Current Exhibits

The Architectural Heritage Center mounts rotating gallery exhibits drawn from the Bosco-Milligan Foundation’s renowned collection of architectural artifacts, one of the largest in the United States.

New Exhibit - starting January 20, 2012!

A Glaze of Glory — the Artistry of Art Tile

Meyer Memorial Trust Gallery

Opening Reception
Friday, January 20, 2012    6:00 pm–8:00 pm
Reception admission free!

Sponsored by:   

 

The AHC’s new exhibit “A Glaze of Glory—the Artistry of Art Tile” opens with a special evening reception on Friday, January 20th, unveiling the rich variety of our collection of historic art tile. Numerous American tile companies are represented in the exhibit, including California’s Batchelder, Ohio’s American Encaustic Tiling Company, and Pennsylvania’s Moravian Tileworks. Our collections also include tiles of European origin—beautiful examples from England, Spain and France. The exhibit will show the visual “feast of art” of the many tiles saved through the salvage efforts of our founders, Jerry Bosco and Ben Milligan. And we welcome back Ron Endlich, of Seattle’s Tile Antiques, as guest curator for this exhibit. Ron is a true tile historian and a prolific collector and some of his collection will be incorporated into the exhibit. The history of tile dates back to the beginnings of human civilization, when Egyptians decorated their houses with blue glazed brick. By the twelfth century, decorative tiles were being produced in England, Spain, and Italy and used for large-scale architectural decoration. The Dutch tile industry was well established by the fifteenth century and England and the Netherlands were exporting tile for residential use.

Tile making fell from fashion during the eighteenth century but the Gothic Revival movement triggered an artistically exuberant resurgence in interest during the nineteenth century. Tile manufacturing methods needed to be virtually re-created, but by 1900 more than 100 English tile companies raced to keep up with the explosive demand. Tile was “durable,” “hygienic,” and “beautiful” and Victorian-era England couldn’t get enough of it.

Other countries, including the United States, began producing their own particular tastes of domestic art tile. Companies from Massachusetts to California pursued Victorian-era and then Arts and Crafts designs, all with color and ornamental designs of seemingly infinite themes and motifs—including Japanese and Classical subjects.

Sophisticated innovations in style, color, design, and production techniques continued until the Great Depression opened in 1929. The challenged economy and changing tastes again saw a downfall of art tile from fashion.

But, beginning in the late twentieth century, art tile is indeed back—and it enjoys a continuing interest in what is again appreciated as “durable,” “hygienic”, and “beautiful” as art tile is used for both practical and decorative purposes. Once again—we can’t get enough of it!

Note: See announcement for companion program on the History of American Art Tile, on Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Wonders In Wood

Glass Blast

Liz’s Antique Hardware Gallery

On Exhibit through Spring 2012

Sponsored by: Rejuvenation

Supported by: Maud Eastwood and Precision Images

Few areas of collecting vintage articles have been as widely addressed and professionally covered as the field of glass in all its complexities. But what is long overdue is a comprehensive treatment of glass doorknobs which addresses the needs of the serious collector seeking to identify acquisitions. This is a collectible that grows on the seeker. The more in-depth the search, the greater the understanding and appreciation, not only of the decorative treatment but also the underlying substance.

In the 1820s there was a revolutionary development in glass manufacture in the United States, the invention of mechanical glass pressing. Between 1825 and 1830 there were four patents granted relating to glass doorknobs. The second patent was granted to Henry Whitney and Enoch Robinson of the New England Glass Works in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

From the standpoint of hardware production, glass-making is clearly a time-honored and significant profession of both English and American craft, worthy of attention and collection.

Come to the AHC and see this interesting collection!