Sunday, November 20, 2016

We Welcome Hestia Creations to Marblehead.Works!

Nautical Santa
We are thrilled to welcome Hestia Creations to Marblehead.Works offerings!  The creation of art that celebrates memories of place has been the focus at Hestia Creations since 1986. From their AmeriScape ornaments and the Companions Collection Nativity pieces, they create beautiful products are sure to delight. All of their products are designed, created and hand-crafted by their talented studio artists. 


Companions Collection Nativity

A unique and distinctive way to share the magic of the Christmas story with your loved ones and friends.
Holy Family Nativity Set
Hestia's Companions Collection Nativity is beautifully designed and created by our talented studio artists. Each figure, animal and accessory is hand-molded of bonded marble dust and hand-painted. Carefully curated textural detail is added to each piece for a realistic and historic first century feel.


The inspiration for their Companions Collection Nativity came from the American Folk Art and French Santons crèche traditions. In addition to the traditional characters, it features typical figures that might have lived in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth, along with other biblical and historical figures.

Santa Collection 

Each one of Hestia's Santa's are designed and created by our talented studio artists. All are
Traditional Santa
individually hand-cast of bonded marble dust and hand-painted and finished with carefully curated textural decoration, which adds charm and realism to each figure. Each year they create an eagerly awaited new themed Santa for a loyal following of collectors. Each Santa is 7 1/2 inches tall.

AmeriScape Ornaments 

Boston's Kenmore Square
A piece of art you can hold in the palm of your hand.
Hestia's AmeriScape ornaments celebrate memories of place. Each one is hand-pour of bonded Marblehead dust and hand-painted.

One of their Boston Collection ornament, this ornament celebrates all that Kenmore Square is known for from the iconic Citgo sign to the home of our boys of summer. It makes a perfect gift for your favorite baseball loving Boston friend. The ornament is 4" in diameter and packaged in a gold box with a bow for a beautiful presentation.

Hestia Impressions Chess Set

Their Marblehead themed chess set stars Abbot Hall in the
Marblehead Chess Set
leading role of king and the Old Town House as the queen with other well-known landmarks as supporting players. Upwind and downwind 420 sailboats round out the cast in their role as pawns. It would make an amazing gift for your Marblehead loving chess player! 

Each chess piece is individually hand-cast and painted in our Marblehead Studio. The chess board base has slots in it to store the pieces and is imported from Italy. The board also reverses for backgammon. The pieces measure 1" - 2.5" across and 2" to 3.5" tall. The board is 18" square.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Marblehead in Art: Maurice Prendergast

Maurice Brazil Prendergast, an American Post-Impressionist artist worked in oilwatercolor, and monotype

Maurice Prendergast 1858 - 1924Maurice Brazil Prendergast  and his twin sister, Lucy, were born at their family's subarctic trading post in Newfoundland, a British Colony in North America. After the trading post failed, the family moved to the South End in Boston.

He left school after only eight or nine years and was apprenticed to
work for a commercial art firm. This conditioned him from the start to the brightly colored, flat patterning effects that characterized his mature work. He was a shy individual who remained a bachelor throughout his life and experienced increasing deafness in his later
years. He was  accompanied and supported by his brother Charles, who was also an artist.

Maurice always wanted to be an artist and spent every available moment sketching. He went to Paris for three years starting in 1892 Studying under Gustave Courtois at the Atelier Colorossi, then under the Canadian painter James Wilson Morrice at the Académie Julian which is where he began executing Pochades; small sketches on wood panels depicting elegantly dressed women and playful children at the seaside resorts of
Dieppe and Saint-Malo.  

In 1895, home from abroad, Prendergast continued to focus on men, women, and children at leisure, strolling in parks, on the beach, or traveling the city streets. In 1898 he went to Venice and returned a year later
with a series of watercolors of the city. In 1900 the Macbeth Galleries in New York mounted an exhibition of his work. 

