Author: Wil

Many “Sloaneiacs” justly identify The America of Eric Sloane: a Collector’s Bibliography by Dr. Dean L. Mawdsley as the source for information regarding works by Eric Sloane.  Since initial publication in 1990, Dr. Mawdsley released at least one supplement (2003). Some Sloane aficionados I have spoken with have uncovered articles or contributions by Sloane not noted in Dr. Mawdsley’s book, which should neither come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the prodigious output of Mr. Sloane, nor should it be taken as a slight against Dr. Mawdsley’s impressive, important, and comprehensive work.

The Resources Blog here on the Friends of the Eric Sloane Museum website seems like a perfect place to begin to collect our discoveries.  I’ll start with one I made last night, a discovery that prompted this new thread.  On my bed stand is a copy of The Yankee Peddlers of Early America, by J.R. Dolan (1964, Bramhall House, Publishers).  Anyone interested in early American history would find this an interesting and well-researched volume.  What caught my attention was the appearance of two Eric Sloane illustrations on pages 89 and 94.  Both Sloane illustrations are full page and both were originally created by Sloane for Our Vanishing Landscape.  The drawing on page 89 is entitled “When Taverns where (sic) built to be taverns and looked like taverns….”, the second on page 94 is entitled “The Evolution of the Plank Road”.  Both titles were given by Sloane and appear on the originals.

When you find additional ‘lost’ articles, illustrations, contributions, or pieces by or about Eric Sloane not covered in Mawdsley’s excellent book, please post them here.

– Jim

Thought I might start a “resource theme” of finding photographic examples of Eric’s works.  Some of this falls into the genre of Early American/Eric Sloane “forensics”, much like author Tom Wessels’ treatment of New England forests in his 1997 classic Reading the Forested Landscape:  A Natural History of New England.  Wessels, incidentally, is a favorite of my friend and fellow board member Jeffrey Bischoff.  No doubt if you have been around Jeff, he has made you keenly aware of Mr. Wessels.

I am going to start with one of my favorite references by Mr. Sloane, one that involves the planting of “husband and wife” trees:

These relics, if you are lucky enough to find them, are sometimes found still standing long after the house has been destroyed.  They seem like sentries guarding a tomb of something no longer present, yet the presence of these guardians harken back to a much earlier time.  Here are two of my favorites, both oak trees of a very advanced age…

…in autumn, and below in winter…

I recently received a request from Peter S. Montgomery of Warren, Connecticut.  Peter’s project is an important one – if you have some information that can help Peter in his efforts, please post it here.  Thank you!

“Greetings from Warren, former home of Eric Sloane.

http://www.common-place.org/vol-13/no-04/walthausen/

          This scholarly glimpse into the literary body of work produced by Eric Sloane crossed my desk the other day. Writing in Common –Place, an online journal sponsored by the American Antiquarian Society and the University of Connecticut, author Abigail Walthausen provides some much needed context for Eric’s literary inspiration. In my opinion, there is truth in much of Ms. Walthausen writes, but I have come to view Eric Sloane’s artistic inspirations in a somewhat different light. Much of what Eric was trying to convey in his works on paper and on Masonite was, ironically, an acknowledgement our nation’s progress. This acknowledgement was couched in a philosophical look at loss, and it is that ethos of loss that seems to permeate Sloane’s works. Yes, America has progressed greatly since the founding of our nation, but what have we – individually and collectively – lost during this period? It’s a bold and a somewhat impertinent question the artist asked. It is the question, however, that makes Eric’s point that he was not “longing for a better past” or simply “nostalgic”, but his exploration was more nuanced, more complex.