About Us
The Lead Curator: Kenneth J. Olson
The vision behind Period Americana is driven by Kenneth J. Olson, a distinguished historian whose journey began at just eleven years old in the local flea markets of New England. That early entrepreneurial spark evolved into a sophisticated career dedicated to the study, authentication, and preservation of the nation’s most vital relics.
With a background from Boston University (BS in Journalism, MBA) and fifteen years in the mission-driven non-profit sector, Kenneth bridges the gap between investigative storytelling and rigorous market analysis. As a Citizen Archivist for the National Archives and author of three books, he has handled extraordinary pieces of heritage—from Mayflower documents and John Hancock manuscripts to firsthand diaries from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.
The Hunt for the Authentic
He founded Period Americana because he believes history isn’t found in a quiet library or behind a sterile glass case—it is found in the dust, the damp, and the forgotten corners of the American landscape. To him, an original document, a silvered photograph, or a weathered artifact is a time machine you can hold in your hands.
But these portals to the past are vanishing. Every year, priceless fragments of our heritage are lost to neglect or the simple passage of time. He sees himself as part relic hunter, part archival steward. He spends his life in the field—tracking leads across state lines, navigating the chaos of estate dispersals, and digging through the physical remnants of the American experiment to find the pieces that still have a pulse.
The Curatorial Mission
As a curator, he doesn't just look for "inventory"; he looks for the soul of the era. Whether it’s a soldier’s frantic letter home or a daguerreotype capturing the first flickers of the Civil War, his role is to identify the merit of the piece and restore its place in the sun. We apply academic rigor to the grit of the search, ensuring every item we recover undergoes a strict curatorial process to verify its provenance and historical integrity. At Period Americana, we don’t just find history; we curate a legacy.
Your Role in the Narrative
When you acquire a piece from Period Americana, you aren’t just a collector—you are the next curator of a story that he fought to bring back into the light. You are becoming a temporary guardian of the American spirit, ensuring these artifacts survive for the next century.
We invite you to join the expedition. Explore our curated collections and hold the past in your hands.
