MIDDLEBURY — On Wednesday, July 26, at 3:30 p.m., the Henry Sheldon Museum and its alliance partner Historic New England, along with The Residence at Otter Creek, present a talk tracing the history of jewelry in New England spanning nearly 400 years. The talk is free and open to the public at the Residence on Lodge Road in Middlebury.
Joanne Flaherty will lead a tour through Historic New England’s extensive jewelry collection. This illustrated lecture is a brief introduction to the major developments in the history of American adornment. It will highlight changes in style and technique, using images of some of the nearly 2,500 pieces of jewelry and related accessories in one of the best-documented jewelry collections in the country.
Following the talk, David Bennett, an accredited jewelry professional who works at Autumn Gold in Middlebury, will briefly discuss how antique jewelry is appraised.
Joanne Flaherty is the collections and exhibitions coordinator for Historic New England, where she processes incoming accessions and assists with the development, design and coordination of exhibitions for installation at the Eustis Estate, in Milton, Mass. Flaherty has spent significant time with Historic New England’s jewelry collection.
David Bennett has been a jeweler for 30 years. He is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America and has worked at Autumn Gold in Middlebury for 10 years.