Highlights from the Museum Collections

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An archive of objects from the museum collections at Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site that have been previously featured on the site's "Object of the Month" web site.

Prince of Mantua and Montferrat Medal

April 01, 2024 Posted by: David R. Daly

An honorary medal awarded to Henry W. Longfellow by Charles Ottley Groom Napier, the self-styled Prince of Mantua and Montferrat.

Longfellow, Mantua, Montferrat, medal, prince, Napier, award, Longfellow

 

Poison Children's Book

February 27, 2024 Posted by: David R. Daly

An 1850 edition of "A Treasury of Pleasure Books for Young Children", with a bright green, and possibly toxic, cover.

literature, children, Longfellow, Cundall, Book

 

Winter Scene Watercolor

January 31, 2024 Posted by: David R. Daly

A watercolor of a winter scene by Edith Longfellow, aged 9.

EdithLongfellow, Winter, art, children, watercolor, painting, sledding, Longfellow, skating

 

Siege of Paris Souvenir

October 02, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

A souvenir from the Siege of Paris during the Franco-Prussian War.

Paris, Franco-PrussianWar, Bread, Longfellow, Souvenir

 

Children's Book Illustrated by Eleanor Vere Boyle

August 30, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

A Victorian era children's book illustrated by Eleanor Vere Boyle.

Book, children, Longfellow, EdithLongfellow, EleanorVere Boyle, literature, artist

 

A Set of 19th Century Dentures

April 04, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

A set of 19th century dentures with a gold plate and false teeth.

denture, falseteeth, dentist, dental, teeth, Longfellow

 

Bronze Crane Japanese Incense Burner

March 01, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

A Japanese bronze incense burner in the form of a crane.

crane, Japan, Japanese, bronze, Longfellow, CharlesAppletonLongfellow

 

An 1870 musical arrangement of Henry W. Longfellow's poem "Snow Flakes".

February 02, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

Sheet music of Henry W. Longfellow's poem "Snow Flakes" arranged in 1870.

Longfellow, Poetry, poem, SnowFlakes, music

 

"The Midnight Ride of Santa Claus" Printing Block

January 09, 2023 Posted by: David R. Daly

A printing block made to illustrate Harry Dana's parody of Longfellow's poem "Paul Revere's Ride".

Longfellow, poem, parody, Revere, Santa, Christmas, printing, Dana

 

Fragment of HMS Somerset

December 01, 2022 Posted by: David R. Daly

A wooden fragment from the British warship HMS Somerset.

Longfellow, PaulRevere, Somerset, ship, Poetry, CapeCod, Gifford

 

Mechanical Walking Doll

September 30, 2022 Posted by: David R. Daly

A mechanical walking doll toy made by Ives and Blakeslee.

toy, BenjaminButler, Ives, Longfellow

 

Bengali Palm Leaf Fan

August 29, 2022 Posted by: David R. Daly

A painted palm leaf hand fan from Bengal, India.

fan, India, Bengal, palm, Longfellow

 

Federal Period Fire Screen Panel

July 29, 2022 Posted by: David R. Daly

A Federal period fire screen panel featuring a silk peacock design.

firescreen, Federal, Craigie, Longfellow, peacock

 

West African Grass Fan

September 28, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

A grass fan from Sierra Leone in West Africa.

fan, Longfellow, Africa, SierraLeone, grass

 

Frances Longfellow Summer Sketch

July 30, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

A sketch by Frances Appleton Longfellow of children on a summer day in western Massachusetts.

Longfellow, Longfellow,Fanny, Longfellow,Frances Appleton, art, sketch, Massachusetts, Pittsfield, Melville

 

Japanese Doll

July 01, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

A 19th century Japanese Mitsuori Doll

Japan, Japanese, Doll, Mitsuori, Longfellow, CharlesAppleton Longfellow

 

William Makepeace Thackeray's Porcelain Tea Caddy

May 28, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

An English porcelain tea caddy.

tea,caddy,porcelain, Longfellow, Thackeray, Longfellow, tea, caddy, porcelain

 

Longfellow's Copy of The Compleat Angler

April 30, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

Henry W. Longfellow's copy of the fishing treatise "The Compleat Angler".

Book, Longfellow, Fishing, Poetry

 

Harriet Spelman Longfellow Painting

April 01, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

An 1899 watercolor of an Italian landscape by Harriet Spelman Longfellow.

Harriet, Spelman, Longfellow, art, painting, artist, Italy

 

Fulper Pottery Flower Frog

February 01, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

An early 20th century Fulper Pottery flower frog in the form of a duck.

Fulper, pottery, Longfellow, Artsand Crafts

 

Christmas Carol Book

January 05, 2021 Posted by: David R. Daly

An illustrated 19th century book of Christmas Carols.

Christmas, Carol, Carols, Book, Longfellow, Cundall

 

Cuban Cigarette Box

October 02, 2020 Posted by: David R. Daly

A Cuban cigarette box from the La Honradez company of Havana.

cigarette, cigar, tobacco, Cuba, Havana, smoking, Longfellow, box

 

Edward Todd & Company Pen

June 04, 2020 Posted by: David R. Daly

A luxury pen made by Edward Todd & Company of New York.

Pen, Todd, Longfellow

 

Wayside Inn Painting

February 28, 2020 Posted by: David R. Daly

A nineteenth century painting of the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

Longfellow, Sudbury, WaysideInn

 

Henry W. Longfellow Report Card

September 03, 2019 Posted by: David R. Daly

A Louis XIV style boullework clock given to the Longfellows as a gift by Thomas Gold Appleton.

clock, Louis XIV, boullework, Boulle, Longfellow, Appleton

 

Albert Bierstadt Painting

August 02, 2019 Posted by: David R. Daly

Albert Bierstadt's painting of The Departure of Hiawatha from Longfellow's epic poem The Song of Hiawatha, showing Hiawatha paddling a canoe into the sunset.

Longfellow, Bierstadt, Hiawatha