Page 16 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 56 Autumn 2025

Unique Pieces Inside

THE FRANKLIN JOHNSON MANSION

EVER Y OBJEC T TELL S A S T OR Y

By Erin Benham, WHPT Volunteer
Working on collections at the
Franklin Johnson Mansion, we of-
ten come across items that give us
pause; wondering what the item is
or what it was used for. Our many
visitors also inquire about these
odd and unique items. I will high-
light some of those pieces here and
encourage you to visit to see them
and the many others first hand.

This silver and glass Hair Receiv-
er (1920) was a common item on
women’s dressing tables from the
Victorian era. They were used to
collect and store shed hair from
hairbrushes and combs for a vari-
ety of purposes: filling pincushions
or other small pillows, or even for
making a “ratt”, a hairpiece for ments. This holder features en- the North Parlor along with other
creating elaborate hair styles. This graved floral designs, a beaded items a gentleman might keep in
receiver was owned by Lena Rovin- border, and is engraved with “Ci- his room.
sky, as her name is etched on the gars” on the front, made by Wood-
piece that now sits in the Primary man-Cook Co., Portland, Maine, You might not be able to guess
Bedroom at FJM. I would guess if c.1900. These novelty items are what this piece is until you slide
you had an old pin cushion that has reminders of a bygone age, repre- the lid open and discover what is
been handed down to you over the senting a time of refined tastes and called an Egg Coddler. You will find
years that it might be filled with affluence. This item is on display in it on the Dining Room table. It is
your ancestors hair! a device used for gently cooking
eggs, typically by placing them in
The antique Victorian Tilting Water hot water within the coddler. Many
Pitcher, found in the Dining Room, antique versions, like this one, are
garners many questions from vis- silver-plated and feature decora-
itors. This was typically used for tive elements such as finials and
serving beverages like water, iced etched designs and include a stand
tea, or lemonade. It is made of sil- and a burner for keeping the eggs
verplate, a base metal, coated with warm at the table. Circa 1890.
a layer of silver; and the "tilting"
design allows the pitcher to pivot Is it a vanity mirror or is it a pet-
on its stand for easy pouring. Our ticoat mirror? This vintage 1940s
piece was manufactured by Pair- bronze standing mirror with a man
point Mfg. Co. of New Bedford, MA peeking over a beveled mirror
Circa 1886. holding arrows can also be found
in the Primary Bedroom. These
This cigar holder or humidor, types of mirrors were either hung
shaped like a champagne bottle, as a piece of artwork or placed on
was designed to hold cigars and a solid surface. Manufactured by
matches in screwed-on compart- Bradley & Hubbard, Meriden, CT
16 WALLINGFORD MAGAZINE - AUTUMN 2025