The Gilded Gentleman

Beans and Brahmins: Boston in the Gilded Age

The Gilded Age was not limited to New York. Other cities developed differently during the 19th century and responded uniquely to this period of great technological and ec

Buying and Selling the News in the Gilded Age (ENCORE)

Join The Gilded Gentleman and Michael Morganthal, a veteran journalist and professional tour guide, for this journey through the news process in late 19th-century New Yor

Alias Agnes: The Notorious Tale of a Gilded Age Spy

In 1894, Madeline Pollard was the most famous woman in America. Her name was splashed across newspaper headlines, and the public hung on every word she said and waited to

Agatha Christie and the English Country House

An isolated house, creaky staircases, hidden passages and often a dead body in the Library. These are the elements of the classic British murder mystery, particularly tho

The Women of Tiffany

Louis Comfort Tiffany truly gave the Gilded Age a new way to see the world, showing a talent for innovation, extraordinary artistic vision and the empowerment of those wi

Celebrating Little House on the Prairie with Alison Arngrim (Nellie Oleson)

As Netflix launches a new adaptation of the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series "Little House on the Prairie" this summer, fans new and old cannot help be enchanted by th

The House that Launched the Gilded Age: The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion

It's easy to conjure images of the high Gilded Age when seeing the great mansions of Newport or elsewhere, but the origins of that grand, flamboyant style began elsewhere

Summer Gardens of the Gilded Age ENCORE

As grand mansions and country houses were built during America's Gilded Age, an integral part of any estate design was an equally grand and impressive garden. Drawing on

Bad Romance: Divorce in the Gilded Age

Historian and academic Nancy Unger joins The Gilded Gentleman to delve into the social politics of divorce in the Gilded Age.  She discusses several high-profile cases of

Cats of the Gilded Age

Have you ever wondered how many of the famous Gilded Age families kept cats as pets? The answer may surprise you. Cats were a constant presence in the lives of New Yorker

Devils Always Wore Prada: The Evolution of a Belle Epoque Brand

Founded in Milan in 1913 by the Italian brothers Mario and Martino Prada, the original business focused on producing and selling luxury leather goods to an aristocratic a

Bachelor Pad: Gilded Age Interior Designers and Their Homes

The late 19th century in America saw the emergence of a new social phenomenon —perhaps not entirely new— a class of young men who chose not to follow a traditional path t

Body Snatchers! The Stolen Body of A.T. Stewart

On the morning of November 7, 1878, it was discovered that the tomb of wealthy Gilded Age merchant A. T. Stewart had been opened and his body taken.    Although this was

The Man Who Invented Celebrity Photography

Celebrities ranging from Oscar Wilde and Sarah Bernhardt to Mark Twain and Walt Whitman all made their way to the top-floor studio in Manhattan’s Union Square—with its ti

The Women Who Saved New York

In honor of Women's History Month -- a classic episode from the Bowery Boys! Within just a few decades – between the 1880s and the 1920s – so much social change occurred

Stanford White Architect: Perspectives from Great-Grandson Samuel White

Stanford White is one of the most recognizable figures of the Gilded Age. Known for his flamboyant style and outsized personality, he loomed large over New York society. 

New York’s Gilded Age Black Elite (Encore)

Dr. Carla Peterson, author of “Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth Century New York,” has been a pioneer in uncovering and sharing the story

Town Topics: Gossip and Scandal in the Gilded Age

When Town Topics magazine appeared in the 1880s, Gilded Age New Yorkers enjoyed its coverage of the arts, culture, and social scene of balls, opera, and grand parties. Bu

Mysteries in History with NYT Best-Selling Author Fiona Davis

New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis knows about both history and mystery. In her eight novels, Davis deftly weaves real-life historical characters and events w

Rediscovering Edith Wharton’s First Book

Many fans of Edith Wharton's great novels "The Age of Innocence" and "The House of Mirth" may not realize that her very first published book was not a work of fiction at