A Drawer Full of Shoelaces Mary Lynne Spazok
We all have it, but hate to admit it—a drawer full of nothing that is, in fact, really something! Is it collectible? Whether it’s shoelaces, kitchen gadgets, or lost and found keys, we just can’t seem to part with them. At the USC Historical Society holiday party, Jean Brown proudly proclaimed the ultimate functionality of her ongoing “shoelace drawer.” Amused, I had to admit that the premise is priceless. After all, shoelaces are not only utilitarian, but often sophisticated works of art. Some are squiggly, some are multi-colored, while others elasticized. In the end, they all perform the same basic function—to secure the shoe on the foot. So, why a drawer full of orphaned shoelaces? Ultimately, their application is perpetual. Depression era as well as “green” Americans restore, reuse, recycle. Shoelaces make sturdy string. • When gardening, tie tomato and bean plants to stakes so they don’t topple. • Create cat toys by tying a jingly bell or catnip mouse to shoe strings. • Dried flowers, herbs, and holiday symbols tied to ceiling beams or chandeliers create a flight of fancy. • Attach a bauble to get a unisex necklace!
During this holiday season, we gleefully showcase splendid treasures. Margaret Gilfillan’s anthology of distinctive holiday greetings is maintained by the Historical Society. Sending greeting cards to friends and family is a tradition that goes back
A beekeeper nutcracker 14
UPPER ST. CLAIR TODAY
about 200 years. The Christmas card was introduced and popularized by John Calcott Horsley, the artist of what is known as the world’s first holiday salute. Louis Prang is known as the Father of the American Christmas Card. Although residents of the Gilfillan farm did not celebrate Christmas in a secular way, they were amiable neighbors. Their gesture—uniquely hand crafted items depicting farm scenes, including sheep and outbuildings. Early on, cards were hand delivered. With the onset of the first postage stamp in 1840, mass mailings gained popularity. By the 1850s, ambitious printers and manufacturers engaged quality artists to design elaborate, thus expensive, cards as well as charming, less costly versions. Art competitions resulted in fresh ideas that awarded winners with upwards of $1000. Today’s sophisticated collectors seek out supreme mechanical pop-up and filigree (cut-out) cards. An unselfish person, Margaret created engaging, tactile, and highly personal ink-on-paper cards that connected the sender with the recipient. Thoughtful, her talent made it easy to express feelings that may have gone unsaid. Then and now, sentimental greeting cards are cherished keepsakes.
A trio of life-size nutcrackers Winter 2009
Jean Brown, displaying Margaret Gilfillan’s handcrafted greeting cards
Significant icons, nutcrackers embody the “cycle of life.” A lowly nut seed of the elder tree tumbles to the earth and matures into a burly tree, all the while providing sustenance for man, bird, and beast. To collectors of this mystical idol, this object d’art of the elder exudes the promise of celebrated good fortune with a spirited quality of life. From a collection of more than one hundred Steinbach Nutcrackers, a local apiarist’s favorite nutcracker is, of course, the beekeeper. Received as cherished keepsakes throughout the years, nutcrackers represent power and strength as well as being time-honored messengers of good luck and goodwill. They command respect as fierce defenders against evil. Manly nutcrackers bare their teeth to ward off menace, while those depicting female characters are demure with brightly painted, but closed lips. Whether mini or maxi, whimsical nutcrackers continue to be a part of amusing conversation at social settings. A proper hostess would certainly serve sweetmeats, including pecans and hazelnuts. “The Nutcracker and the King of Mice,” written between 1776 and 1822 by fantasy author E.T.A. Hoffman, is the story behind Tchaikovsky’s glorious ballet The Nutcracker. Premiered in St. Petersburg in 1892, this famous ballet has become a Christmas tradition throughout the west. Although their rich European his-