A fine English Neoclassical soup tureen dating to 1788. Engraved with the crest of Fortescue and inscribed as gift in 1830 from Countess Fortescue to her daughter Lady Anne Fortescue.
Designed by Daisy Makeig-Jones for Wedgwood as part of the Fairyland Lustre series.
This may be the only surviving example of New York silversmith Abraham Haines’s maker’s mark.
This historically significant portrait captures a remarkable moment in 19th-century First Nations diplomacy and intercultural exchange, vividly embodied in the figure of Edward Seguin. This is not a stage costume, but a vivid record of diplomatic honor. The subject—a renowned opera singer—is depicted wearing the authentic regalia of a Huron-Wendat honorary chief, a title bestowed during a smoke-filled ceremony in Quebec. The painting offers a rare, riveting glimpse into cross-cultural history, straddling the line between spectacle and sincerity.
Beyond being a beautifully crafted artifact with a rich story nearly 350 years old, this badge offers a glimpse into the unchanging tensions of social welfare: Who deserves aid? Should charity be private or public? Religious or secular? How much control should givers have over recipients’ behavior?
The Unforgettable Meets the Unimaginable at the Winter Show.
Q&A with Ben Miller.
Time traveling with Curious Objects.