Guest Post by Megan Easley-Walsh —
It is no secret that writing historical fiction demands research. Everything from major plot points to minor details of dress, furniture, and food are necessary to keep the reader engaged in the story. For many of us, the library and the internet provide fundamental access to this information.
Perhaps the most thorough research any author of historical fiction could do would be to enter a time machine and become a firsthand observer. Since this is not possible, the closest that an author can come to engaging with history is through material culture.
One of my favorite ways to experience this is by visiting antique and vintage fairs. A bit like historical fiction, where you can explore any era of the past, antique fairs often offer a trove of treasures, from the more recent conflicts of the twentieth century, to the delicate porcelain of the Victorians, sturdy oak tables of the Georgians, and even the occasional Roman coin. I’ve spoken about some of the antiques that I’ve found and how they relate to my own writing in my podcast, History Stories with . . .
While museums are amazing and another of my top picks for engaging with history beyond the library or the internet, antique fairs offer the ability to touch history, to lift it up, and hold it in your hand. What does that teacup feel like in your character’s hand? Now you no longer have to imagine. You can write from experience rather than speculation.
Even better, antique fairs offer the ability to take material history home with you, often for a small fee. For example, my dining room table is a gate-leg Georgian oak table. The reason I bought this table (aside from it being beautiful and historically exciting), is that the table cost less than new tables, even those from the big stores that require self-assembly. With history surrounding an author, in a tangible way, inspiration is within arm’s reach.
Even if you don’t buy anything at an antique fair, just walking through the stalls may spark an idea. A humble vase may transform into a 1930s potter begging you to tell her story. Perhaps encountering a newspaper headline whispers the suggestion of a plot point. Or maybe it simply adds authentic color to more fully fill the book with details that pull the reader in.
Simply put, antique fairs are a means of travel and transportation into the past. While museums and galleries are likely to have gathered the best examples, antique fairs leave room for more quintessential pieces of the past. Unless your characters live exclusively in castles and palaces, it is unlikely that their lives will include the finest porcelain or the most expensive hand-knotted carpets. These objects are likely to be found in museums. It is more probable that your character will use a hand-carved stool or an electroplated teapot, both of which I’ve seen at multiple antique fairs.
Antique fairs do have some limitations. Most of the objects you encounter will be from the location where the fair is held. That is, I’m far more likely to find European, and Irish specifically, antiques here in Ireland. In contrast, it’s rarer to find something from Africa or Asia, although I have. Likewise, I encounter far more from the twentieth century, and it is unlikely that I will find anything before the seventeenth century (with the exception of the occasional Roman coin). That being said, for research within the twentieth century, there is no shortage of not only furniture and décor, but also clothing, jewelry, dishes, newspapers, and postcards.
If antique fairs are not available in your area, you can experience a form of this research (although less tangibly) via TV programs that focus on antiques or online resources. Consider looking at an auction website to experience some of the thrill of discovering a piece of the past.
Antique fairs supply the familiarity of a friend as certain common objects become frequent finds. On the other hand, antique fairs are a bit like books. Although you know what to generally expect, the specifics, the details, are what make each visit unique and exciting. You never know what you might encounter. As an author, you never know what might inspire your next story or add more details to your writing.
Consider engaging with material culture to more fully experience the everyday details of history. These details are what make reading historical fiction so realistic. Yes, the libraries, the books, and the research online are still important. I would suggest that online research be undertaken on museum or gallery websites and on the websites of historical landmarks and places to visit for the most accurate information. If you have the opportunity to include material research in your information gathering, your stories will become even richer. Short of a time machine, I’m off to the antique fair! Come to think of it . . . even with a time machine, antique fairs are safer and often have tea. That sounds perfect to me.
Megan Easley-Walsh, PhD History, is an author, a researcher, and a writing consultant and editor at Extra Ink Edits. She is an award-winning writer and has taught college writing in the UNESCO literature city of Dublin, Ireland. She is a dual American and Irish citizen and lives in Ireland with her Irish husband. Her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, and she has also had her poetry featured in international contests. Additionally, Megan is a member of multiple historical, writing, and editing societies on both sides of the Atlantic. She currently has sixteen novels published, including ten works of historical fiction spanning the centuries. Visit her website at MeganEasleyWalsh.com and listen to her podcast History Stories with Dr. Megan Easley-Walsh for more behind-the-scenes information. Befriending characters in need of an author, Megan continues to find new stories to write and new historical avenues to explore.
