Our first stop was Winterthur in Wilmington, Delaware, where they are currently displaying costumes from the television series "Downton Abbey". While not a fan of the show, the exhibit was wonderful for its context and historical accuracy, particularly in comparing British versus American "aristocrat" lifestyle, particularly as it was lived by the DuPonts at Winterthur.
Judging by the women attending, however, most simply wanted to gush over the clothing of the various ladies in the show.
Apparently the show is drawing large attendance, and is very good for Winterthur, both financially and for making more people aware of this treasure of a museum.
As usual, we also went on the reserved tours through the period rooms at Winterthur. These are small group tours (limited by the close confines, and the small elevators), so you really get a close look at many of the items, since you will be in rooms where things are not "roped off". We were the only two people on our final tour, and since we had been so often and had seen all the rooms at one point or another, our guide did a free-form tour, just taking us wherever we wanted to go and see whatever was particularly interesting to us. So, I used this opportunity to revisit some old favorites, and at the same time, still kept finding things I had never noticed before.
Currently in the main galleries there is, in addition to their regular collection displays, a group of painted tinware. This shows the history and use of painted tin in America, and includes a grouping of reproduced items by the late Elaine Dalzell, a member of the Historical Society of Early American Decoration.
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