If your workshop isn’t air conditioned, find a perfect respite from the rising temperatures at our Behind-the-Scenes Tours “CHS Toolbox” on Saturday, July 20 at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. With collections expert Rich Malley, visitors will explore vintage tools from awls to wrenches (ok, I couldn’t come up with a tool that started with z!) and many chisels, hammers, and planes in between. Please note the date change for this month’s tour—it isn’t our usual second Saturday of the month, but the third.
Solon Rust used this toolbox as an apprentice at the Union Factory from 1865-1890. This special treasure featured in Making Connecticut will be unpacked for the tour.
Showcasing the furniture those tools made and the nationally-acclaimed furniture collection of the CHS, we’ll be hosting our Focus on Furniture series this fall with a new offering each month. Here’s a sneak peek at the speakers and topics coming up!
- September 27, “The Heritage of Windsor Cabinet Makers Comes to Life,” Christina Keyser Vida (Windsor Historical Society)
- October 17, “From Auction to Living Room: Tips for Beginners and Experienced Collectors on Building a Collection to Live with and Love (and Actually Sit On),” Dr. Philip D. Zimmerman (nationally recognized authority on early American furniture and decorative arts)
- November 22, “Hands-On Demonstration: The Complex Joinery and Designs of Eliphalet Chapin,” Will Neptune (furniture maker, master carver, instructor for Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking)
Jennifer Steadman is the Adult Programs Manager at the Connecticut Historical Society
inside the CHS 