Gallery Talk: Superstitious Supper – Good Manners, Bad Luck & the Dinner Table

Watch the salt, keep your elbows off the table, and think twice before inviting an odd number of guests.

Dining in the late 19th and early 20th centuries came with more than a few rules. Some were matters of good manners. Others promised good fortune — or warned of bad luck. And knowing the difference could help you avoid offending your hostess, embarrassing yourself, or perhaps even tempting fate.

Join Collections Director Robert A. Presnar for an entertaining look at the superstitions, customs, and social expectations that once governed the dinner table. From spilled salt and proper place settings to sneezing, whistling, compliments, and conversation, we'll explore the curious blend of folklore and etiquette that shaped how our ancestors gathered, dined, and behaved in polite company.

You may discover that a few of those old rules are still sitting at the table with us today.

This gallery talk is presented in conjunction with Knock on Wood: Early American Superstitions and Taboos, a multi-room thematic exhibition in the Alex C. Hoyt Period House exploring the beliefs, customs, fears, and superstitions that shaped everyday life in early America.