(Editor’s note: DeeDee Wood is the owner of Black Cat Curiosities, an online antiques research and sales venue.)
Social clubs, such as women’s clubs, debate clubs, religious groups and others, often held spring meetings and re-emerged with the first flowers, when the cold hand of winter no longer touched the streets and routes in cities with heavy snow and ice.
The temperatures rose, and the silver trays, teapots and old organs were dusted off, the parlor reignited as a central area to gather for spring social clubs in towns and cities. 
The central focus of any proper 19th century gathering was the parlor of a home. A parlor was a room in a finer home that had a heat source, such as a fireplace or stove, and the central theme of entertainment, such as a piano or organ. Seating was contained in the room, and tables were available for trays and tea, as well as other entertainment.
A parlor was the formal entertainment room of the home, and it kept the living quarters or private spaces of the family separate from the main home, but allowed for visitation and discussion, as well as more formal or organized gatherings.
During this time period, when clubs, especially in the 19thcentury, would start to re-emerge out of the cold winter months and begin their social and political endeavors.
Groups like women’s clubs would hold meetings in the parlor regarding civic involvement, rights, debates and other topics tied to the Progressive movement that was happening in America. Parlors were often times a gathering area of the social scene, and there are many antiques tied to such gatherings in this particular room.
Calling cards were small cards printed with a person’s name or signature on a simple background. When one entered a home, for an event such as spring parlor gatherings, there would be a bowl placed in the parlor or entry of the home, intended for the calling card collection. Social status was very important during this time period, and a calling card was a perfect touch to show social grace and status.
Parlor furniture had a very specific role in these spring gatherings.
The Industrial Revolution of the 19th century meant furniture was produced by machines in factories, thus the supply went up and the price of furniture went down. Parlors could be supplied with tea tables, chairs, couches, piano pieces, organ sets, fireplace surrounds, lighting and rugs, finishing off a room with elegance, style, and statement.
Manufacturers to the middle classes now had an outlet for their goods, as the availability to the middle class became a reality.
Décor in the parlor also had a place in representing a specific message the home owner was trying to convey. Mantel clocks, porcelain vases and decorative objects from Europe, paintings, and the very wallpaper of a room itself all came together to show status in a parlor during these spring gatherings. Cabinet cards, a very specific portrait of a person, were printed larger, so that an attendee or caller of the home could see the card in a parlor cabinet, even from across a room.
Tea sets and services for food and beverages became an important focal point of any proper spring gathering. Silverplated or sterling tea sets, teapots, cups and saucers, trays and other components of service were a focal point of the event. Porcelain tea service from European manufacturers could convey wealth and status of these gatherings to welcome spring. Even the spoons and sugar containers could set a tone.
Last but not least were the clothing options for spring gatherings, which could range from new spring New York designer creations, handmade items attached with pride and prowess of the wearing designer, hats, gloves, satchels, accompanying jewelry and hair accessories.
As spring emerged, so did the social rules of etiquette and proper parlor rules, such as high tea, manners, entertainment and the furnishings and antiques that we still see today. Clubs, no matter what their affiliation, often used parlors in homes for their agendas, and an entire world of antiques surround these spring offerings. Next time you see a mother of pearl hair comb, or a mahogany inlaid side tea table, think of spring re-emerging, and clubs utilizing these items to reignite their missions and interests.
