, 1833
Courtesy, Peabody Essex Museum

Last January (2011), the author presented a paper at the American Historical Association Annual Meeting in Boston, which provides valuable comparative material with the travel experience of  fellow Salemite, Rebecca Kinsman (see earlier blog posts). Thought you might find interest in the topic and the  life of this self described, "traveling spinster."

American Historical Association Presentation Abstract

“This wretched set of people, the Catholics:” Harriett Low's Unitarian Bookshelf, China, 1829-1834

How is it that a young, unmarried antebellum Salemite, Harriett Low (1809-1877) came to make such unfiltered, vitriolic comments? Prior to her trip to China, where she served as a companion to her delicate aunt, Harriet's life centered on her large family, her Howard Street Church and her schoolgirl friends. Staunch New England Unitarians, the family's emphasis on reading, particularly religious tracts, harkened back to Puritan ancestors who made communal literacy and the Word centerpieces of their simple practices. The New England expatriates bridled at what they described as the superstitious and ignorant qualities of the Roman Catholic rites they found in the Portuguese outposts, such as Macao, which they considered their temporary home. This article will examine the contributions to Harriett's burgeoning religious ideology—the course of readings encouraged by her father, Seth Low, the sensibility of her time and natural temperament—resulting in the manner in which she framed her interactions with “the other,” in this case, the Portuguese and Spanish Catholics in Macao. Of particular interest for this study is an analysis of Harriett's readings: her description of her room and its contents (and the way she connects her own identity to the books on her table), reveals a strong leaning toward the conservative branch of Unitarianism in the years leading up to the “Unitarian Controversy” of the early 1830s. These volumes and others provide the backdrop against which Harriett and dozens of expatriates define their American identity through a comparison with “those wretched people”.

Dr. Kimberly Alexander

University of New Hampshire, Durham

January 2011