Curious Objects

This is an episode worthy of going into the "rock" star hall of fame - get ready for an exciting hour about the Hope Diamond!
Host Ben Miller is joined by Melise Ozkardesler to discuss this curious object, its history and the world of collecting ancient gemstones.

Join Curious Objects host, Benjamin Miller in a conversation with Genevieve Wheeler Brown, the author of Beyond Blue and White to talk about the history of Delftware ceramics through the female lens. We learn about the fantastic women who made these coveted ceramics and understand the humor behind these fascinating pieces of decorative arts.

In this episode, Host Benjamin Miller is joined by Laura Kugel of the Galerie Kugel in Paris to discuss the fascinating art of enameling from Limoges, France. Described by the poet Théophile Gautier in 1866 as “the immarcescible (indestructible) enamel”, these objects from the Renaissance still look as fresh today as they did when they emerged from the kiln all those years ago.
Coveted by the likes of Givenchy, J.P. Morgan and Yves Saint Laurent, these objects remain popular even today. Listen in to learn more about these delightful creations..

In this episode, the fine line between obsession and madness, illustrated in a piece of furniture. Toledo Museum of Art curator Erin Corrales-Diaz joins Ben to discuss a unique secretary desk which might hold the world record for inlay: thousands upon thousands of pieces of wood, which in its maker’s own words, “will do more in ten minutes to inspire young people with the possibilities of life than ten years of haphazard and scattered endeavor.

This episode brings two Curious Objects veterans and one first-timer back to the show to discuss the groundbreaking exhibition they've curated, Fighting for Freedom: Black Craftspeople and the Pursuit of Independence. Our object is a fine neoclassical table made in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1819, by a firm where enslaved cabinetmaker James worked. Ben and his guests explore some of the misconceptions around enslaved craftspeople, the complicated relationships they often had with their enslavers, and what this table can tell us about all of it.

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