The Emily Dickinson Museum’s collection contain more than 8,000 artifacts, including family objects such as artwork, textiles, furniture, dinnerware, and other household items.
In 2019, the Emily Dickinson Museum was awarded a major grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services to inventory and catalogue the entirety of its collections for the first time. This project will improve the management and accessibility of the collections, strengthening the museum’s interpretation and enhancing Dickinson research. Over the course of three years, every single item in the collections will be documented and photographed, and these records will eventually be published in a publicly accessible, online database.
Teapot
Silver-plated teapot monogrammed on the side with S.H.D. for Susan Huntington Dickinson.
Edward Dickinson's Leather Bound Box
Leather bound box with name plate of "Edward Dickinson, Attorney and Counsellor at Law, Amherst, Mass." Inside label "S. Nims, Saddle, Harness and Trunk Maker. Ware Village, January 1827."
Napkin Ring
Metal napkin ring monogrammed with W.A.D. for William Austin Dickinson.
Susan's Dinner Plate
Dinner plate with brown transferware pattern manufactured by the W. T. Copeland & Sons factory in England. Susan Dickinson purchased this set for the Evergreens in the 1880s.
Susan's Sewing Kit
Small red needle book with the initials SHD for Susan Huntington Dickinson. Contains folds of fabric inside for keeping needles.
Daguerreotype of Susan Gilbert Dickinson
Daguerrotype of Susan Gilbert Dickinson taken circa 1856, the same year she married Emily's brother Austin. Daguerrotypes were an early form of photography, with the image exposed on a sheet of silver-plated copper.
Emily and Lavinia's Box
Tin box with the handpainted names of "Emily E and Lavinia N. Dickinson" on the lid.
Luggage Tag
Luggage tag engraved with "W. A. Dickinson, Amherst, Mass", owned by Emily Dickinson's brother, Austin.
Story by Gilbert
A story written by Thomas Gilbert "Gib" Dickinson, Emily's nephew. "Once there was a mother and she had three children. One day she sent them on an errand but they did not go. They found some snow and they thought they would throw some at each other so they did. T.G.D." Written below the story is a note from Gib's mother, Susan Dickinson, that reads "Gilbert's first story when in kindergarten."
Souvenir Cup
Enameled cup featuring the initials of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra of Russia and the Romanov eagle. This commemorative cup was one of many distributed at celebratory events for the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II in 1896. Enthusiasm for obtaining the cup led to the Khodynka Tragedy where more than 1,000 people died in a crown stampede. It is also referred to as the Khodynka Cup of Sorrows, the Coronation Cup, the Sorrow Cup, or the Blood Cup.
Silver-Plated Spoon
Electroplated silver spoon monogrammed with Susan Dickinson's maiden initials "S.H.G." The full service, manufactured by Tiffany and Company, is in the Whittier pattern.
Russian Scroll
Paper scroll wrapped in fabric casing, written in Russian and featuring the name of Martha (Dickinson) Bianchi and the date October 5, 1905. Martha married Alexander Bianchi, a captian in the Russian Imperial Horse Guard, in 1902. She was fluent in the Russian language and published a translation into English of a collection of Russian poetry.
Photograph of the Evergreens
View of The Evergreens taken prior to September 1938. The large tree in the center of the photograph fell during the Hurricane of 1938 which downed hundreds of trees throughout Amherst.
Basket
Emily Dickinson was known to share her baking with neighborhood children. One of these children recalled her using a rope to lower a basket filled with her homemade gingerbread from her second story bedroom window to the children playing below. This basket, on display in Emily Dickinson’s bedroom, is presumed to have served that purpose.
Painting
Painting titled "Scene near Dresden" or "Village Scene in Europe" by Johann Gottfried Pulian. 1846. Oil on canvas. This painting was acquired by Austin Dickinson in 1862. The artist was a member of the Dusseldorf School. In an 1895 inventory, Susan noted that this painting hung in The Evergreens parlor.
Ned's Banjo
Four-string banjo with skin drum head maufactured by Thompson & Odell in Boston. It was owned by Emily's nephew, Edward "Ned" Dickinson, who was a member of the banjo club at Amherst College.
English Bone China Teacup
Coffee cup from a set of English Bone China owned by Emily Norcross Dickinson. The simple gold band was a common pattern in the early ninteenth century.
Edward Dickinson's Wallet
Black leather wallet owned by Edward Dickinson. Inside flaps have specific storagecompartments for stamps and tickets, as well as a writing utensil.
Transferware Sauceboat
Sauceboat representing a large dinner service of brown transfer-printed earthware dishes manufactured by the W. T. Copeland & Sons Factory in England. Susan Dickinson purchased these for use at The Evergreens in the 1880s.
Bandbox
Oval cardboard box covered with decorative paper attributed to Emily Norcross Dickinson. Bandboxes were used to transport or store hats or other small garments.
Stereograph of Mt. Holyoke College
After completing her schooling at Amherst Academy, Emily Dickinson entered Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mount Holyoke College) in 1847. She stayed at the Seminary for one year, the longest time she spent away from home. This stereograph of Mount Holyoke Female Seminary was taken in the early 1870s.
Any use of these images must be approved by the Emily Dickinson Museum.
Please contact us at: Info@EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org
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