A Collections Conversation, "Fashionable Grief: Silk Needlework Mourning Images in Early America," by Sarah Coster, Director, Carlyle House Historic Park.

Among the objects in the Dumbarton House collection are three mourning rings and a beautiful silk needlework image of a grieving family gathered around a tomb. While objects such as these initially point to a culture obsessed with death, further research reveals larger motivations of education, patriotism and style. Sarah Coster is the Director of Carlyle House Historic Park in Alexandria, Virginia. Prior to becoming Director, Sarah was the curator at Carlyle House and over the past nine years has worked at several historic sites and museums in education, exhibit development and collections management positions. Sarah earned her BA in History at Boston University and holds a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from The George Washington University.