In each issue, the bimonthly DAR magazine, American Spirit, highlights an object from the DAR Museum collection in its "National Treasures" feature. These objects always have a story to tell about American history.
National Treasures
Thomas Jefferson is a towering figure in our nation’s history, but the DAR Museum owns several of his objects that reflect the private man. His great-nieces, Olivia and Margaret Taylor, donated these...
The hallmark on the bottom of this sterling silver coffee pot indicates that the Philadelphia shop of Thomas Fletcher and Sidney Gardner made it between 1824 and 1830. A large factory, Fletcher &...
Fashionably cut from a coarsely woven and poorly dyed fabric, this circa 1805–1810 homespun coat is a study in contradictions. As Americans sought economic and cultural independence from Europe, even...
From the earliest days of American colonization and far into the 19th century, pewter was an integral part of day-to-day living. Pewterers’ wares included spoons, plates, bowls, tankards, lamps...
This grouping of Chinese export porcelain is a small sample of products that potters from China sold to discerning consumers in Europe and the United States during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
This 13-star banner, passed down through generations as a treasured heirloom, was considered by the donor’s family to be a Revolutionary War flag. However, it is much more likely to date after 1796...
Pocket watches have been around since the 1400s. The invention of the tempered coiled steel springs in place of a pendulum made possible handheld watches like the one above. This sterling silver...
Preceding women’s suffrage by 76 years, this silk patchwork “counterpane” bedspread proclaims its maker Rebecca Lombart Williams’ political leanings. In its outermost border are two silk ribbons from...
The iconic timekeeping piece commonly known as an hourglass, often viewed as a symbol of death and the march of time, has been around since the late Middle Ages. Hourglass aliases include “sand clock...
This watch fob or seal features the Washington family coat of arms in a shield carved in moonstone, and opens to reveal a profile of George Washington inscribed on a carnelian stone. According to...