Originating in Europe after the turn of the century, poster stamps were primarily used for promotion. The Connecticut Historical Society just opened a new exhibit — Tiny Art: Connecticut Poster Stamps — featuring these collectibles. On display are stamps advertising Connecticut radio stations, insurance, and industry. The small exhibit is on display through January 12, 2013.

Detail of a woodcut from The Renowned History of Sir Richard Whittington and His Cat
Detail of a woodcut from The Renowned History of Sir Richard Whittington and His Cat

The “Cats & Dogs in Art and Life” exhibit also opened on Thursday. One wall of this is dedicated to photographs and artwork submitted by Kickstarter supporters. The remainder of the exhibit displays ephemera, photographs, portraits, books, and more, all of which contain images of the domesticated animals.

Artwork includes a photograph of children playing with a dog in the water of Pope Park in 1908, a broadside from the town of Avon telling people to avoid a $7 fine by either registering or killing their dogs, and a death notice for Tango, a dog who was depicted with a pipe in his mouth. One case includes a book about “Tommy Postoffice,” a cat who lived in the Hartford post office, which stood where the lawn of the Old State House is today. This cat had an impressive lifespan considering that he survived being accidentally locked in a safe once, and, on another occasion, thrown into a furnace by an employee who was not fond of felines. This cat’s tale was one included for the theme of animals as workers.

The exhibit is intended less as an historical story and more as an exploration of how people remember cats and dogs.

Both new exhibits contain some hands-on activities.

There is free admission to the Connecticut Historical Society on September 29th with a Museum Day Live! ticket and free admission on October 6th. “Cats & Dogs in Art and Life” will be displayed through April 6, 2013.