Flat tin 6-pointed star pattern or template with1/2" diameter hole at center. Used for creating raised, sculpted plushwork (see Amish Arts by Patricia Herr, pp. 44-55).
Bonnet-top high chest, walnut w/ yellow pine and poplar secondary wood. Pegged frame and panel construction. A bonnet top broken arch pediment surrounds the tympanum with a central round, concave shell carving. Large orb finial on plinth centered within broken arch. Upper section has five graduated drawer sections consisting of three small drawers over two drawers over three long single drawers, all cock-beaded with bail brasses and escutcheons. Pulls not original; ghosting visible of original brasses. Quarter columns have wide chamfers with double fluting.
Upper chest rests on stepped-out lower chest having one long drawer flanked by two small ones and two more small drawers below these. Cutout apron at bottom. Very wide chamfered & fluted quarter columns. Cabriole legs with trifid feet and stocking detail.
Make is unknown.
Lancaster County, probably Churchtown area
Provenance
Chest originally belonged to the Old family, prominent ironmasters of Lancaster and Berks Co. It may have been owned first by James Old (1730-1809) or one of his children. The chest later passed from Miss Harriet Old to the Hopkins family at Conowingo Furnace, Drumore Twp., Lancaster County.
Overall abrasions, scars and small losses of wood. 4" crack in pediment, left of finial. Significant grouping of gashes 4"x 3" spanning 2nd & 3rd level drawers, at left. Entire front of top chest detaching from sides. Piece at top of left stile, under cornice, is broken & poorly repaired. Deep horizontal 7" crack on left side of base unit. Vertical crack entire length of right side of top. 1 12" long gouge on stile of right front leg. White flecks on right front leg. Brasses tarnished with some rust.
Object ID
P.78.76
Notes
Exhibit label information:
John J. Snyder, Jr. suggests many points of similarity with a Q.A Phila. highboy owned by diarist Christopher Marshall who brought chest along with him when he moved to Lancaster Co. "on the eve of the Revolutionary War." (Winterthur collections). This chest may have inspired the design of the Old chest.
Wide fluted chamfered corners similar to a Q.A. secretary (G.03.1.1) formerly owned by the Jenkins family of Churchtown. Similar to a case of Geo. Hoff clock w/ brass face, and similar to casework by some Phila. and Maryland cabinetmakers.
Snyder notes that cockbeaded edges on drawers suggest a later date than expected (c. 1770-1790). This type in Phila. was being made c. 1740-1760.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Old family
Credit
Gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Walnut Chippendale style bookcase on desk. Bookcase has broken arch pediment with carved scrolls terminating in12-petal rosettes, large flame finials at corners and a carved stylized shell at center. Scrollboard has graceful symmetrical vine carved in relief on nearly smooth ground (usually punched ground). Below are two flat-paneled doors with brass escutcheons; right door has keyhole. Interior shelves. Inset fluted quarter columns.
Lancaster County, certainly Lancaster Borough
Fall-front desk sits on 4 ogee-bracket feet. 4 graduated, thumbmolded drawers, each w/ replacement bail brasses and an oval brass keyhole escutcheon. Inset fluted quarter columns w/ unexpected small volutes carved above capitals. Two wooden slide supports flank top drawer. Replaced fall-front door fitted w/ a brass keyhole escutcheon with swiveling cover. Interior has a central prospect door with shell and leaf carving, opening to two pigeonholes over two drawers. Door is flanked by manuscript drawers faced with baseball bat-shaped carving. On each side are groups of four valanced pigeonholes over four drawers fitted with small bail-type brass pulls. Pencilled inscription on underside of top right interior drawer has "Adam Bare, sheriff," (also dated 1846?). Adam Bare (1784-1877) apparently owned the desk. He was a Mennonite tavernkeeper near New Holland who became sheriff of Lancaster County from 1831-1833. Perhaps his father, John "Bear", was the original owner (he was an innkeeper at a hotel in Bareville, Upper Leacock Twp.).
Provenance
Found in 1938 by S.E. Dyke in a home being demolished on New Holland Ave. S.E. Dyke owned it until 1943, when he sold it to C.W. Lyons of New York City for $4,500. By 1970, it was owned by H.R. Sandor, who sold it to Mrs. Margaret A. Lucas of New York City for $24,500. At some point, General L.W.T. Waller of Meadowbrook, PA, owned the piece and sold it to Ronald A. DeSilva, Inc. of NYC, who sold it to the Heritage Center.
