Mistress Mary's Gardens

Trade card advertising Smith-Wallace shoes,

particularly the "Kinder Garten" brand.

From Wannabe Wonderlands, this design is an anonymous,

"...shameless borrowing by Kinder-Garten Shoes from W. W. Denslow's popular picture book, Denslow's Mother Goose (1901)."

Here's the corresponding page from Denslow's book, taken from the YouTube video below:

 Kenneth Kunz reads
Denslow's Mother Goose (1901)

This is a narrated YouTube slideshow (~13 minutes).

Original scrapbook page featuring Smith-Wallace Shoe Co. trade cards.

The "Mother Goose" rhyme as quoted by the Poetry Foundation:

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row."

From the Poetry Foundation's site:

"...Charles Perrault was the first to actually publish a Mother Goose collection of rhymes and other folk tales in 1697, essentially initiating the fairy tale genre. With the subtitle Les Contes de ma Mère l'Oie (Tales of my Mother Goose), the collection quickly gained popularity all over France. By 1729, Perrault’s collection had been translated into English, in the form of Robert Samber’s Histories or Tales of Past Times, Told by Mother Goose.  Samber’s volume was eventually republished in 1786 and brought to the U.S."

Mistress Mary's Kittens

Flowers from Mary's garden

Mary's Neighbor in her new hat

 

History of the Verse

We have become accustomed to ceremonial British monarchy over the last century. Restrained and stripped of power by Parliament, in the early 21st century, the monarchy appears to be a benign institution uniting the British Commonwealth and giving Britain unique international character. Queen Elizabeth II has in our times, under these restraints, proven to be an extremely capable head of state.

It wasn't always so. It turns out that the British Monarchy has a history bloodier than that of Vladimir Putin of Russia (so far) and more cutthroat than that of Donald J. Trump of the United States.

Most of us think of "Mary, Mary Quite Contrary" as an innocent verse referencing flowers and gardens and the joy of youthful springtime. To my dismay, after over 70 years of thinking like this I discovered something ugly.

It is not. The historical basis of the story is not pretty.

Here is the Dark Side of our innocent children's verse:

from YouTube

Still discovering!

updated 12 January 2019

Photo of Edward J. Webber residence from YouTube video made by current owners Don & Mary Kinzler.

Still discovering! This video is one you'll want to view more than once. The owner, Don Kinzler, narrates. He points out several interesting features, but more meet the eye. What's around the corner? Can't wait to see!

The preservation history of this home has been dramatic. It was originally located in Fergus Falls MN. It is a five bedroom, two and a half bathroom 1896 Queen Anne house designed by Omeyer & Thori, Norwegian immigrants. From 13 August 1982 to 22 May 1992 it was on the National Register of Historic Places.

E. J. Webber residence, 506 Lincoln Avenue West, Fergus Falls, Minnesota

from Minnesota Reflections https://reflections.mndigital.org/catalog/otter:278#/image/0

Copyright © 2005 Otter Tail County Historical Society; used with permission 4Ja2019

It was the home of prominent blacksmith, horseshoer and successful farm implement merchant, Edward J. Webber. 

Edward J. Webber 2 April 1858 - 12 March 1905

Above from: History of Otter Tail County, Minnesota : its people, industries, and institutions : with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families
by Mason, John W. (John Wintermute)
Publication date 1916
https://archive.org/details/historyofotterta02maso/page/160

 

Bibliographic information:

Title	Progressive Men of Minnesota: Biographical Sketches and Portraits of the Leaders in Business, Politics and the Professions; Together with an Historical and Descriptive Sketch of the State
Editors	Marion Daniel Shutter, John Scudder McLain
Publisher	Minneapolis Journal, 1897
Original from	Columbia University
Digitized	May 9, 2018
Length	506 pages; p.373

When the wife of Edward Webber, E.J.'s grandson, died in 1991, the home was moved from its original location by its new owners, Don & Mary Kinzler, to Moorhead MN. As illustrated by one of the comments on the YouTube video, this initial move left some hard feelings in the Fergus Falls community:

castellano4U 2 years ago

"That is the Weber House that was in Fergus Falls Minnesota. It lost its historic house designation when you moved it because you wanted a big house for your children.With that money, you could have replicated this house or build a bigger house.Fergus Falls misses this house and its history!!"

