Ida Upton Paine
Ida Upton Paine (1860-1936) was the firstborn daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Upton, former owners of the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and the first people to start offering mansion tours. She lived in the mansion from 1883-1903. Much like the rest of her family, Ida was artistically talented. As a child, she collected rocks from Salem Harbor to practice painting with oil paints. As she matured, the rocks were exchanged for glass and porcelain and painted with an iconic Salem witch image, featuring a witch in a pointed black hat flying on a broom. It is believed that Ida is the first artist to paint and sell the image of a Salem witch. Ida would go on to paint the witch image onto pin trays, cups, saucers, plates, candlesticks, match safes, tea caddies, saltshakers, and tea bells. The souvenirs were sold out of the family’s “gift shop,” which was located inside the drink cabinet in the parlor of The House of the Seven Gables. She also designed the front cover for her father, Henry O. Upton’s sheet music for his House of the Seven Gables music series.
In 1895, she married her husband, Frank Paine, in the living room of The House of the Seven Gables. Both she and her husband ran an art studio located on Essex Street in Salem, where they continued to sell Ida’s painted ceramics. Her work extended to painting fruits and floral imagery on plates, salt and pepper shakers, vases, and more. During the summer months, she ran a shop called the Sea Chest. In addition to selling her work on ceramics, Ida also taught painting in Salem and at Boston Normal School (today part of UMASS Boston). She was educated at the Museum of Fine Arts School in Boston. Much like her father, Ida was involved in theater and dance, even coaching a theater group known as the Fraternity Players at Salem Fraternity. The founder of The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association, Caroline O. Emmerton, was also active in the Salem Fraternity.
Salem Witch Cup
Circa 1898. Materials: Glass, Paint.
Image of a clear glass teacup with a painted witch flying on a broomstick.
The witch is wearing a black hat and a green and orange dress.
Salem Witch Dish
Circa 1890s. Materials: Ceramic, Paint. Painted ceramic dish with an image of a witch flying
on a broomstick. Above the witch are pins, as some of the girls who were accusers claimed that a
witch had pricked them with a pin. Below the witch is “Salem 1692” hand-painted in black paint.
Souvenir Advertisement
Circa 1900. This is an advertisement for Ida Upton Paine’s Witch Souvenirs
that were sold out of the parlor liquor closet in the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion.
Drinks Closet in Turner-Ingersoll Mansion
Circa 1890. An image of the drinks cabinet in the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion holding Ida Upton Paine’s
witch souvenirs. On the floor in front of the cabinet is a portrait of Susannah Ingersoll.
Strawberry Plate
Circa 1890-1920s. Materials: Ceramic, glaze. An octagonal plate
with strawberries painted along three of the sides.
Strawberry Bowl
Circa 1908. Materials: Ceramic, gilt. A scalloped-edge plate with hand-painted strawberries and flowers.
Salt and Pepper Shakers
Circa 1920. Material: Ceramic, gilt. A pair of ceramic shakers with forget-me-not flowers painted
on one side. The top of the shakers are painted with gold.
Rose Vase
Circa 1920. Material: ceramic, gilt. A handled vase with pink roses painted along the sides.
The handle and lip of the vase are painted gold.
Booklet on Mr. Upton’s School of Dancing and Physical Culture
Circa 1894. The back of the booklet for Henry O. Upton’s School of Dancing and Physical
Culture features an advertisement for his daughter, Ida Upton Paine’s
art studio which was located on 252 Essex Street in Salem, Mass.