Collections Blog

I-0087a Sewing Machine American 1915 Materials: Wood, Metal This object is a Singer Sewing Machine, it was made by the Singer Sewing Machine Company. Singer is an American company, founded by Isaac Merritt Singer and Edward Cabot Clark, that has [...]

This week’s blog details a 19th century glass artifact – an early incarnation of a Budweiser beer bottle – discovered by archeologists in what is known as one of downtown Houston’s first neighborhoods, Frost Town. The details presented here by [...]

This blog post is provided by the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Archeology Section, which discovers archeological evidence of human culture throughout the state when building roads. The blog details new and exciting Caddo findings in northeast Texas where TxDOT [...]

I-0603a Rock Painting reproduction Native American Langtry, TX. Materials: Stone, Red Paint This is a reproduction of a piece of cave art found at Bonfire Shelter in Eagle Cave near Langtry, Texas. Eagle cave is located in Mile Canyon, commonly [...]

I-0291h6 Indulgence Catholic 1967 Materials: Paper/Paint Dante between Purgatory and Florence by Domenico di Michelino, 1465. Image via Wikimedia Commons. This object is a plenary indulgence, which is a religious document used by the Catholic church. Indulgences are used to [...]

2014.5.1 Quilt African- American United States 1950-1959 Materials: Cloth/Thread/Cotton This object is a quilt, made in the 1950s, in the African- American tradition of quilt-making.   An appraiser from Antiques Roadshow was able to identify it based on the style, construction, [...]

I-0083c Mask, Theatrical Mexican Date: Unknown (likely early 20th century) Materials: Wood and Paint Photo via: Kathryn S. (Barr) McCloud This wooden mask is carved from wood and painted red with a black bat on it.  This mask was made [...]

2013.8.1 Sampler Book Dutch-American Ohio Date: 1900 Materials: Cardboard, paper, fabric. The origin of samplers dates back to the 16th century. When women saw a stitch or pattern they liked, they were stitched on a narrow band, so they had [...]

2010.7.1-3 Uniform American Texas Date: mid-20th century Materials: cloth and metal   This uniform is from the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) organization. The dress is made from blue polyester. It has ¾ length sleeves and [...]

I-0637b Woman’s Kroj costume Czech Czech Republic Date: 20th century Materials: textile Map via: Google maps   This Kroj costume consists of a head piece, vest, blouse, collar, apron, sash, petticoats and boots. The donor of this particular example purchased [...]