Contact: Wendi Lewis, Marketing and Public Relations Manager  

wendi.lewis@ahc.alabama.gov, 334-230-2680

June 9, 2021

‘Art of the Dish’ event at Belle Mont Mansion June 24-26 will showcase historic and vintage china and tableware

(Tuscumbia, AL) – “Art of the Dish,” the popular antique and vintage china exhibit, will return to Belle Mont Mansion Thursday through Saturday, June 24-26. Individuals from across the communities of the Shoals have been invited to display china and tableware from their private collections, some dating from the 1700s and spanning through the mid-20th Century.

There will be a seated program and box lunch catered by Alabama Bliss on Friday and Saturday, June 25 and 26, at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Tickets for the program and lunch are $20.00 and should be purchased in advance to reserve preferred seating time. Guided tours of the museum and exhibit will be offered at the standard admission rates during regular business hours. All proceeds generated by “Art of the Dish” will benefit the continued preservation and operation of the historic house museum.

An array of colorful porcelain and ironstone pieces, accented with glassware in various tablescapes, will be set throughout the museum. George Terrell will provide an informative and entertaining program, discussing dining customs during the late 1800s and early 1900s, when the Victorians utilized numerous dishes and silver, serving several courses at mealtime. Terrell, a native of Tuscumbia, is a former history professor, now retired from Gadsden State Community College. He is a well-known collector, speaker, and author. Examples from Terrell’s personal collection of R.S. Prussia Porcelain are a special feature for this year’s event.

Tickets are available at Belle Mont Mansion and at Fiddledee D! Gift Shop (111 S. Main St., Tuscumbia). Tickets may also be purchased by credit card by calling the museum at 256-381-5052 or online by visiting https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-of-the-dish-program-luncheon-tickets-157841465071.

Belle Mont is located at 1569 Cook Lane, Tuscumbia. Parking for this event will be on the lawn adjoining the rear courtyard of the house, where the luncheon will be served al fresco. The program will be presented indoors. Seating is limited to accommodate social distancing, and masking is encouraged in interior spaces. For more information, call Belle Mont at 256-381-5052 or email info@bellemontmansion.org.         

Belle Mont is a historic property owned by the Alabama Historical Commission and operated locally by the Colbert County Historical Landmarks Foundation. To learn more about Belle Mont or the Alabama Historical Commission, please visit www.ahc.alabama.gov.

About Belle Mont

Located just outside Tuscumbia in Colbert County, the mansion is one of a few Palladian-style houses in the Deep South. This style stems from the neoclassical architectural design of Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio. Belle Mont Mansion is a singularly fine example of Jeffersonian – Palladian architecture built circa 1828.

 About the Alabama Historical Commission

Located in historic downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned historic sites as public attractions; and, statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov  

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