At 5AM on 24 October 2013 an electrical fire broke out on the third floor that damaged much of that floor. Water damage was extensive on other floors. The Fergus Falls Journal reported that the first fireman on the scene was pessimistic about saving the structure.

The Kinsleys, however, did not give up their dream. Paul Davis Restoration & Remodeling of West Fergus worked with the Kinsleys to restore the residence as closely as possible to its original condition. Challenges faced during the $145,000 restoration included bringing electrical and plumbing systems up to Code, refinishing the oak and mahogany parquet floors, replacing plaster board and lathe with new plaster board and choosing replacement wallpaper in period colors.

>>Those of us fortunate enough to never have had such an experience can get an idea of what it is like by visiting the Paul Davis site that gives fire victims recovery tips. There is also a FEMA publication on the subject. Psychological counseling for victims should be considered. The installation of a fire suppression (usually water sprinklers) system would be advised to prevent extensive fire damage in the first place.<<

Part 1. [ Part 2 ] [ Part 3 ]

Problems surfaced again in 2016 when a flood control project included the property to which the Webber/Kinzler House had been moved. Demolition seemed a possibility just 3 years after the fire damage had been mitigated.

A Dialog with the owner; Comments from the YouTube video at the top of this post provide some additional detail about the 2nd move:

Don Kinzler: Hi. The city of Fargo, as part of its flood mitigation program, provided a buyout, to be used to relocate the home to a new location at the south edge of Fargo. The house moved very well. 
Jeff Diver: ... @Don Kinzler I'm pleased to hear the house was saved. You did a splendid job of preserving it while your family owned it. I'm sorry you had to part with it in order to save it. [They did not part with the home. Turns out I jumped to conclusions!] Will you be moving into another Victorian anytime soon? If so, I hope there will be another video when the restoration is complete! I enjoyed this one very much.
Don Kinzler : Thanks. @Jeff Diver The beauty of this house is that it didn't need restoring, as it was very much in original beautiful condition, never having been remodeled or changed significantly. Even the front screen door is original, and all the door and cabinet hardware. So we are so happy the house could be moved, and even happier yet that we still live in it, as we have for the past 27 years. Thanks for your interest. I would add a photo of the new location, but this isn't letting me add a photo.
Jeff Diver:  @Don Kinzler ...I'm delighted to hear you and your family are still living in the residence. I have had the experience of having a family residence transformed from a private, family-owned space into a public space http://bit.ly/OneLibraryPlace . The public iteration invariably lacks character in its interior spaces. No matter how much the historic specialists succeed in recreating furnishings true to the time, it never looks lived in. Let's face it, I miss the relatives that used to live there!..."

~ * ~

From the YouTube video, these stills show some of the distinctive Victorian architectural design found inside this home. Doorways on the first floor display elaborate ornamental woodwork:

Original light fixtures, some quite colorful, are everywhere:

Ordinary-looking banister, maybe? Not so fast!

 Feast your eyes on these banister post details:

No mere knob atop this post!

Vestibule light atop newel post at bottom of stairs

Portiere, anyone? Curtains were used in Victorian homes to separate hot and cold zones as well as for privacy. They were used as a substitute or supplement for doors in some locations. Here's an example from the Webber/Kinzler home:

Meanwhile, you may be walking on individual small pieces of polished Oak and Mahogany, each piece laid by hand into a pattern called a parquet floor.

Tiles and fancy woodwork adorn the fireplace. Notice the pocket door on the left? They were often featured in homes of the Victorian era.

Coming, going and just passing by, you cannot help but notice stained and fancy glass:

Main stairway window

Front entry to vestibule.

Hat at the ready

Hat at the ready at her feet, somebody wanted to be sure to show off this outfit and the very full hairdo. This card is a mystery. There were no markings on it to indicate its sponsor or maker.

#EmmaJanesFavoriteFashions
#bestarnoldcards
#19thCenturyTradeCards

4 from 5A: Victorian horseblankets

Horseblankets were a necessity in the City, as most urban centers in northern USA required that owners use them during the colder months of the year. Wm. Ayers & Sons of Philadelphia PA manufactured these.