Underside of drawer has: "Adam Bare, sheriff," (also dated 1846?).
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Secretary
Oither Names
Desk and Bookcase
Material
Wood, Brass
Height (in)
96
Width (in)
42
Depth (in)
23
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-08-27
Condition Notes
Extensive restoration (done by unknown person apparently when first obtained by Sam Dyke). Early photo shows damage/losses and restoration: replacement of left scroll and rosette and portion of right rosette; missing fall-front, 3 interior drawers and finials; both front feet damaged (bottom half of left foot missing and right foot cracked); missing right volute, damaged drawers, overall badly scarred with extensive loss of finish, etc.
Above repaired/replaced. There are two significant cracks on the writing surface: one 5" long at right and one 7 1/2" long at left. 1/4" gouge on right side of bookcase. Long horizontal crack across tympanum and one under shell "finial". Long vertical crack a both sides of desk. Repaired vertical crack in right door panel, repairs to both doors' top edges, both escutcheons replaced and holes plugged. Dark stains on inner writing surface.
Left diagonal edge of desk accidentally damaged while at museum in 1984 (see envelope w/ snapshots). Restored by Alan Miller.
Object ID
P.77.34
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern. Machine assembled and hand quilted.
Top: Plain-weave and crepe wool and rayon. Rust red diamond of wool in a Williamsburg blue square; two inner borders (one on diamond and one around square) of the same shiny crepe rayon and red corner blocks. Green wool outer border with Williamsburg blue corner blocks of crepe wool. (Herr notes that the blue fabric in the corner blocks varies from that of the inner borders. Binding is rust red and machine sewn to both back and front.
Back: green plain-weave cotton, machine-joined in three widths.
Quilting: Done in black thread. Diamond has a large repeating star within wreath and a floral or butterfly motif in each corner. Both narrow borders have grapevine pattern. Four triangular blocks of square have a large branching rose & tulip in each, with scallop on all edges. Outer green borders have a vining flower extending into corners to form tied bows.
Herr writes: "The rather stiff open floral quilting patterns seen here are associated with later quilts. One sees more geometric densely quilted flowing patterns in earlier examples."
Provenance
Esprit purchased May 1984 from Phyllis Haders for $9,000.
Vibrant colors but LARGE, HEAVY liquid staining esp. within the triangular blocks.
Quilt report by conservator Linnea S. Davis in 1990 states condition is excellent, almost new. Says batt may have substantial natural oils affecting color of backing. She does note "very faint" blue-green rings from moisture or wool oils within 3 color triangles in turquoise; also 3 tiny white paint spots within inner border.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern. Machine assembled and hand quilted with black cotton thread in a fine, even manner consistent with the early date of c.1910.
Top: Twill-weave wool, three colors (brown, turquoise and purple) & three borders. Binding is machine joined strips, sewn by machine to back and front.
Back: Black-and white woven-pattern cotton flannel, with white "streaking" achieved with white warp threads. An initial "J" embroidered in red is found in one corner of back.
Quilting: Large feather wreath in diamond with cross-hatching inside; border has pumpkin seed florets within a geometric diamond pattern, and a flower in each corner block. Triangles have double-quilted flower motifs flanking a fruit-filled basket. Border of square has pumkin seed florets within the same diamond pattern as previous border. Outer border has tightly scrolling feathers.and corners have a circular wreath filled with cross-hatching.
Provenance
Purchased from Phyllis Habers in May 1984 for $9,000.
Condition report/sketch done by volunteer Aug. 2010. Condition report by Linnea Davis, 1990, states "Excellent to VG. Faded overall. Some small areas of abrasion (moth). Previous hoes with wax residue around sides at back, due to mounting with waxed cord." Fading most significant at outer border, with streaking.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, stitched "E S" and "1943", although date stitching now removed. Evidence of this late date are the lighter colors and the use of rayon and crepe fabrics.
Top: Plain-weave and crepe wool and rayon. Center diamond has multi-color S & S squares on purple ground; red triangles in square; inner border of purple and outer border of medium blue. No corner blocks. Binding is blue.
