Museum Collections

Domestic Life

Curator : Joseph Kapler

Marquetry table made by August
Schlaak (1869-1946), a carpenter
and employee of the U.S.
Forest Products Lab in Madison.
He gave the table to
his daughter Ruth (1915-1994),
late wife of the donor,
as a Christmas gift in 1930.
It took 7 years to make.
Mr. Schlaak used scraps
from the lab for the marquetry
and used his own formula
for the finish. The table was
featured in an article
in "Furniture Manufacturer",
May 1930. (2003.78.1)

These Domestic Life collections document home life in Wisconsin during the last two centuries. Included are thousands of ordinary utilitarian objects used for:

• housecleaning and laundering
• food preparation and service
• child rearing
• home entertainment

These collections encompass furnishings, lighting and heating devices, plumbing fixtures, household appliances and housewares, radios, televisions, phonographs, musical instruments, and a significant collection of toys and games.

In addition, the Museum houses a wide variety of fine and decorative arts, including approximately 7500 glass and ceramic pieces, as well as significant holdings of silver, pewter, paintings, and furniture.

Highlights include:

• painted portraits of important public figures
• Wisconsin landscape paintings
• sculpture
• Wisconsin ceramic art
• one of the region's largest collections of ethnic folk art