Featured Artifact

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens For this week’s artifact spotlight we are highlighting a straw hat known as a “Boater” or “Panama Hat” (PEH1975.001.4294; “Boater” with black grosgrain ribbon). This particular hat dates from the early twentieth century and belonged to either Frank or Jack O’Reilly. Being woven from straw, the Boater […]

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens Violets were fashionable during the Victorian era for their delicate aroma, further popularized by Queen Victoria whose journals frequently repeat her adoration of the tiny blossoms. At the time, different meanings became associated with different flowers; violets signified faithfulness and modesty. Due to its popularity, the violet

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens   This fine hat (PEH 975.1.9654) is made from felted black beaver fur and, according to the milliner stamp on the inside, came all the way from Wright and Oxley hatters on Sackville street in Dublin. This hat likely came with Peter O’Reilly to British Columbia in

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens Point Ellice House has an extensive china pantry and this week we are featuring a white porcelain pitcher (PEH 975.1.349) from the collection. According to the records in our database, it was likely purchased sometime between 1883 and 1893. The design of the pitcher is interesting as

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens By the end of the 19th century, spectacles or eyeglasses became a more common accessory. As knowledge of the eye increased and other societal changes took place – such as reading for pleasure – there was new demand for better aids to improve vision. In the Point

Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens As part of our south garden rehabilitation we have been uncovering various pieces of historical archaeology – particularly bricks, which the O’Reilly family used to create walkways and line borders and paths. Most bricks uncovered so far have not had any markings, making it difficult to identify the manufacturer

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens Our modern kitchens are filled with various tools for specific tasks – garlic peelers, avocado slicers, and grapefruit spoons, to name a few. This triple pronged tool from the Point Ellice House collection (PEH 975.1.4966) also has a very specific purpose: to fetch pickles from the bottom

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens The Royal Game of Bezique (PEH 975.1.2580) is a 19th century “trick-taking” card game derived from a 16th century game called Piquet. This set was manufactured by Charles Goodall & Sons, a playing card and message card printer in 1820. By 1862, Goodall & Sons was producing

Christeah Dupont, Point Ellice House Museum & Gardens How to see Quickly and Well: Two Hours at the Louvre (1911) This bilingual guide book published in 1911 is part of our larger guidebook and tourism pamphlet collection at Point Ellice House. The book provides extra information on the history of various paintings through the galleries of