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Curator's Choice

Curator's Choice is a monthly series that highlights a significant or unusual artifact chosen from the MAC Lab collections by our staff. We are archiving previous selections so that you can see what is “behind-the-scenes” at the MAC Lab. We hope you enjoy learning about ​this month's distinctive artifact, and we welcome any additional insight you can provide us with the objects.

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Come back and discover what piece of the past we have to share with you next month!

From the list below, select a year to jump to that year's list of Curator's Choice issues.



Jump to Year:       2022   2021   2020   2019   2018   2017   2016   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010   2009   2008

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​2022 Issues

​​Date​Topic​Author
​​January Making Mocha--Not a Coffee You Would Want to ​Drink
​Patricia Samford​​
​​​February X-rays: Unveiling a Fashion Accessory
​Arianna Johnston​​​
​​March Perukes and Bilboquets: Wig Making in Annapolis
Rebecca Morehouse​​
April The Volunteers Find All the Cool Stuff
​​Scott Strickland
May Artful Appliance
​Monica Kitner

2021​ Issues

​​​Date​Topic​Author
​January ​Brass in Pocket: A Button Legacy​Heather Rardin Rovardi
​February​ People and Pets as Property: An Exploration of a Collar ​​​​Sara Rivers Cofield
​March​ Hoodoo Alive and Well in Mid-20th Century Annapolis​Rebecca Morehouse​
​April ​A Familiar Face​Alice Merkel
​May ​Not One Cent’: The Satirical Life and Times of the Hard Times Token​​Monica Kitner
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​June ​Let No Man Thirst For Good Beer​Patricia Samford​
​July​ Sunflowers​​Alex Glass
​August​ Spit Take:  Cuspidor versus Spittoon​​​​Patricia Samford​​
​September​ Cannons, Cannons, and More Cannons​​Nichole Doub
​October ​An Amelung Decanter?​​Patricia Samford​​
​November ​Small Beads in Big Spaces​Scott Strickland
​December ​O Holy Night Soil​Sara Rivers Cofield

2020 Issues

​​​Date​Topic​Author
​January​ A Bank You Can “Bank” On ​​​​​​​Patricia Samford
​February​ Getting a Handle on a Mystery​Sara Rivers Cofield​
​March​ Keeping Everything From Going Adrift​​​Alice Merkel 
​April​ Sergeant Jacob Huyett’s Cavalry Helmet​​Francis Lukezic
​May​ Crimping a Pie’s Style!​​​Rebecca Morehouse
​June​ Have You Seen the Great German Cask?​  ​Patricia Samford​
​July ​​What's the Point​​Greg Pierce
​August​ Sugar Nippers ​​Patricia Samford​​
​​September  ​The Life Saving Lyle Gun​Nichole Doub
​October The Load I Carry: A Knapsack Hook from Pt. Lookout​​Heather Rardin Rovardi
​November Overturning Every Stone​​Alice Merkel ​
​December ​A Tale of Two Fossils​​Nathaniel Salzman

2019 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary​ ​Culinary BottlePatricia Samford​​
​February Early-17th-century-Trading-Post.html​​​Rebecca Morehouse
​March A Tisket, a Tasket, a Beaded Wire Basket​Sara Rivers Cofield
​April ​Fish in a Barrel​Monica Kitner
​May​ Blades of Glory​Edward Chaney
​June ​Driving Through History in Deadwood, South Dakota​Francis Lukezic
​July ​Button Rings and Other ThingsSara Rivers Cofield​​
​August​ Decade Ring​Laura Masur
​September World War II M2 Sea Mine and Anchor​​​Heather Rardin
​October An 18th-century French Caribbean Coin in Baltimore​ ​Rebecca Morehouse​
​November​ The Accessorized Mariner ​​​​Patricia Samford
​December ​A Mighty Fine-Toothed Friend   ​​Alice Merkel

2018 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
January​​ Spill Vase​Patricia Samford
​February​ A Taste for Classicism​Seth Williams
​March Stumbling Upon a Storage Chest​Sara Rivers Cofield
​April​ Toy Soldiers on Parade​Francis Lukezic
​May​ Clothed in Splendor: Mass-Produced Coffin Hardware of the 19th Century ​Mari Hagemeyer
​June ​A Bone Sewing Stiletto​Patricia Samford
​July ​Bennington Parian: A Look at Exquisite Craftsmanship​Sara Franklin
​August​ The Curious Inner Lives of Cannons​Heather Rardin
​September ​Whale Oil Lamp​Patricia Samford
​October ​Perpetual Calendar​Nichole Doub
​November ​ The Junior G-Man Badge​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​December ​You Never Know What You're Going To Find​Ed Chaney

