February 2025

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February is blazing by! We ended January meeting up with old friends and colleagues at the Linton Trade Fair in southern Indiana. The company and hospitality did not disappoint. This month came in with a quickness bringing both change and opportunity in its wake. Changes in our physical buildings, collections, offerings and more have all been par for the course. We are working on our 2025 catalog as well as several special video “shoots” over the next month. This is keeping with our mantra this year of improvement and education. We believe that small and sometimes subtle improvements can make a big difference. As we continue to learn and grow we are glad to have you here to learn with us.

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A New Old Gown

There is something about holding an original, from the period, item in your hands. The detail that can be seen, that is only speculative when viewing photos, is unmatched. Over the last decade we, the Samsons, both personally and professionally, have made it a point to continue to add original pieces to our collections. Our most recent acquisition is an original gown and petticoat gained from a museum deaccession. Our staff has already spent hours looking at every aspect in detail (including a microscope) and I can confidently say we will spend several more.  We hope to soon be able to share a detailed video with you of this remarkable piece.

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The Sign of the Red Lion

You asked and we listened! The Sign of the Red Lion will be out in full force at the Fort Frederick Market Fair. Beth and Jimmy Webb have been working on bringing the years of expertise earned as 96 Fabrics to the Sign of the Red Lion, historic fabrics and notions. We are so excited to have them and their vast knowledge joining us at the event this year.

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Rooms for Improvement
As you may know, April 8^th, 2024, we reopened our newly renovated retail space as a Samson Historical showroom and shopping experience. We are so pleased with the turnout and the number of you making the journey to visit us. The main thing our in-person customer experience was missing was a designated dressing room. Thankfully that has now been remedied, and a spacious area is now available for your clothing and fitting needs.

At the same time the third floor of our building has been renovated as a sort of “headquarters”. To us, this is a huge deal. Casey and I (Abbie) started this journey together in an attic and have continually worked to expand, as we have grown in staffing and offerings, our workspace has been a last priority in the growth. With the help of our friends and staff, we finally have dedicated office space within Samson Historical. It may seem like a small thing, but to us it is a humbling step in looking back at how far we have come.

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From The Vernacular

Love is in the air, but maybe not for Nathan Bailey when he wrote his dictionary. I doubt he would have considered himself a romantic using these definitions from the Dictionarium Anglo Britannicum, 1775. We can’t help but hope that he at least found ammity if not a less bleak look at romance.

Romance [roman, F. romanzo, Ital]

A feigned story, a Tale of a Tub, Mere fiction.

To Romance [parler roman, F]

To tell a magnificent Lie; to bounce or vapour.

Ammity [Amitié, F., of Amcitia, Latin}

Affection, Friendship. Love.

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A Matter of Honor

We hope your February hasn’t led to any injured pride. Unrequited feelings and slighted egos have lead to the downfall of many a man. Particularly in the 18^th century when dueling was a viable solution to ending a dispute or grievance. In the 18^th century, the defense of ones honor was equal to physical self-defense. This distinction is important because self-defense was lawful. However, in more and more areas, dueling was outlawed. An insight into the societal mindset is found in a letter from James Boswell to James Oglethorpe:

...Now, Sir, it is never unlawful to fight in self-defense. He, then, who fights a duel, does not fight from passion against his antagonist, but out of self-defense, to avert the stigma of the world' and to prevent himself from being driven out of society. I could wish there was not that superfluity of refinement,' but while such notions prevail, no doubt a man may lawfully fight a duel...

In the days of dueling with swords, skill and prowess offered a distinct advantage. The better swordsman used his skill to defend his pride. When pistols became the weapon of choice, this leveled the dueling ground, so to speak, and took some of the advantage of athleticism and youth. In 1777 a committee of Irishmen formed together to pen the Code Duello.

Within this article, there are 26 commandments that 'govern' the etiquette of the duel. They are ranging from how someone accepts a duel to why a duel should be fought. The Code Duello discusses the etiquette of the duel in concise terms. This is meant to be a guideline for the commencement of duels among gentlemen. Indeed, the rules are up for interpretation and variation among the combatants and witnesses involved in a duel. The Code Duello none the less provides a good overview of the guidelines for a duel. The first six of the rules outline the number of shots fired and who apologies to whom once the matter is settled.

For more information on the rules outlined in the Code Duello, keep an eye on our blogs.

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Upcoming Events

Kalamazoo Living History Show

If you can only attend one indoor event, The Kalamazoo Living History Show is the one to see. Almost 300 vendors (obviously your favorite being Samson Historical) begin Pre-Revolution and end with Civil War era goods. You can find just about anything you need for your persona right there. This is sure to be an incredible 49^th year for the event as owners Leslie and Rick Conwell work in tandem with the incoming owners Paisley and Ethan Yazel. We love a husband-and-wife team and know even greater things are on the horizon for the event.  Come out and visit us, do some shopping, and sit in on a seminar or two. We will see you there!

March 15^th & 16^th

Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Kalamazoo County Expo Center

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Single Day & Weekend Passes Available

12 and under Free