Fame and Fortune

     “Don’t cling to fame. You’re just borrowing it. The thing’s like money. You’re going to die, and somebody else is going to get it.”

                                                          -- Sonny Bono, on politicians

Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and a host of others:  

                                          Are you listening?

Fearless

 

"I Made A Fool of Myself Over John Foster Dulles"

 Did you know how Carol Burnett first became famous? 

She was starting out in New York City, at the same time John Foster Dulles was Secretary of State for the Eisenhower administration. Dulles was considered serious...and frankly, a little boring. So Burnett had a great idea: she'd make a song about how she was madly in love with this matter-of-fact politician!

It worked.

 People thought she was hilarious. She was invited to shows, got her name out there...

     And the rest -- well, you already know about that, including the long-running Carol Burnett Show.

Tim Conway's elephant story is pretty funny, too. 

So what Dulles think about this?

According to one blog:

“Dulles was famous for being dour, grim, and humorless. So when Carol Burnett sang a song about a crazed fan’s obsession with Dulles, it brought the house down. Her singing that song on the Ed Sullivan Show was her big break.

“To add to the delicious humor of this story, Carol Burnett told Diane Rehm that shortly after her performance, she saw Dulles giving an interview on Meet the Press. This is what Burnett said happened at the end of the interview:

“‘And so it was, you know, all the serious talk about what the Secretaries of State talk about. And then at the very last part of the show, the moderator said, well, all right, we’re going to leave now,
but, Mr. Dulles, just tell us what is this about you and that young girl that sings that love song about you. And I looked — oh, I got real close to the television set.
And he got a twinkle in his eye and he said,
“I make it a matter never to talk about love in public.”‘*

“Even the most staid Cold Warrior had a sense of humor!”

*Another source:  When asked about the song on Meet the Press, Dulles responded with good humor: "I never discuss matters of the heart in public."

The Railroad's A-Comin'!

Just on a whim, I checked Ebay today. And there it was... 

                             a railroad jacquard-woven coverlet.

You very rarely see these pieces -- let alone have the chance to bid on them. I didn't exactly grab it -- I had to negotiate some. (And yes, Gentle Readers, I used 'Best Offer.') 

But it's paid for, and headed to Fort Garland! 

Here's the scoop from the American History Museum's site. (They have one, too.)

An unidentified weaver wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet. The centerfield design features oak leaf and flower, sprig and floral, foliate swag, and leaf carpet medallions. All four of the borders depict the No. 240 engine and coal car being operated by the engineer. The cornerblocks depict four profile portraits of M. T. McKennon, the first president of the railroad. He is surrounded by the woven inscription, “Hemfield Railroad.” The Hempfield Railroad was began in 1851 and designed to connect Wheeling, Virginia (current West Virginia) to Washington, Pennsylvania. Construction was not complete until 1857 and the railroad operated until 1871 when it was sold to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. It is not clear if these coverlets were used on the passenger cars or sold to subscribers. The railroad was initially funded through subscription, and it is possible that these coverlets were made to help facilitate that process or just to commemorate the arrival of the railroad. The coverlet was likely made c. 1851 either in Wheeling or Western Pennsylvania. The railroad operated three locomotive engines, six freight and passenger cars, and eleven coal cars.

Here's theirs, also in indigo and white -- looks like mine is in better shape.

This was woven in wool & cotton...and in red/white/blue, as well.

Update: There's a reason theirs looks more worn -- it's older.  I went back to reread the listing, and the words "licensed reproduction" leaped out at me. This coverlet, according to the seller, is also bigger than the c.1850 version, though she calls it a wool blend. (I just discovered that this style was reproduced -- I didn't know that at all. But the link I found said it was cotton. ) At any rate, it's still a good buy -- just not a 'fall down and wave my legs in the air ecstatically' bargain. Oopsies. 

I have been looking for both a railroad coverlet, as well as a steamboat coverlet, for DECADES.  I found the steamboat one a few years ago, also just by accident, on Ebay. (Yes, it's authentic, from the period.)

It and the railroad coverlet will keep each other company during my lectures. I think I'm going to add a new one: "What's Real...And What's Repro?" with old/newer examples, and a lot of textile history thrown in between. Whoo hoo!

Here's the steamboat piece -- 1845, vs the railroad piece's 1850/51 date

A New Approach...

 

(Thanks, Bored Panda, for the suggestion.)

I'd Go To This Hotel!

 What a thoughtful thing to do.

Or this one...if they'd do this with my stuffed companion.

(Not Ruby, though.)

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Labor Day...And Labor

     Blessedly cooling off around here. Whew. We're not going anywhere for Labor Day -- just venturing out in the stream of RVs, campers and gawking tourists along Highway 160 is bad enough. 

     We both have things to do, anyways...the Brick has been repairing a leak in the master bathroom sinks, and just ordered $260 of screws for the roof. (Turns out the roof metal panels have been lifting up -- and lifting the screws with them. They need to be replaced before snow falls.) 

     I am starting to make progress with reports, but have a lot to go. 

Happy Labor Day!

Meanwhile:

A proper Sunday High Tea -- at least what James Herriot's housekeeper thought was...

How to stay in a 'broke' mindset -- and save.  (From the Financial Samurai)

'Ancient Marvels' that people still haven't figured out. (Many of these are rarely mentioned -- but amazing.)

Who likes/hates/is indifferent to who in the Democratic Party? What a mess...

Amazing scams people actually got away with.  (Please -- stop and think before you respond to a 'too good to be true' or 'your grandson is in jail' phone call!)

A look at 'marked' women -- and their kid(s).  A classic from yours truly.

Sorry, people -- you're going to have to pay your own student loans.   (We did.)

'Rich and famous people' who know what it's like to be homeless.  (These may surprise you.)

Siberian meat dumplings -- and here's a way to see how they're done:

(Splendid Table's salmon cakes look pretty good, too.)

A Silver goddess figure - Corum Province Turkey - thousands of years old with gold highlights.

I asked the Brick what he thought of, looking at this figure: he said the aliens from Independence Day.  But here's what I thought of first:

A boy accidentally smashes a 3500-year-old jar at Israel's Hecht Museum -- and is invited back to see it repaired. (Very kind of them, quite frankly.)

"A 'genie' seal is discovered in Israel -- that mentions two names in the Bible.

A 12-year-old finds an ancient Roman bracelet -- while walking his dog in Sussex, England.

Really Nice animal family pics. Including this one:

Awwwww.....

Tarra Patel, a Texas lawmaker, fights against several hateful troll accounts and insults...but it turns out HE was the one making them!

Kamala Harris DID live in Berkeley...

'Rich and famous people' who know what it's like to be homeless.  (These may surprise you.)

The American flag was banned in Oklahoma classrooms -- so some students fought back. 

Have a good week.