It?s easy to tell that Sarah Reveley is fascinated by the Alamo. Cabinets, walls and even the floor at her antique-filled Alamo Heights home are awash in plates, paintings, photos and sculptures representing the shrine.
It?s a lot to take in all at once, and Reveley has a background story for each of the pieces.
?I just love the Alamo, and I?m a plate collector, like my mother,? she says. ?I?m a sixth-generation Texan ? one of my maternal ancestors, Stephan Klein, was one of the founders of New Braunfels. He came over with Prince Solms in 1844, when Texas was still a republic.?
So it?s natural that she?d be fascinated by Texas history. What?s unusual is how much memorabilia, especially commemorative plates, she?s been able to fit into her home. Plates cover the walls in the living room, and other rooms have their share.
A number of plates were made for the Texas Centennial in 1936. She has one of the earliest designs, painted with portraits of Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston as well as scenes from the state?s history. Another plate, which depicts the Governor?s Mansion in Austin, was sold to help fund its upkeep.
She also has a commemorative plate from the Stephen F. Austin Hotel in Austin in 1924. Another plate honors the battle of Goliad with the legend, ?First shot fired for Texas Independence, 1835? painted around the edge.
While most of her plates were made in the United States, Reveley has a set of four painted with Alamo views that were created in Germany. A cream pitcher with the Alamo painted on it is Japanese lacquer ware. Another plate was made in Denmark.
?The Alamo is known around the world,? she says.
It?s not all plates, though. On top of a living room cabinet is a rack of collectable spoons, all depicting the Alamo. Several stereoscopes ? the Victorian version of 3-D ? show old photos of the Alamo. And a deck of miniature playing cards was purchased at the Alamo gift shop many years ago.
Artwork depicting the Alamo also decorates the walls. Reveley proudly shows a drawing from the Ladies Home Journal in 1921. Another was done by longtime Express-News artist Bob Dale. Yet another decorates an old menu from the Adolphus hotel in Dallas.
Reveley is especially fond of an Alamo painting by artist Ramon Vasquez y Sanchez, who was in her junior high school art class.
A good-size tin sculpture of the Alamo in front of the living room fireplace immediately draws a visitor?s eye.
?I found it in a junk shop when I went to Brazoria for their 175th anniversary,? she recalls.
Reveley also has a pair of Alamo bookends. There?s even an Alamo birdhouse in the enclosed back porch she uses as an office.
It?s taken Reveley years to amass her collection, which she eventually would like to donate to a museum. But in the meantime, she enjoys owning it and showing it to visitors.
?I love my collections because everything I own has a story to it,? she says.
Karen M. Davis is a San Antonio freelancer.
Know of a beautiful, unique house that would be great for Spaces? Email suggestions for Spaces to Real Estate Editor Emily Spicer, realestate@express-news.net
Source: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/homes/2012/10/spaces-house-is-a-shrine-honoring-alamo/
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