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FIC2014.23 Stage Puppet Chinese 2007 Materials: Cloth, canvas, metal and ink   Dragons appear in multiple cultures around the world. Though their appearance, meaning and significance varies between cultures, humans remain fascinated with the mythical creature. Western dragons from European [...]

2016.4.17a-b Food Pestle Kickapoo Tribe Texas Materials: Wood   Mortar and pestles have a long history and varied uses by cultures around the world. The tool has been used to grind or crush all types of materials for centuries. They [...]

2017.10.1 a-b Enfield rifle and plaque United States Col. William Mastoris Jr. 1917-1918 Wood/Metal/Paint This object is a M1917 Enfield rifle mounted on a commemorative wooden display donated to the ITC by Colonel William Mastoris Jr. The object was originally [...]

I-0581h Huqin Chinese 20th century Materials: Wood, coconut shell, horse hair The Chinese violin on display in the Music Room area of the Institute of Texan Cultures is a huqin or “Hu-Chin” which is a general term given to any [...]

I-0369b Apothecary bottle M. J. Breitenbach Co. American New York 1892-1986 Materials: Glass, metal, paper Before there were pharmacies, people would go to their neighborhood chemist and into their neighborhood apothecary. Inside this shop you could find liniments, ointments and [...]

I-0295i Cigar Box American San Antonio, TX 1909-1982 Materials: Wood, paper, ink This cigar box in the Institute of Texan Cultures collections was for a private blend of cigars, made especially for the exclusive Travis Club in San Antonio. They [...]

I-0477a Abacus Japanese Japan 20th century Materials: Wood, metal, paint Before the invention of the computer or calculator, merchants used counting boards or an abacus to keep track of inventory and their finances. The abacus replaced other primitive counting devices [...]

I-0494e Rail Pass American San Antonio, TX 1886 Materials: Paper & ink The San Antonio and Aransas Pass railway or “SAAP” was a railway system that connected San Antonio to Aransas Bay . It was chartered in August 28, 1884 [...]

I-0471d Button hook 1900-1950 Materials: Metal, wood Image by Birgit Brånvall, via Wikimedia Commons. An essential household item in the  Victorian era, used on everything from garments to shoes. A button hook was an ideal tool to have on hand [...]

I-0443a Typewriter American New York, NY ca. 1893 Materials: Metal, plastic, wood Charles Thurber’s “Chirographer” typewriter, image from http://www.officemuseum.com via Wikimedia Commons. Today, with the emergence of new digital technology, older technology also known as low tech is slowly on [...]