Vintage Easter Display at the Museum (April-May)

HAPPY EASTER

Stop by the Museum and see the Vintage Easter Collection on Display (April-May). 

The Easter Bunny or Easter Hare (sometimes Spring Bunny in the U.S. is a character depicted as a rabbit bringing Easter Eggs, who sometimes is depicted with clothes. In legend, the creature brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children, and as such is shows similarities to Father Christmas (Santa), as they both bring gifts to children on the night before their respective holiday.

Bringing Easter eggs seems to have its origins in Alsace and the Upper Rhineland both then in the Holy Roman Empire, and southwestern Germany, where the practice was first recorded in a German publication in the 1500s (early 16th century). The first edible Easter Eggs were made in Germany during the early 19th century and were made of pastry and sugar.

The Easter Bunny was introduced to the United States by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 18th century. The arrival of the Osterhase was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures", similar to the arrival of Kris Kringle on Christmas Eve.

According to the tradition, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The "Oster Hawse" would, if the children had been good, lay brightly colored eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured, modern Easter basket, and the placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets.

The Museum is located at 15504 Englewood Ave. Allen Park, MI 48101 (At the corner of Englewood and Park Ave.) and open weekly on Wed. from 1:30-4:30 pm.  FREE Admission....Donations Accepted.  Come experience History. 
 

Read More: Easter Bunny andTradional Easter Origins

Bakelite Collection at the Museum (April-May)

What is Bakelite you may ask?  Bakelite was used widely from the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s for jewelry. Huge quantities of beads, bangles and earrings were produced by the Catalin Company which introduced 15 new colours in 1927, and created marbled and translucent plastics. The jewelry of this era is now highly collectable. It was no longer made after the second world war due to expensive production costs. Jewelry boxes, desk sets, clocks, radios, kitchenware such as canisters and tableware were also made of Bakelite during the 1930s.

Although no longer extensively used as an industrial manufacturing material, Bakelite was used in myriad applications  The thermosetting plastic was at one point considered for the manufacture of coins, due to a shortage of traditional manufacturing material. In 1943, Bakelite and other non-metal materials were tested for usage as a penny in the United States before the Mint settled on zinc coated steel. 

Bangles, necklaces, brooches, earrings, rings, buckles, buttons, game pieces, dice, napkin rings, kitchen utensils, un sliced rods, and more.... We have a passion for Bakelite, always excited to find something we don't have. We are always bringing in new vintage pieces and accepting bakelite donations.

The Museum is located at 15504 Englewood Ave. Allen Park, MI 48101 (At the corner of Englewood and Park Ave.) and open weekly on Wed. from 1:30-4:30 pm.  FREE Admission....Donations Accepted.  Come experience History. 

Read More: Bakelite Information

Welcome to the Allen Park Museum Blog and Information Page

Happy Easter from the Allen Park Museum.  Stop by the Museum this month and see our VINTAGE Easter and Bake-Light Collections.  The Museum is located at 15504 Englewood Ave. Allen Park, MI 48101 (At the corner of Englewood and Park Ave.) and open weekly on Wed. from 1:30-4:30 pm.  FREE Admission....Donations Accepted.  Come experience History.