In 1907 he returned to France, where he was profoundly influenced by Cézanne and the fauves. Integrating these new influences into his work, Prendergast painted more forceful works of art, with startling bright colors and staccato brushstrokes. 

During the final years of his career, Prendergast spent his summers sketching in New England and his winters painting in New York. By 1923, he was in frail health, and he died a year later at the age of sixty-five.


Saturday, June 11, 2016

Nautical Home Decor for a Coastal Cottage Feel

Adding a few simple nautical elements can transform your home into the coastal cottage you've always dreamed of. Marblehead.Works offers a multitude of items that can add genuine oceanside touches to both inland and shoreline homes. 


For a welcoming outdoors:
Sailing nautical coastal home decor
Sailing House Plaque
Hang a hand painted, customized, sailing themed house plaque next to your door. These handmade plaques are available in oval or rectangular form and can be customized with your name, house number, or "welcome" crested within design. Other themes include; floral, lobster, fish, or a black labrador.
Coastal Home Kitchen Nautical Decor
Octopus Pitcher
Display an ocean themed mailbox to your doorstep, which features a gold leafed classic scallop shell and is offered in black or white. This mailbox is handcrafted, has a lid attached with brass hinges, and mounts directly to the wall. 





For a bright, beachy kitchen:

Octopus Serving Tray
Serve your guests with items reflecting your love of the ocean. The aqua glazed vase and acrylic serving tray and feature intricate designs and whimsical sea creatures, offering the perfect amount of breezy detail to your coastal kitchen.


Coral Napkin

Replace plain white napkins for these custom embroidered linen cocktail napkins to add a fun and personal coastal touch to any dinner party, bar cart, or gathering of friends by the pool! These napkins are available in three designs: Coral, Whale, or Preppy Pineapple; they come in blue or white and can be customized with your zip code. 


Nautical fine Art
Paddlers at Gashouse
Incorporate art into your interior design, choosing pieces that reflect your love of the ocean. Artist Stephanie Krauss Verdun, for example, combines coastal colors and simple forms to reflect a perfect summer day! 



Whales Coastal Home Decor
Whale Bookends


For a cozy, coastal living room:

These carved whale wooden bookends would compliment any coastal home decor. Showcase them on a mantle, table top, shelf or coffee table to add a stylish nautical touch to your living room. 
Coastal home decor monkey fist
Monkey Fist Door Stop

An easy way to bring a nautical touch to any room is by adding a classic monkey fist doorstop it also makes a great gift for the true nautical enthusiast in your life. It is constructed from heavyweight cotton rope tied into a large monkey fist knot.





Add unique, nautical lighting:
Nautical Cage Light
A nautical round cage light from is perfect for enhancing any coastal home decor. The light is suitable for indoor or outdoor use, as it is made with strong materials that can combat wet or high-salt environments (great for seaside homes). 


nautical home decor mast head light
Mast Head Light
Want to add a vintage nautical touch to your home? This antique solid brass mast head light from adds the perfect old-fashioned nautical feel to any spot in the house. The antique comes from Perko and has the original oil font.


Visit Marblehead.Works to see the rest of its coastal home decor offerrings, bringing the best of Marblehead to you.

Friday, June 3, 2016

Father's Day Gifts for Dads who Love the Ocean


Here are some unique gift selections that are perfect for dad's who have an affinity for the water. 

For the fisherman in your life: Individually sculpted, hand painted fish by Tinkers Island Fish Company would be perfect for dad's cabin cottage, or man cave. 

Three types of fish are available:



Handcarved Wooden Bluefish
Bluefish
 36"x11"x2" $350





The bluefish is the marauding torpedo of saltwater game fish. Fast and wild with razor sharp teeth. This colorful fish is the ultimate fight on a fly rod. A gorgeous shape with its sleek body and split tail.

Hand Carved Wooden Whale 
Humpback Whale
36"x11"x2"  $350
The Humpback Whale, the acrobatic king of the ocean. This handsome gray and black whale will make you smell the salt air and hear the waves. The sweeping shape of this humpback rises to breath life into any room you display it.

