SCHWENKFELDER LIBRARY & HERITAGE CENTER
105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA 18073
Phone 215 679-3103 Fax 215 679-8175
info@schwenkfelder.com
www.schwenkfelder.com

January 24, 2008

Contact: David W. Luz
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
215-679-3103, phone
215-679-8175, fax

NATIVE AMERICAN BEADED WHIMSIES EXPLAINED

PENNSBURG, Pa. - The Friends of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center invite the public on Sunday, February 10, 2008, at 2:00 pm, to a presentation by Dr. Thomas Schantz on his collection of Victorian Beaded Whimsies currently on exhibit in the Heritage Center Fraktur Gallery. This presentation is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided following the presentation.

The Heritage Center is always delighted to have the opportunity to exhibit fascinating personal collections, and we are proud to offer Dr. Thomas Schantz's Victorian Beaded Whimsies for your enjoyment. These exquisitely detailed little treasures that range from pin cushions to picture frames and everything in between were made by Native Americans for sale to tourists at attractions such as Niagara Falls. They were hugely popular in the latter years of the 19th century, and there is an excellent chance one of your ancestors acquired a whimsy or two at some point. Dr. Schantz will provide background information on the sale and production of beaded whimsies as well as explaining significance of individual pieces.

We have a few examples at the Heritage Center that were owned by Schwenkfelders. This is a rare opportunity to see a well curated collection of these objects that are examples of a happy blending of Native American traditional beading skills and full blown Victoriana. The collection is featured in the Heritage Center's Fraktur Gallery. The exhibit will run through February 24, 2008.

The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center was founded in 1884 as an informal collection in a private home to assure the preservation of the Schwenkfelders' cultural identity. Today the Heritage Center, a not-for-profit organization, is still preserving, interpreting, and documenting the history of this German Protestant group, along with the history of the Upper Perkiomen Valley. The Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm; Thursdays 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; Saturdays 10:00 am to 3:00 pm; and Sundays 1:00 to 4:00 pm. The Heritage Center is closed to the public on Mondays. For additional information call 215-679-3103 or visit our website www.schwenkfelder.com

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Caption: "Fine needlework and the use of beads is demonstrated in this example of a Victorian Beaded Whimsy."

For more information or images, please contact Curator of Collections Candace Perry.

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