WE ARE HISTORICAL REENACTORS AND PUBLIC SPEAKERS, AND PRESENT A VARIETY OF HISTORIC PROGRAMS TO CLUBS, MUSEUMS, ETC., WHILE DRESSED IN PERIOD CLOTHING. WE ALSO DO PAID GROUP TOURS OF OUR C. 1780 HOME IN 17TH OR 18THC. COSTUME, AND SERVE LIGHT REFRESHMENTS, AND A VARIETY OF PUBLIC APPEARANCES IN PERIOD DRESS AS WELL.
DURING THE YEAR, WE HAVE EVENTS IN OUR OWN HOME SUCH AS OUR 'DINNER WITH THE PILGRIMS', AND A COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG INSPIRED '18THC. CHRISTMASTIDE HIGH TEA', AND MANY OTHERS. WE ACCEPT A LIMITED NUMBER OF PAID RESERVATIONS FOR THESE EVENTS, AND THEY HAVE BEEN HUGELY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL.
WE PRESENT A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL AND ENTERTAINING HISTORIC PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS.
PLEASE EMAIL US FOR PROGRAM, TOUR, OR EVENT INFORMATION AND FEES, AND FOR CUSTOM ART PROJECT SERVICES YOU MAY DESIRE.
We are living history reenactors. Adam is a graphic designer, and Mary an antiques dealer. We are also public speakers, and present a number of different programs to clubs, historical societies and museums. We reenact several different time periods, from c. 1660 through the 1770’s, at various living history events.
Our most popular program is called ‘DRESSING A COLONIAL LADY’. Due to the wonderful reviews we get, New Hampshire Humanities Council has contacted us about applying to have this program on their list. At present, we get our speaking engagements and appearances through the flyers we send out, but mostly from word of mouth, and have excellent references from historical societies and clubs throughout New England.
We are gratified to see how much interest there is in how our ancestors dressed and lived life every day, over 200 years ago. Men, women, and children seem to love this program very much! When we arrive, Adam is in full colonial attire of the mid 18th century, and Mary is dressed only in a long white linen shift---the basic undergarment of colonial women, regardless of social status. She wears long cotton stockings with leather buckled knee garters, which were quite often home made, as ours are. Layer by layer, her husband Adam helps her to dress in a typical day gown of a middling woman of the 1700’s. The audience will learn that women’s clothing of the period never had buttons---only tapes made on a tape loom, and why it was necessary for her to have assistance with the sometimes difficult and restrictive clothing. Adam jokes that that is why there were not any “minute women”!
When we arrive, we bring many articles of women’s 18thc. style clothing items. We have small printed tags with the name of each item. We place these items, with tags, over one or two tables. After the program, the audience is invited to come up and look and handle, and ask about the various items. During the program Adam first laces Mary into ‘stays’. These, as well as the period gowns were custom made for Mary, from 18thc. patterns, and are stringently historically correct. All hems that show were sewn by hand. The ‘stays’ are followed by ‘pockets’, tied around the waist, a ‘hiproll’ or ‘bumroll’, and an under-petticoat of heavy linen. Depending on the style, the dress itself is actually several pieces, and can consist of a stomacher, petticoat, the robing or gown, or a short jacket, and a ‘modesty piece’. After all that, there is an apron, a cap, and a straw hat! Depending on the weather, Mary may wear a long wool hooded cloak and a pair of ‘mufftees’.
The audience will learn the purpose of all of these items and more.They will learn what a ‘huswife’ and a ‘bodkin’ are, and what they were used for! Mary’s shoes are also period-correct. The audience will come away with a real appreciation for how an everyday woman of the period would dress, and still perform her duties and chores in clothing that is so restrictive, that they as 21st century people cannot imagine wearing! They will learn why ‘stays’ were so important and that a garment would never fit without them, how valuable textiles and clothing were in the 18thc., and much more. During the program, all are invited to ask any and all questions. We feel this program is a fascinating first hand look into another era, and our audiences seem to as well!
We both have extensive backgrounds in living history, and in colonial life, and the clothing of the period. Because we reenact battles and 17th and 18th century life at historical events for museums such as Ft. Ticonderoga, Old Sturbridge Village, Saratoga, Ft. Pemaquid, Quebec, and many others, it is very important that we portray in our actions and our dress, life as it was at the time, and we have considerable experience at doing that. We have also had roles and bit parts in films, such as the documentary on King Phillip’s War, “The First Patriots”, and “The War That Made America”, on PBS.
We sincerely hope that you will visit our website, www.thecountryladyantiques.com to learn more about us, and that you will contact us if you are interested in booking a DRESSING A COLONIAL LADY program!
Sincerely,
Adam and Mary Spencer
Adam has a BFA in illustration and design from the Art Institute of Boston/Lesley University. He has been an editorial cartoonist and graphic designer for many clients in New Hampshire.
As “The Itinerant Limner”, Mary paint historically correct, Rufus Porter style wall murals in the past. She is the ORIGINAL 'wall age, developing her own process years ago, she did the walls in her own home, which was featured in Early American Life magazine in 2002, and which many tried to copy but could never duplicate! She was featured on the front page of the Concord (N.H.) Monitor newspaper, when she painted the wall murals in the historic Grace Fletcher House in Hopkinton, N.H., and has been in many other publications as well.
Adam and Mary are both artists who collaborate, and together paint custom ordered fireboards, and “dummy boards”, (also known as “silent companions”), for clients.
This is a photograph of a fireboard we recently painted and delivered to a customer. We ship everywhere, and would be happy to do custom work for you. Contact us, and we will work with you to create a one-of-a-kind treasure for your home.
ALL SALES FINAL