Hand Carved Wooden Striper  
36"x11"x2" $350
Father's Day Gift
Striper
Fly fishing for stripers is where it all started for the artist, Dave Barber. Stripers are beautiful and powerful. This keeper, with its seven lines and fresh colors, is a perfect way to have a summer friend around all year.

As Dave says, "Discover the joy of giving a fish a good home."

Hand Painted Customized House Plaques $85
Fish
Made from white earthenware clay and are available in an oval or rectangular shape.
Sailing
Lobster




For the sailor in your life:

Dopp Kit
This versatile dopp kit, handmade by Marblehead Sail Bags, is light weight which makes it great for traveling. It can easily fit a toothbrush, razor, tooth paste, deodorant, and a few travel size bottles of shampoo. 

Made from high-tech laminate sailcloth lined with brightly colored nylon and cost $35.

For the book lover:
A seafaring tale and chocolate is just the ticket for Father’s Day!
In the Heart of the Sea Gift Set
Set dad up for an afternoon of reading and relaxing with a delicious gift assortment from Harbor Sweets and a copy of Nathanial Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea, the incredible true story of the wreck of the whaleship “Essex”—an event that served as the inspiration for Melville’s “Moby Dick”.
This $30 set Includes: "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathanial Philbrick and a Harbor Sweets 10pc gift assortment with a variety of milk and dark chocolates, including the world famous Sweet Sloops.







Sunday, May 29, 2016

Marblehead’s Okommakamesit Fire Musters: Then and Now

Fire Musters started in this country in Bath, Maine in July of 1849. It is the oldest recreational sport in the country. Marblehead’s, Okommakamesit, the "Oko", has had a long proud tradition of participation and today, 130 members of Okos carry on the proud tradition for Marblehead. 

What is a Muster? It is defined as a gathering of antique equipment for the purpose of display and competition. But for most participants, Musters mean something a little more. Fire Musters have come to mean lasting friendships between people and organizations who normally live and operate great distances from each other. Through the competition and camaraderie comes a mutual understanding and friendship that few other activities seem to generate. Those Fire Departments and Apparatus Buffs who participate in Fire Musters are able to establish a rapport with others who partake in the events, enjoy some friendly competition, and help each other out.  (buffalofire.com). 

Marblehead’s Okommakamesit is a Button & Blake hand-pumped fire engine (a handtub) built in 1861, that carries the serial number 551 It is owned and maintained by The OKO V.F.A. and still actively competes in musters held all around New England every summer with other hand-pumpers in the New England States Veteran's Firemens' League (NESVFL).   

It was originally given the name "Good Will” and served in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania until the end of the Civil War when it was traded in 1869 for a steam fire engine and sold to Marlborough, Massachusetts. Its name was changed to Okommakamesit #2, replacing a 5" Howard & Davis machine of the same name. The name for the engine came from the local Nipmuc Indian language and means "City of Hills". The engine house for the 10" button hand tub was located at 110 Pleasant Street  close to the present day Pleasant Street Fire Station in Marlborough. While in Marlborough, the engine attended it's first muster on October 7, 1869 at Milford, Massachusetts. The engine was retired from fire service in March of 1886.
On April 5, 1895 the Okommakamesit was sold to the Phoenix Veteran Fireman's Association of Marblehead, Massachusetts. One of the first things the engine did when it arrived was to help the Phoenix VFA celebrate it's first anniversary.  In June of 1896 the organization joined the New England States Veteran Fireman's League. On September 7th, 1896 the Phoenix VFA got it's first muster win with their new engine, beating out 11 other engines at a muster held in Essex, MA with a stream of 216' 11 3/4".  In 1903 the Phoenix VFA won the New England League Championship at a muster in Salem, MA at which 51 engines attended. On August 20, 1908 the Okommakamesit #2 participated in the largest hand fire engine muster ever held in Lowell, Ma where 63 engines competed. The Oko's finished well in 13th position with a stream of  205'11". 

