You could say that Gerri MacWhinnie is passionate about antiques. In fact, it was love that inspired one her most heartfelt collections.Â
That collection, an assembly of historic household implements decorated in heart motifs, goes on view Saturday at the Southampton Historical Museum in a new show entitled “Heart to Hand: Love in early American tools and design.”
“I hope people don’t think it’s construction tools,” says Gerri, who curated the show. “I call it ‘From pantry to parlor, how the heart design motif has been used in early American homes.’”
In many ways (if not every way), Gerri has her husband, Morgan, to thank for inspiring this collection. That’s because 50 years ago next month, Gerri and Morgan were married — on Valentine’s Day as fate would have it. Because both have a keen interest in antiques ( Morgan owns an antique store on North Sea Road) once they were wed, Gerri felt that collecting objects with hearts on them would be an appropriate avocation.
“I chose to hunt for these things as we traveled and found that it was a particular popular design motif in early America,” says Gerri. “I have found items made of wood, tin, iron, brass, china, pottery, a myriad of things.”
“I’ve always looked for things with hearts,” says Gerri. “This is a 50 year collection, it’s filled all the walls of our home.”Â
When it comes to household tools and hearts, as one would expect, most are on objects designed for the domestic arts. Cookie presses, trivets and hot coal pans are just a few of the heart laden objects from Gerri and Morgan’s collection.
In this country, the heart motif dates back to Colonial times, and giving a kitchen implement with a heart likely conveyed love, warmth and affection to the person who used it. Never mind if it was a tool related to women’s work. It may be considered bad form now for a man to give his wife a vacuum cleaner on her birthday, but in the 18th and 19th centuries, though kitchen tools were the historic equivalent of appliances, if they came with a heart design on them, they were no doubt given — and used — with a dose of love.
“The giving of heart shaped keepsakes was not reserved for Valentine’s day until the 1850s,” notes Gerri. “Before that, they were given year round as tokens of love and friendship.”
“What I find most intriguing is the craftsman or artisan hired to create these items — whether as a home project or ordered,” she says. “Perhaps they did this on their own or maybe it was a request to put hearts in.”
“These things were utilitarian, every day service objects, yet the artisan either hired or on his own, took the time to enhance it and make it a decorative piece as well.”
In addition to the kitchen objects, among the collection are busks — or corset stays — decorated with hearts. These were very fine carved pieces of thin wood that were inserted into ladies corsets.
“Four are made of wood and one is of baleen,” says Gerri. “Obviously, it might have been made by a sailor. That was the most personal thing you could give a woman.”
Other objects in the show include a foot warmer, candle boxes and even pipe boxes and powder horns, which were obviously designed not for ladies, but gentlemen.
And Gerri’s favorite piece?
“It’s a tiny bowl made of burl,” she says. “This one is small, no bigger than the stretch of your hand, and it’s in the shape of a heart.”
The exhibition opens with a reception on Saturday, January 17 from 4 to 6 p.m. and runs through March 14 at the Historical Museum’s Rogers Mansion, 17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton. For more information call 283-2494.Â
Above: Sewing box circa 1830
