evekahn's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

evekahn

I'm a journalist and historian, specializing in rediscovering forgotten personalities and material culture. I'm finishing a biography of the Impressionist painter Mary Rogers Williams (1857-1907) for Wesleyan U. Press. I wrote the weekly Antiques column for the NY Times (2008-2016), and now I contribute to NYT, Apollo magazine, The Magazine Antiques, Atlas Obscura, etc.

evekahn.com

2017
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How Historians of Modern Tattooing Explore a Long-Hidden Past

The growing field probes everything from family collections to problematic museum exhibits.

October 5, 2021

The Raw Ore Centerpieces That Turned Grueling Labor Into Cutesy Dioramas

Handsteins were beloved of 16th-century princes because they affirmed the social order.

The Wit and Wisdom of Ancient Jewish Graffiti

Researchers in the field have uncovered related messages ranging from "Lasius is a pervert" to “Good luck in your resurrection.”

How Ceiling Fans Allowed Slaves to Eavesdrop on Plantation Owners

The punkahs of the Antebellum era served many purposes.

Louis Comfort Tiffany's Little-Known Forays Into Judaica

The stained-glass artist created mosaics, menorahs, and bronze synagogue doors.

November 7, 2017

The Art of James Castle, Created With Spit, Scraps, and Soot

He hid his sketches, made with DIY supplies, in the nooks and crannies of the family home.

September 27, 2017

These Simulated War-Zone Villages Train U.S. Soldiers for Deployment

Pretend streets, fake wounds, and actors playing snipers all add to the immersive experience.

August 23, 2017

Hunting for Famous Architects' Forgotten Design-School Projects

These drawings and models show where hallmark styles were born.

This Mechanical 19th-Century 'Clock of America' Animates U.S. History

It features a procession of tiny presidents and a light-up Statue of Liberty.

Does it Even Matter if These Vintage Vampire-Killing Kits Are Real?

They're pretty covetable regardless.

October 5, 2022

There Are People Who Pay Thousands for the Empty Pill Bottles of Dead Celebrities

Stars in question have included Elvis, Truman Capote, Michael Jackson, and Marilyn Monroe.

The Nazi Board Games of World War II

These relics of wartime propaganda and anti-Semitism were designed for playtime.