In 1909 the organization voted to change it's name from the Phoenix VFA to  the Okommakamesit Veteran Fireman's Association. The 1920's proved fruitful for  the organization including winning 3 musters in 1920 and 6 in 1922' winning thousands of dollars in the process. By the end of the 1920's, the country was plunged into a depression, and the number of musters each year dwindled. In 1933 no muster were held at all and in 1934 and 1935 very few contests were held to due the countries economic problems.  Just as musters started pick up again in the later part of the decade, however, the United States of America entered World War 2 and the hand engine muster would take a backseat. A muster was held in Boston, Ma on August 16, 1941 and they would not gather again for almost 5 years.

In 1946 the soldiers returned from war to man their engines and musters once again became a frequent occurrence throughout the northeast and the Oko's were a big part of it. A new era was dawning for musters in 1946 for the muster game. For the first time the league split the engines into 2 classes with Class A having cylinders over 7" and Class B cylinders under 7".

During the 1950's, 60's and 70's the Oko's were a regular at musters all over New England. The 1960 were good to the Oko's winning close to $1700 in 1962 and 1962 and the now famous Oko's Bagpipe Band was formed. On June 6, 1961 the Oko's won a muster at Salem which was overshadowed by the death of Foreman Albert April of the Essex handtub when the dome on his machine exploded.  As the 1960's came to a close, the Oko's organization was on the decline. The interest in the Oko's was waning and it reached near extinction by the mid 1980's. By 1985, the organization was bottoming and almost lost it building when it fell in such disrepair that the Town of Marblehead almost had it torn down. Through the diligent efforts of a few good men the build and machine was saved and started a revival. On July 28, 1990 the Oko's were back, winning the League's Centennial Celebration Muster at Newburyport and bringing home $1000 in gold, one of the largest prizes in modern day musters. Since that win, the Oko's have been been to just about every league contest and recently won their first muster since 1990 at a muster in Georgetown MA. on September 19, 1998. The longest stream for the engine is 254' 8 1/4" and it has won $36,106.25 in muster competition placing it 3rd on the all time list of money winners.

Patty Pederson,
Second VP of the Marblehead Museum, Marblehead, Massachusetts, recently had the opportunity to watch the Okos League practice their sport down at Redd's Pond and had the honor of interviewing some of its members.

Q. What makes this league so special and unique to Marblehead?

A. Bill Ward: What makes this special is the bond of these guys
competing and carrying on the proud tradition for Marblehead. We hope to keep this tradition going for many generations to come. We hope that new members will care enough about this to pass on this tradition to their children and grandchildren.                                    
Q. What is the mission statement of the oko button #155?
A. Earl Doliber, Club Secretary and original Marblehead family member: To promote harmony, establish order, secure success, and continue that friendly feeling with each other that has existed for many years. 
Q. Who are the executive board members?
A. Harold Hansen, President, Earl Doliber, Secretary, along with Richard Bartlett, Paul Bartlett, T. Forman, and Bill Ward, delegate. Tommy Blackler whose relative is related to John Glover. 

Patty noted that each participant in the League are proud to be a member of the Okos and to compete and carry on this rich tradition for Marblehead. Patty wants to emphasize to the newcomers to this beautiful town that may not have heard of this group, or even know what a muster is, that she hopes to change all this by getting the word out about this League. She feels lucky to be a part of this town and its history and honored to know this outstanding group of men. 

The Oko V.F.A. would like to extend an invitation to all to attend a muster this year. It's a great sport the oldest in the country and a fun time for all young and old, pack up a lunch bring the kids and enjoy the show. They are always looking for new members, to win championships takes horse power and they can use all the help they can get. They invite you to take a look around their website: www.okos.org to learn more about them, their organization and their fine hand-engine.