2017 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary ​Taking the discipline at St. Inigoes Plantation-A Cilice from Priest’s Point​Laura E. Masur
​February​ Under the Microscope: A Nineteenth-Century Flea Glass​Patricia Samford
​March ​Pop Culture, Nineteenth-Century Style:The Lady of the Lake​Patricia Samford
​April​ A Fishy Find​Francis Lukezic
​May ​A "Whale of a Well-Shaped Waist, 19th-Century Style​Patricia Samford
​June ​Pig Iron Bar with Runners from Antietam Furnace Iron Works​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​July ​Cock Your Hat - Angles are Attitudes​Nichole Doub
​August ​Smelling Sweet, Mid-19th-Century Style​Richie Diguiseppe and Dalton Woody of Huntingtown High School Archaeology Club
​September​ Bald Friar Petroglyphs- Maryland’s Forgotten Rock Art​Julie Flynn
​October​ Forget Me Not Mustache Cup​Patricia Samford
​November​ The Carroll “Dynasty” and the Mysterious “Falcon Crest” Fork​Sara Rivers Cofield
​December​ Not Just Another Marginal Artifact​Ed Chaney
2017 HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL CURATOR'S CHOICE ​

2016 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary​ Roast Turkey; Seventeenth-Century StylePatricia Samford
​February ​A Campaign Button of the 18th-Century (Or was it?)​Sara Rivers Cofield
​March Carlyle WarehouseNichole Doub
​April ​Scripture in Iron: Pennsylvania German Stove Plates from Antietam Furnace​Rebecca Morehouse
​May Functional and Stylish: A Cast Iron Franklin Stove from Catoctin Iron Furnace​Francis Lukezic
​June Archaeological Evidence of Formal Gardens Found at the Belair Mansion in Bowie, MD​Alex Glass
​July​ Passion Subdued by ReasonPatricia Samford​
​August The Acteon Carronade​Caitlin Shaffer​
​September A Day at the Beach - Ruby Stained Souvenir GlasswareErin Wingfield
​October Ghostly Glass-Uranium Glass​Annette Cook​
​November A US 1828 pattern Bayonet Scabbard Belt Plate​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​December ​Candle In The Wind (Or Actually, In The Ground)​Edward Chaney and Alexandra Glass

2015 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary ​The Buckle GenericSara Rivers Cofield
​February Evidence Of An African Instrument In Colonial Maryland?​Rebecca Morehouse​
​March Just Say No To Natty Bo - A Temperance Society TeacupPatricia Samford and Teresa Piovesan​
​April ​The Badge of a US Cavalry OfficerNichole Doub
​May Smoking in Life and in the Hereafter: A Chinese Water Pipe from Deadwood, SD​Francis Lukezic
​June Buying Local: 18th-century Chesapeake Stoneware​Alex Glass
​July​ Remembering the Maine​Patricia Samford
​August The Perfect Dose​Isaiah Johnson
​September Lessons for ChildrenMadison Pearson
​October The Mystery of Stiegel-Type Glassware​Erin Wingfield
​November A Pewter Spoon from the Smith St. Leonard Site​Gareth McNair-Lewis​
​December Ice Skating Through the Ages​​Caitlin Shaffer
​2015 HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL CURATOR'S CHOICE​

2014 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary A Humans Best - and Oldest - Friend​Rebecca Morehouse​
​February The Rise of Balloon Flight​​Caitlin Shaffer​
​March Wear For My Sake - A Mourning Ring Fragment from Smiths St. LeonardAlex Glass​
​April ​Snake Oil and Magic Potions: Fooling the Public with Cure-alls and QuackeryErin Wingfield​
​May Bavarian Black Buttons​Sara Rivers Cofield​
​June Tool Check Tag​Patricia Samford
​July ​Maryland's Oil FieldsNichole Doub​
​August The Allure of French Perfume​Patricia Samford​
​September ​The Rise and Fall of the Green Fairy​Annette Cook
​October Some Objects Lead an Interesting Life: A Tale of Dr. Samuel Mudd's Tea and Coffee Service​Francis Lukezic
​November Iron Draw Knife from the Jackson Homestead (18MO609)​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​December​ I LOVE Your Hair!​Edward Chaney
​2014 HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL CURATOR'S CHOICE​

