Esther Stevens Brazer (April 7, 1898 – October 30, 1945) was an American historian, noted especially for her interest in painted tinware.

Brazer was the great-great-granddaughter of a tinsmith from Maine, Zachariah Brackett Stevens.[1] Alongside Janet Waring, she was a pioneer in the study of American decorative art, especially the field of wall stenciling;[2] she is also remembered for her research into the field of japanning.[3] Her book Early American Decoration was the first scholarly work on the subject.[4] She was active as a researcher for most of the last twenty years of her life,[5] and was a collector and teacher in addition to being a writer.[6] Brazer was among those experts invited to contribute to The Magazine ANTIQUES under the editorship of Alice Winchester.[1] She is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Portland, Maine. After her death the Historical Society of Early American Decoration was founded in her honor by a group of her students to propagate her work.[4]

A small box decorated by Brazer in the style of a book, similar to works made by Zachariah Stevens, is held in the collection of the National Museum of American History.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 Gerard C. Wertkin (2 August 2004). Encyclopedia of American Folk Art. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-95614-1.
  2. ↑ Ann Eckert Brown (2003). American Wall Stenciling, 1790-1840. UPNE. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-1-58465-194-9.
  3. ↑ Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts. The Society. 1974.
  4. 1 2 "About Us". Dec 10, 2013. Retrieved Apr 12, 2019.
  5. ↑ New York State Historical Association (1972). Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association. New York State Historical Association.
  6. 1 2 "Trinket Box". National Museum of American History. Retrieved Apr 12, 2019.


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