Discovery Collection

Discovery Series – The Hamptons

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Discovery Series The Hamptons is a mug for a collection of upscale seaside towns known for their beaches, historic villages, and summer retreat culture.

The Hamptons encompass a collection of villages and hamlets on the eastern end of Long Island, New York, with settlement dating back to the 1640s when English colonists established farming and whaling communities. Originally known as Southampton, East Hampton, and surrounding areas, these towns remained agricultural and fishing communities for centuries before transformation began in the late 1800s when wealthy New Yorkers discovered the pristine beaches.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Boston University

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A blog reader notified me about the release of this new mug from Campus Collection. When I saw pictures of the Discovery Series – Boston University mug, I instantly liked the red colors used in the design. I think this colour works particularly well here, although I must say that isn’t always true for other mugs in the collection.

Boston University was founded in 1839 by Methodist ministers as the Newbury Biblical Institute in Newbury, Vermont, before relocating to Boston in 1867 and receiving its university charter in 1869.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Oklahoma

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The Discovery Series Oklahoma is a mug for “The Sooner State”, where history, land, and grit come together.

Oklahoma became the 46th state on November 16, 1907, after serving as “Indian Territory” where the federal government forcibly relocated dozens of Native American tribes during the 1830s-1850s. The Land Run of 1889 opened former Indian lands to white settlement, with tens of thousands racing to claim plots in a chaotic scramble that gave rise to the “Sooner” nickname for those who entered early.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Arkansas

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Discovery Series Arkansas is a mug for the “The Natural State”, known for its forests, rivers, and deep roots in folk music and outdoor culture.

Arkansas became the 25th state on June 15, 1836, with a name derived from a French interpretation of a Quapaw Indian word meaning “land of downriver people.” The territory’s early economy relied on cotton plantations in the fertile Delta region and timber harvesting in the mountainous north. The discovery of bauxite deposits brought industrialization during World War II, while the 1957 desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School thrust Arkansas into the national spotlight.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Toronto

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Discovery Series – Toronto is a mug for Canada’s dynamic metropolis, where global culture, iconic skylines, and vibrant neighborhoods come together on the shores of Lake Ontario.

Toronto’s origins trace to 1793 when Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe established the town of York as Upper Canada’s capital. The city grew slowly until the mid-1800s, when railway construction and immigration transformed it into Canada’s commercial center, officially becoming Toronto in 1834. The 20th century brought waves of immigration – initially from Europe, then from around the globe following liberalized immigration policies in the 1960s – creating one of the world’s most multicultural cities.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Los Angeles

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The Discovery Series Los Angeles is a mug for a dynamic coastal metropolis where film, beaches, creativity, and cultural diversity come together under year-round sunshine.

Los Angeles is a city shaped by reinvention, creativity, and cultural influence. Originally founded in 1781 as El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, it grew from a small Spanish settlement into a global metropolis during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The arrival of the film industry, a booming port, and waves of migration helped define its modern identity.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Montréal

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Discovery Series Montréal is a mug for a city that blends European charm and North American energy, where historic streets, vibrant festivals, and a world-class food scene come together. I reviewed the ornament for Montréal more than one year ago!

Montreal’s story begins in 1642 when French settlers established Ville-Marie on an island in the St. Lawrence River, naming it after Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill at its heart. The city flourished as New France’s commercial center before British conquest in 1760 created the unique bicultural character that defines Montreal today.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Palm Springs

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Similar to other mugs from this collection, the design of the Discovery Series Palm Springs has more symbols and landmarks, compared to the ornament that I added to my collection earlier this week.

Palm Springs evolved from a remote desert inhabited by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians into Hollywood’s favorite escape in the 1930s and 1940s. Movie stars built hideaways just two hours from Los Angeles, seeking privacy, sunshine, and the therapeutic dry climate. The city’s heyday during the 1950s and 1960s brought architectural experimentation with modernist homes that maximized desert living through glass walls and seamless indoor-outdoor spaces.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Iowa

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Discovery Series Iowa joins the ornament that I reviewed recently.

Iowa became the 29th state on December 28, 1846, carved from territory acquired through the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The state’s fertile prairies attracted waves of European immigrants, particularly Germans and Scandinavians, who established farming communities throughout the 19th century. Iowa’s agricultural bounty earned it the nickname “Food Capital of the World,” with corn and soybean fields dominating landscapes and hog production leading the nation. From its role in presidential politics through the first-in-the-nation caucuses to its position as America’s agricultural heartland, Iowa embodies Midwestern values of hard work, community, and productive land use.… Read more

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Discovery Series – Rhode Island

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Discovery Series Rhode Island is a mug for the state that entered the Union on May 29, 1790, as the 13th and last of the original colonies to ratify the Constitution, having initially resisted due to concerns about federal power. Founded by Roger Williams in 1636 as a haven for religious freedom after his banishment from Massachusetts Bay Colony, Rhode Island became a refuge for dissenters seeking tolerance. Despite being America’s smallest state at just 1,214 square miles, Rhode Island played an outsized role in the Industrial Revolution with Samuel Slater’s water-powered textile mill launching American manufacturing in 1793.… Read more

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