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The W.H. Stark House has added a new level of brilliance to its First Floor Friday event Friday, May 19, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a sparkling new exhibition in the Carriage House. “Brilliant: Cut Glass from The W.H. Stark House” features American Brilliant Cut Glass made from 1876 to 1917 that was collected by Miriam Lutcher Stark and is on view on the second floor.
“We are so excited to showcase Miriam’s beautiful cut glass collection,” said The W.H. Stark House Programming and Site Manager Tabitha Henderson. “We hope that when you view this exhibition, you are transcended back to the time of the American Brilliant Glass Period and imagine how these pieces would have been used in your own Victorian homes.”
Stark spent years filling her home with items to reflect both her family’s status and her personal style. Her collection of cut-glass pieces remains among the largest in the southern United States. Many of the items on view once adorned the dining room table, others were used at mealtimes by family and friends, some held fresh cut flowers to decorate rooms throughout the house, others provided light for reading in the evening hours. The cut glass pieces are uniquely made with lead oxide, which makes this beautiful artwork “crystal” glass.
At First Floor Friday, the public is invited to walk the grounds and view the first floor of the historic home, which includes the library, music room, dining room and breakfast room/office, and the Carriage House for the second-floor exhibit. Materials for a self-guided experience are provided for all visitors.
Entrance to The W.H. Stark House is free of charge, and the last entry is at 1:30 p.m. The house is located at 610 Main Ave. in downtown Orange. For more information, view whstarkhouse.org or call (409) 883-0871.