Correspondence. Frost, Marguerite to Irene Zieget, 1929-1948

Almost all the correspondence is from Sister Marguerite Frost to Irene Zieget. Although she includes a few lines of small talk in her letters, Sister Marguerite focuses on writing about objects or the Shaker associated with an object--her own version of provenance research. Since Shakers were instructed to retain anonymity, the maker of an object often remained unknown. However, the identity of the Shaker(s) who had the object in their possession was often given. Sister Marguerite's letters elaborate on the lives of those past owners, or at the least, offer a guess as to the likely name associated with a set of initials marking an object. Her narratives occasionally touch upon the historical development of certain Shaker industries and innovations. In her own distinctive hand, Irene occasionally noted in the margins the topic described in Sister Marguerite's letters. There are no copies of Irene's letters.

The three letters comprising the "Various" file are in reply to research inquiries Irene made. One is from Bertha Lindsay, another sister at Canterbury, who in her letter provides a list of past woodworkers from the village. In the "third party" correspondence, a Massachusetts mayor and U.S. Senator offer birthday wishes, in 1939 and 1941 respectively, to Myra Green, yet another Canterbury resident. The letters marked Sister Myra's 104th and 106th birthdays.

Also of note in this series is "A Shaker Picture Book," Irene's rather creative approach in cataloging acquisitions. This illustrative journal consists of photographs of the Shakers who sold to the Ziegets as well as those of the 18th and 19th centuries who at one time were in possession of the objects the Ziegets purchased. The text consists of brief biographies, as well as a list of the objects that particular Shaker provided. Alfred J. Wyatt, the Museum's photographer from 1955 to 1976, provided the images. No purchase prices are cited; nor is there any reference to the manuscript material that comprises the remainder of this collection.

An even more detailed account of the acquisitions made by the Ziegets is Irene's self-published "Our Shaker Adventure," which is cited in the historical note. A discrepancy, however, should be noted. In her published account, Irene refers to two scrapbooks, which could be the picture book noted above, and the scrapbook included in Series II. The page number and content she notes in at least one reference does not correspond to the scrapbook. The content of the picture book, which is unnumbered, doesn't correspond either even if one counts out the pages. Since some of the items she references can be found on different pages in the scrapbook, perhaps the discrepancy reflects a later change in the page ordering of the scrapbook.