Snake-shaped wrought iron art object. The eyes are painted red and there are gold painted markings on the body. Forged by Carlton Simmons, Charleston, South Carolina.
Black cane with gold head containing the inscription "To WDC from WHJ & JMT 1910." The cane was presented to Dr. William Crum, physician, Collector of Customs in Charleston, South Carolina, and United States minister and consul general to Liberia, at a farewell banquet prior to his ambassadorial journey to Liberia. The initials signify the presenters of the cane: WHJ is William H. Johnson and JMT is J. M. Thompson, both Charleston physicians.
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.
A glass turkey egg used to encourage turkey hens to lay eggs in a particular location. 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.