2013 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary "Buttons to Trim the Coat in the Manner I Wish It to Be"​Caitlin Shaffer
​February ​Who Bit the Bullet?: Let Slip the Pigs of War!​Edward Chaney
​March Erin Go Bragh! "Home Rule" Tobacco Pipes and Ireland's Struggle for IndependenceRebecca Morehouse​
​April Peas, Beans, Corn and Wheat​Alex Glass
​May Go Figure!​Nichole Doub​
​June Mysterious Lead Objects from Smith St. Leonard​Annette Cook​
​July ​Fourth of July for the HarmonicaVirginie Ternisien​
​August Use A Bottle, Save a Breast!Makenli Essert
​September Take a Closer Look at this 18th-Century Needle Case Telescope​Sara Rivers Cofield​
​October Murder in Maryland: "Devills" Masquerading as Colonial Gentlemen​Erin Wingfield
​November Punch-Decorated Door Latch Bar from Smith St. Leonard Site​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​December​ The Line of Sight: A Brief History of EyeglassesChristy Nisbet​
​​2013 HUNTINGTOWN HIGH SCHOOL CURATOR'S CHOICE​

2012 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary Much Ado About AsphaltEdward Chaney​
​February The Inkhorn​​Patricia Samford
​March The Smith's-St. Leonard FanAlex Glass​
​April Natural Approaches To Pest Management​Erin Wingfield​
​May Baltimore Rockingham Hunt Pitcher​Patricia Samford​
​June ​Camden Yards Piano BabyPatricia Samford ​
​July​ A Colonial Side SaddleSara Rivers Cofield
​August​ The Mystery of Lake George​Sharon Osofsky
​September The Personal Touch​Annette Cook
​October The Disturbing History of DenturesErin Wingfield​
​November ​Anyone for a Game of Ring Taw?Patricia Samford​
​December ​The Bond Street German Jeton​Heather Rardin

2011 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary​ Native American Gaming Stones​Rebecca Morehouse
​FebruaryNo Curator's Choice​​
​March The Real Reason Maryland Fans Hate Duke​Edward Chaney
​April​ Native American Effigies​Erin Wingfield
​May ​Ivory and Silver Walking Stick HandlePatricia Samford​
​June The Harquebus BarrelNancy S. Shippen​
​July​ An Accokeek Pot​Caitlin Shaffer
​August An Apothecary Weight​Alex Glass​
​September Holey Molar!​Annette Cook
​October Signed, Sealed, Delivered​Nichole Doub
​November ​Dazzling Duds-Metal Thread in the 17th Century​Sara Rivers Cofield
​December ​Timekeeping in the 18th Century​Rebecca Morehouse

2010 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary Rachel Was Here​Annette Cook
​February Fake Treasure​Nichole Doub
​March The Cost of a Pretty Penny​Kenya Brown Fusciello
​April ​The Easter Egg Cache​Sara Rivers Cofield
​May​ A Carved Bone Figure​Dennis C. Curry and Maureen Kavanagh
​June​ It's All in The Details-Regimental Buttons from Valley Forge​Nancy S. Shippen
​July ​Pierced Silver Coin​Alex Glass
​August Flintlock Gun Part​Annette Cook
​September ​PattensPatricia Samford
​October A "Wellth" of History​Sami Allen
​November Flintlock Pistol's Grotesque Butt CapKelly Cooper
​December​ Sacred Silver: A Cross-Shaped Reliquary Pendant​Sara Rivers Cofield 

2009 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary​ A Model 1855 Bayonet​Gareth McNair-Lewis
​February​ Saint Benedict Medal​Erin Wingfield
​March Horne Point Fireback​Nichole Doub
​April​ Artifact of An Archaeologist​Erin Wingfield
​May ​Civil War Canteen ​Nancy S. Shippen
​June ​Copper Points from Posey Site​Sara Rivers Cofield
​July Smith/St.Leonard Chafing Dish​Alex Glass
​August Witch Bottle​Rebecca Morehouse
​September Havre de Grace Cannon​Caitlin Shaffer
​October Bannerstones​Edward Chaney
​November​ B & O Railroad Plate​Patricia Samford
​December ​A Colonial Collection of Native American Artifacts​Sami Allen

2008 Issues

​DateTopic​Author​
Jan​uary​ Modified Cowrie ShellPatrica Samford
​February Tam O'Shanter Jug​Patricia Samford
​March Inscribed "SS" Bodkin​Sara Rivers Cofield
​April Columbus Paddle Wheel​Kathy Concannon
​May​ Triangular Bit Smoking Pipe​Edward Chaney
​June​​ Decorated Bone Pin​Rebecca Morehouse
​July The CSS Alabama Dishes​Caitlin Shaffer
​August Rebecca Addison's Silver Thimble​Sara Rivers Cofield
​September ​Writing SlatePatricia Samford​
​October Jamestown Project​Kenya Brown Fusciello
​November Friderich Emich Medallion​Erin Wingfield
​December ​Popes Creek Pottery Vessels​Edward Chaney
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