Our Collections

WELCOME TO THE DOROTHY COX COLLECTION

Dorothy Cox (8/5/26 –8/18/17) was passionate about teaching. After losing her husband in the Korean War, she was determined to make the most of her teaching career by joining the United States Dependents Schools on military installations overseas. For her first assignment, Dorothy flew to Tripoli on a military charter filled with soldiers.

Over her 21-year career with the Department of Defense from the 1950s to the 1970s, she taught in England, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico. She used her teaching posts as a base for further travel and exploration. As she traveled, she made friends who helped her immerse herself in the local culture and discover antique and specialty shops where she could find unique artifacts for her collection. Always thinking of her students, Dorothy sought out items that would help them learn more about life in different parts of the world. She became a skilled negotiator with merchants in the souks—the local markets—and oftentimes, her genuine interest in an item would lead shopkeepers to give it to her.

This collection is not just a set of souvenirs; it is an assembly of tools, garments, and personal effects that represent the lives of individuals in distant places.

Dorothy wanted to share her treasures with teachers and military families everywhere, and after her passing, the collection was donated to MAMF by Dorothy’s family and the American Overseas Schools Historical Society. In 2023 and 2025, thanks to generous grants  from New Mexico Arts, our high school intern Nathan Steen created graphics from photos of her collection. Enjoy “Nate’s Notes!” Also creating graphics and researching artifacts was Jonathan Longoria, MAMF’s Work Space Manager.

Screen shot of Dorothy Cox taken from the video she made describing the items she was donating.

Nates Notes: This banner from the Dorothy Cox Collection is known as Egyptian “tint work” meaning the use of natural pigments and dyes in art and cosmetics. This banner came into the hands of Dorothy Cox when she visited King Farouk I of Egypt and his palace. King Farouk I is known to be the last Egyptian king. He was overthrown in 1953. When describing the banner, Dorothy said that the piece depicts a symbolic time in history.

This unique wooden bench is a replica of an Egyptian funerary bed. It features two sculpted antelopes as its supports, their heads are gracefully turned outward. The antelope are meticulously carved, showcasing intricate patterns and motifs on their bodies. The seat and backrest on the bench are adorned with detailed carvings, including human figures in various poses. In ancient Egyptian culture antelopes symbolize grace, vitality, and swiftness. This piece is part of the Dorothy Cox collection in the Museum of the American Military Family. She acquired the piece during her travels in Egypt as a DODDS teacher.It was photographed by Louis Bledsoe, and Albuquerque-based photographer and videographer.

Photo: Louis Bledsoe

Photo: Louis Bledsoe

The photograph was taken by Albuquerque photographer Louis Bledsoe as part of a NM Arts Grant in 2023. In 2025, the museum received an Arts and the Military Grant, also by NM Arts to further catalog and digitize these pieces.

Photo: Louis Bledsoe

Albuquerque photographer Louis Bledso photographed much of the Dorothy Cox Collection in 2023 thanks to a grant by NM Arts.

Nathan Steen, the Museum’s Intern researched items from the Dorothy Cox Collection and created these graphics as part of a 2025 NM Arts grant.

The information for this artifact was taken from a video Ms. Cox made before she passed away. Photo: Louis Bledsoe.

“The Nit Pickers.” This painting from the Philippines shows a mother picking her daughter’s hair for lice. Below the mother, her daughter is picking at her younger sister’s hair. In the background of the painting, two monkeys are picking each other’s hair for lice as well. The painting is oil on canvas.

The photograph of this harp was taken by Albuquerque photographer Louis Bledsoe as part of a NM Arts Grant in 2023.

Horn instrument-This could have been used as a ceremonial instrument. It features African decorative beading.

Arghu–lCommon in Middle Eastern, North African, and some Central Asian musical traditions. The two pipes indicate that one was used as a drone sound and one as a melodic sound. Horn bells amplify the sound.

Mbira–Native to Zimbabwe, played by plucking the tines with the thumbs, typically used in monastic chanting, ceremonies, and festivals.

This set is a traditional coffee or tea service set associated with Arabic, Turkish, or Berber cultures. The metal pot with textured patterns resembles a dallah, a traditional Arabic coffee pot.

Straw Hat–Dorothy Cox was travelling through Nepal when she saw a man working on scaffolding for a Buddhist temple, wearing this hat. She asked if she could buy it and he sold it to her.