#Horseblankets

Victorian city traffic gives us the flavor of the era in NYC. You may wish to mute the sound, which is not original to the film. The first movie with sound did not appear until 1927 [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jazz_Singer ] and the sound tracks provided here in the 21st century can be distracting.

Victorian city traffic gives us the flavor of the era in NYC. You may wish to mute the sound, which is not original to the film. The first movie with sound did not appear until 1927 [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jazz_Singer ] and the sound tracks provided here in the 21st century can be distracting.

#VictorianDiscovery
https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=9GlcUA37wKU&u=/watch?v%3Dqr7kRYO29n4%26feature%3Dshare

Late Victorian fashion on parade! Judging by the size of the congregation, this was a large urban church. A great sampling of Victorian styles for all!

Late Victorian fashion on parade! Judging by the size of the congregation, this was a large urban church. A great sampling of Victorian styles for all!

#EmmaJanesFavoriteFashions
https://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=MMA2xSquhr8&u=/watch?v%3DsW9mNQQy9v0%26feature%3Dshare

Courtesy: "Chubachus" via YouTube, [ https://youtu.be/dv2wnXBuj9Y ]

Courtesy: "Chubachus" via YouTube, [ https://youtu.be/dv2wnXBuj9Y ]
Published on Mar 2, 2015

The links given in the description below are not working, but can be used to identify the source location in general.

From the description:

"A collection of stereoscopic daguerreotype portraits from the 1850's which I animated. The collection were taken by French, British, and American photographers including the work of Antoine Claudet, Chappuis, and Jean-Gabriel Eynard, Sources and more information below.

"Switch the resolution to 1080p for the best image.

"Sources:
Library of Congress, Getty, Victoria and Albert Museum, Royal Collection, Rijksmuseum.

"Antoine Claudet, his son, and focimeter (lensmeter), 1856: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Hand-colored portrait of an unidentified woman painting: http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O72...
Portrait of a group of servants of Jean-Gabriel Eynard in Switzerland, c. 1852: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Hand-colored portrait of a young boy, c. 1855: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Portrait of Agnes Y. McAllister, December 1853: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
Portrait of members of the Eynard-Lullin family, Switzerland, c. 1852: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Another portrait of members of the Eynard-Lullin family, Switzerland, c. 1852: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Portrait of John and Fanny Stevenson: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
Portrait of Sarah Allister McAllister Grant, 1853: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
Portrait of Henrietta McAllister, May 18, 1855: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
Portrait of an unidentified boy, c. 1855: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Portrait of John Silva Meehan, the fourth Librarian of the United
States Congress: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
A mother posing with her young son and daughter, c. 1855: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Portrait of an unidentified man, c. 1855: http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/col...
Portrait of an unidentified woman, c. 1855: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/o...
Portrait of an unidentified man, 1854: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004...
Portrait of W.Y. McAllister's children, c. 1854: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2004..."

https://youtu.be/dv2wnXBuj9Y

Do Andes Stoves Speak Your Language? Click the link below to find out. This PDF file is short, unless one takes the time to figure what all the pictures are about! For me, this is yet another "puzzle card!" Or perhaps we should say puzzle booklet...The Peerless Andes Range was made by the Phillips & Clark Stove Co. in Geneva NY.

Do Andes Stoves Speak Your Language? Click the link below to find out. This PDF file is short, unless one takes the time to figure what all the pictures are about! For me, this is yet another "puzzle card!" Or perhaps we should say puzzle booklet...The Peerless Andes Range was made by the Phillips & Clark Stove Co. in Geneva NY.

#VictorianDiscovery
#PuzzleCards
#AndesStoves


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Inc-Jb1zYwxCd_Mi9M6qPzrgZ8uOqIVe/view?usp=sharing

Nature studied here! He is carefully explaining. As a proper young Victorian woman, she is being diplomatic, allowing him to show her the world while she sees things from a different angle. Her generation will be the first where women have the right to vote in America.

Nature studied here! He is carefully explaining. As a proper young Victorian woman, she is being diplomatic, allowing him to show her the world while she sees things from a different angle. Her generation will be the first where women have the right to vote in America.

