NEWS RELEASE: Marking the Occasion: HHS Hosts Closing Reception for Dutch Silver Spoon Exhibit with Collector George Way

NEW PALTZ, NY (December 2, 2016) – On Saturday, December 10, Historic Huguenot Street will host a special closing reception for the exhibit Marking the Occasion: Dutch Silver Spoons from the Collection of George Way and Jonathan Z. Friedman. Collector George Way will be in attendance for this champagne reception to discuss the history and significance of the collection. The exhibit, which has been on display since September, centers around 17th- and 18th-century Dutch silver spoons. During the reception, guests will have the opportunity to handle the spoons and view them up-close.

“Dutch solid silver spoons were considered very precious objects,” explained George Way. “These spoons were highly regarded as not only works of art, but were an indication of great wealth.” This exhibit also served as an opportunity for Historic Huguenot Street to celebrate the Dutch influence in the Hudson Valley, as the custom of giving spoons to mark births, deaths, and other occasions was carried on in New Netherland colony as well. The recently appointed Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Honorable Dolph Hogewoning, visited the exhibit in October. The exhibit will remain on display at the DuBois Fort until December 18 during regular weekend hours.

A collector since the age of 15, Way’s interest quickly became a passion as he was drawn in to the golden age of Dutch culture. From a novice to a collector to a connoisseur, his collection has grown to become one of America's foremost collections of 16th- and 17th-century Dutch and English furniture, paintings and decorative objects. Way has appeared on Oprah and the Today Show and writes extensively on 17th century Dutch antiques and furniture.

The Old Fort History Club offers regular opportunities for club members to join together at the historic DuBois Fort – formerly the Old Fort Restaurant – and enjoy camaraderie, food, drink, and entertainment. The program will begin at the DuBois Fort (81 Huguenot Street) with a reception catered by Main Course at 4:30 pm. Existing members may attend for $20 and register at huguenotstreet.org/rsvp.

Those who join Old Fort History Club as new members for $25 will receive complimentary admission to this event. Those interested may register as new members at huguenotstreet.org/old-fort-history-club. 

A National Historic Landmark District, Historic Huguenot Street is a 501(c)3 non-profit that encompasses 30 buildings across 10 acres that was the heart of the original 1678 New Paltz settlement, including seven stone houses that date to the early eighteenth century.  It was founded in 1894 as the Huguenot Patriotic, Historical, and Monumental Society to preserve the nationally acclaimed collection of stone houses. Since then, Historic Huguenot Street has grown into an innovative museum, chartered as an educational corporation by the University of the State of New York, that is dedicated to protecting our historic buildings, conserving an important collection of artifacts and manuscripts, and promoting the stories of the Huguenot Street families, from the sixteenth century to today. 

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Contact
Kaitlin Gallucci
Communications & Marketing Manager
(845) 255-1660
media@huguenotstreet.org