Join Preservation Long Island for a lecture, Q&A, and book signing with author Genevieve Wheeler Brown
Date and Time: Saturday, March 7, 2026, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Location: Preservation Long Island Exhibition Gallery (161 Main Street, Cold Spring Harbor)
Free parking is available in the municipal lot on the opposite side of Main Street
Tickets: $15 Member | $20 Non-Member | Discounted book price of $22.00 with pre-order, the book will be available at full price of $29.95 at the event.
In the fall of 2019, more than 75 rare pieces of 17th- and 18th-century Delftware were discovered in a historic Manhattan townhouse. Decorative arts expert Genevieve Wheeler Brown unveils the history behind this remarkable find, drawing on her book Beyond Blue and White: The Hidden History of Delftware and the Women Behind the Iconic Ceramic—recently named an NPR Here & Now Editors’ Pick and praised in glowing reviews by The Magazine ANTIQUES and The Wall Street Journal.
Brown explores how these vibrant ceramics not only represent a beloved decorative art form but also illuminate the powerful, often overlooked roles of women across the centuries. Audiences will meet pioneering Delft pottery owners such as Barbara Rotteveel, founder of the influential Three Bells factory in 1671, as well as Queen Mary II, whose enthusiasm helped propel Delft into royal favor. She also highlights trailblazing Gilded-Age collectors—including Frances Louisa Morgan, wife of J. Pierpont Morgan, and Alice Claypoole Vanderbilt, wife of Cornelius Vanderbilt II—whose passion for preservation shaped museum culture and opened doors for women in leadership.
Using rich visual materials, from period objects to historic artworks, Brown looks beyond the iconic cobalt glaze to reveal a vivid narrative of artistry, female agency, and cultural history embedded in Delftware.
Brown’s book, Beyond Blue and White: The Hidden History of Delftware and the Women Behind the Iconic Ceramic (Pegasus Books), will be available for purchase.
This event is generously sponsored by the Margaret Sullivan Fund.