#VictorianFashions
#19thCenturyTradeCards

The Mitchell Inn of Middletown NY and its clock collection no longer exist.

The Mitchell Inn of Middletown NY and its clock collection no longer exist.

Except here! The Arnold Collection proudly presents a public scan of the complete listing as of 1939. As I remember, the Clock Collection was maintained as a whole by the Middletown Savings Bank after the Mitchell Inn was demolished. As the Bank went through various mergers, however, the Mitchell Inn Clock Collection was eventually dismantled and auctioned off piece by piece to various buyers.

In response to my questions about the post-Mitchell Inn history of the Collection on Facebook's Middletown New York Past and Present Residents group, I received the following helpful responses:

Cheryl Villegas: "I believe you are correct. Some of the clocks went to private citizens from the auction. I also believe that there are some on display at First Federal Savings and Loan on James Street."

Laura Katz: "Yes! I was a great place! I think an antiques dealer from New Paltz bought a number of them..."

Christine Laskaris: "The date of the auction was November 17th,1996 at Mark Vail Auction http://Co.in Pine Bush. Mark Vail's has since been closed."

Mickey Guarino: "A good portion of the clock collection was purchased by John Botti and displayed at "John's Harvest Inn" in Middletown."

I looked at their web site, saw the clocks in photos and was distressed to learn that John's Harvest Inn is, according to Yelp, "permanently closed." I wonder where the clocks will go from there....Did the closing have anything do do with this lawsuit: "Local woman sues 5 businesses over ADA violation claims" (Record newspaper article)

Mickey Guarino "Jeff Diver ...Yes...Apparently there is a legal sting that preys upon businesses that don't have adequate access. It was the better choice to sell out. The clocks are still in His possession."

Sit back and enjoy this unique bit of history! No telling what unique discoveries you will find!

The memorable URL for this post is [ http://bit.ly/MitchellInnClockCollectionCatalog ]

#VictorianDiscovery
#Clocks
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19w4KCLL21xDNtTx8kjQE30VjdpYEf052/view?usp=sharing

Stylish Victorian children's beachwear reflected parental emphasis on covering, rather than displaying the body. Swimming while wearing these outfits would be a chore...but they looked good while ashore!

Stylish Victorian children's beachwear reflected parental emphasis on covering, rather than displaying the body. Swimming while wearing these outfits would be a chore...but they looked good while ashore!

On the reverse of the card, Woolson Spice Co., maker of Lion Coffee, advertised a "premium" available to purchasers of their brand. (Click images to enlarge.)

#EmmaJanesFavoriteFashions
#WoolsonSpiceCo
#ToledoOH
#19thCenturyTradeCards

Carefree outfit for a warm climate. Great for skipping around the block, and maybe even a piano lesson!

Carefree outfit for a warm climate. Great for skipping around the block, and maybe even a piano lesson!

Information and Mahogany piano photo from [ antiquepianoshop.com ] :

"The Poole Piano Company was established by William H. Poole in Boston in 1893. One of Boston’s finest and most respected old names, The Poole Piano Company name was produced for nearly a century. During the early 20th Century, Poole offered several lines of upright pianos, grand pianos and player pianos. In 1917, the firm was incorporated by William Poole’s son, Ava W. Poole.

"Instruments by The Poole Piano Company were exceedingly well made and very expensive. Because of their high cost when new, Poole pianos were not produced in high volume like most other major manufacturers. In the mid-20th Century, the Poole name was absorbed into the giant Aeolian-American Corporation, and Aeolian continued to build the Poole name until the early 1980s."

New! People's Illustrated Almanac 1849 You'll want to enlarge this PDF in order to read it, as our scanned copy was faint at 169 years of age [ http://bit.ly/1849PeoplesIllustradedAlmanac ]

New! People's Illustrated Almanac 1849 You'll want to enlarge this PDF in order to read it, as our scanned copy was faint at 169 years of age [ http://bit.ly/1849PeoplesIllustradedAlmanac ]

We went through the Almanac and have enlarged some tidbits for you. Click the images below to view.

#VictorianDiscovery