Friday, May 27, 2016

Marblehead History: Memorial Day Celebrations



Marge Armstrong a native Marbleheader, looks back on Marblehead's Memorial Day celebrations in her youth.Dan Dixey photo OKO's 1966


Hat’s Off!
Along the street there comes a blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums,
A flash of color beneath the sky:
Hat’s off!
The flag is passing by!! 
Memorial Day  Sea ScoutsThis is one of the lines of the poem “The Flag Goes By” which we memorized and recited at the Memorial Day Celebration at the Gerry School Playground in Marblehead. Every year each school in town held Memorial Day Services. I believe we learned this one in Mrs. Roller’s third grade class. As I remember we had to really blare out, “Hat’s Off.”  Every year chairs were set up on the playground and we sat with our class, reciting our poems and singing patriotic songs as our parents watched us. We probably wore a patriotic outfit complete with a white cardigan sweater.  I think one year we played a patriotic number on our song flutes. At the junior and senior high school American Legion Awards were given out to a student at both schools. Students were recognized for their scholarship, leadership and character and were presented Legion pins and plaques and their names were inscribed on permanent plaques within the schools.  Any of you readers receive the award?
High School Band Memorial Day
High School Band 1960's 
Memorial Day was always quite a celebration in Marblehead; they seemed to have a love for parades. Let’s hope history does not repeat itself this year as the holiday in 1956 was very rainy but the parades went on, no matter what the weather. Every year there is a chief marshall of the parade and in 1956 it was Vernon S. Sanborn, commander of Clarence Bartol U.S. W. V. The parade was made up of 5 or 6 divisions in those days with lots of marching bands.  Members of the parade included the town dignitaries, Clergyman, National Guard, all the Veteran Organizations in town and their auxiliaries, the Scouts including the Sea Scouts who that year were led by Donald E. Sweet, Gold Star Mothers, and marching bands including the OKO’s with their bagpipes.  That year Lt. George Girard headed up the police delegation which led the parade.

The parade would start at Town House Square and proceeded down to the wharf where there would be a wreath ceremony.  They would then march back up State Street to Washington and up the one way street on Pleasant Street to School to Essex and stop at Memorial Park.  There another ceremony would be held.  It was here that the Scouts in town would join the parade and continue up Spring Street to Elm to Creesey to Green to Turner Road and into Waterside Cemetery to the Grand Army Lot for more exercises. Following the exercises the procession would re-form and proceed out of the cemetery to Turner Road to Green Street to Mugford to the Town House where the flag would be raised to full staff and then dismissed. 
Memorial Day Eliza's
At Great Aunt Eliza's, Memorial Day 1965
The family waiting for me to pass by in the parade in my Girl Scout attire. My family always had a great place to watch the parade at my Great Aunt Mary Eliza Foss Phillip’s house, who lived right next to the Powder House. We would gather on the lawn and watch the parade both going to the cemetery and returning back.   When I was a girl scout everyone would wave when we went by.  My mother remembers when she was a girl scout “ one year it was so cold marching that Aunt Eliza came out with a pair of mittens for her.”  I bet they were homemade white wool ones.  Back in the ‘60’s we had to dress in our complete Girl Scout uniforms including white gloves in order to march in the parade.  We also had to stay in formation and actually march!

Me Girl Scout
All decked out in my Girl Scout uniform
What are your Memorial Day memories? Besides the parade I think of lilacs. It seems the lilacs were always in bloom for the parade and now they seem to bloom much earlier. 
 Thank you to Dan Dixey for the use of his color photos of the parade from 1965 – 1966.


About the Author
Margery G. Armstrong is a native Marbleheader, born and raised. She holds a BS degree from Boston University, and a Certification in Genealogical Research as well. She has been involved in genealogy for the past twelve years and is a member of the Marblehead Historical Society, the Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, the New Hampshire Genealogical Society, the National Society of Genealogists and the New England Genealogical Society. 
Her book, "Marblehead in WWI" available at Marblehead.Works, delves into the past through articles and letter from those overseas that were first published in the Marblehead Messenger.