LECTURE | Out of the Attic: Inventing Antiques in Twentieth-Century New England with Briann Greenfield

Description

What transforms a discarded object into a treasured antique? Join acclaimed historian and independent scholar Briann Greenfield as she reveals how Connecticut and New England didn't just collect antiques—they invented the very idea of what makes something "antique." Through a century of transformation, she traces how everyday objects evolved from dusty attic finds to coveted museum pieces. Greenfield uncovers the fascinating stories of collectors, dealers, and curators who shaped American material culture, showing how personal passion and cultural values created the antique market we know today.

Thursday, August 14, 7 pm

Tickets: $15 | $10 Members

This lecture will be offered in person and via Zoom. 

*Zoom link will be provided in advance of the lecture.

Briann Greenfield, Ph.D., is a humanities leader, scholar, and educator with experience in university, cultural nonprofit, and federal government settings. Most recently, she was Director of the Division of Preservation and Access at the National Endowment for the Humanities. A former Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University, she received the university’s prestigious Board of Trustees Research Award for her book Out of the Attic: Inventing Antiques in Twentieth-century New England (2009, University of Massachusetts Press).