Salt-glazed border tiles made from kiln-fired red clay, used to line walkways and gardens. Made by slave labor on a plantation near Hickory Hill, South Carolina. Four tiles exist in the collection, two of each shown here.
Front and interior views of a tightly woven grain storage box with two handles; traditional form. Made of sweetgrass and pine needle and sewn with palmetto leaf.
Thick coiled rice fanner made of bulrush fastened with palmetto leaf. Although this is a contemporary basket, it is a very old form; few basketmakers use bulrush today because it is extremely tough to work.
Thick coiled bulrush basket sewn with palmetto leaf; possibly contains oak splits. Although this is a contemporary basket, it is a very old form; few basketmakers use bulrush today because it is extremely tough to work. Unstable base, poor condition.
St. Julian DeCosta standing in front of bushes. He is wearing a long sleeve shirt, tie and pants. Inscription reads [On front]"Chief DeCosta." [On back] "From your brother with love, St. Julian DeCosta for Chief DeCosta."
Chair made by slaves from Ridgley Plantation near Florence, South Carolina. The chair is made with mortise and tenon joints reinforced with square nails. The seat is of animal skin. Evidence that the legs of the chair have been shortened indicates that it was a slave's chair. Slaves were not permitted to sit higher than the master or his children.
Miriam DeCosta Seabrook is sitting in a wicker chair at the home of Anna and George Hunter. She is turned in profile and is wearing a pink robe. Inscription reads “Miriam Seabrook at Anna and George Hunter”
Unidentified infant wearing a cap is sitting in rocking chair in front of 167 Congress Street. Inscription reads “A.B. Photo Finishers 'Always Busy' Mezzaine Giddens-Lane Bldg.”
Glass chicken egg used for inducing hens to lay eggs. According to Mrs. Gold, to encourage a hen to lay eggs in a specific place, farmers would often begin making their nests and place the artificial nesting eggs in them with the hope that the hen would complete her nest in that location. This also helped the farmer keep track of which hens were laying eggs and where the eggs were located. The glass eggs remained in the nest until the hen laid and incubated the eggs and the offspring hatched. It was important to maintain this process and promptly remove the artificial egg so that it could be reused.