Back: Blue plain-weave cotton.
Quilting is well executed and traditional for this late date. Crosshatching in centerfield. Inner border has loosely meandering flowery vine. Outer border has feather scrolls with two double-line stars centered at each side.
Script initials stitched at center of one outer border are "E S", indicating maker or more likely the recipient. Flanking the lower adjacent star is evidence of the now-removed stitching of the date "1943".
Provenance
Esprit purchased from America Hurrah Antiques of NYC, April 14, 1980 for $4,800
Condition report by student intern E. Miller, 7/18/13. Multiple blue marks around outer border. Several small holes in inner border and one at edge of purple in center diamond. Wide borders are splotchy with fading. Reverse has several large liquid stains and significant areas of fading/ discoloration.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Diamond in the Square pattern w/ Sunshine and Shadow variation, c. 1940. Unusual features, especially the one outer border of plum fabric that has no corner blocks. Open quilting style based on rose patterns suggests a later date than for most of the quilts in this collection.
Top: Plain- and twill-weave wool. Dark multi-colored diamond of S & S blocks uses turquoise, brown, purple and plum. Triangles are blue and inner border is reddish brown with blue corner blocks. Outer borders are blue?? with only two plum corner blocks. One entire side is made of the plum fabric! Binding is black.
Back: Two halves of different cottons: each a blue-and-white printed plain-weave. One is a busy pattern of diamonds and the other is a more subdued pattern. Small-scale printed B & W and Blue & W fabrics were often used in comination as backs of Lancaster County Amish quilts.
Quilting is not dense. Crosshatch in S & S center; a variety of unusual stylized roses & tulips in all other areas.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from Holsteins on 6-12-1986 for $10,000.
Condition report by student intern E. Miller, 7/18/13, shows repair to outer seam of center diamond. Several small holes within outer border. Reverse has two brown stains near one side. Quilt does not hang well. See also Esprit condition reports.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, circa 1940. Herr states: "The predominant use of cotton and rayon over wool in this quilt suggests a date close to 1940, when fine woolen fabrics previously used in Lancaster Co. Amish quilts were becoming less available..."
Top: plain-weave rayon, cotton and wool. Center square contains S & S pattern composed of 1 1/2 - 1 5/8" blocks with some very unusual color choices: red pink and maroon in adjacent blocks as well as 2 white blocks in place of lavender ones. The 4" inner border is light pink cotton as are the corner blocks. The 10 1/2" outer border is a raspberry colored rayon. The 1" binding is a dusty rose.
Back: blue-and-white woven-check (miniscule scale) of plain-weave cotton.
Quilting: Basket motif in outer border quilted with black thread. Pink thread (unusual choice for Amish) is used in the undulating floral vine of inner border and 3-flowered motif of corners. The single top center flower (tulip?) of the corner block motifs is repeated in the baskets.
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from unknown vendor in June 1977 for $3,525, one of the first Amish quilts in Tompkins' collection.
Condition problems with fading, but especially extensive staining: variety of light & dark liquids and spatters & spills. Stains very evident within borders, although they extend into center area blocks as well. See condition reports by Esprit as well as Miller & Zercher, 8-1-2013.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, c. 1940. Machine pieced squares form a diamond. Quilt quite heavy.
Top: Plain-and twill-weave wool, crepes, cotton, and rayon. The use of many cotton & rayon fabrics suggest a later date of c. 1940. Centerfield uses black fabric. Inner border is dark turquoise w/ dark red corner squares. Outer border is dark plum with maroon corner squares. Green binding machine sewn to front, turned & whip-stitched to back.
Back: Brown, pink and white printed plain-weave cotton. Unusual backing fabric.
Signed 'Samantha or Samuel Zook' according to conservator Linnea Davis. (Apparently hidden under velcro).
Quilting: Hand quilted with black thread. Cross-hatched centerfield. Inner border has slightly undulating vine of roses & leaves. Outer border has a similar rose motif which circles & repeats along the border. Leaves are more complex. Maroon corner squares have roses tied by a bow. This rose quilting also suggests a later date.
Provenance
Esprit purchased from the Holsteins, June 12, 1986, for $9,000.
Lancaster Amish quilt, Sunshine & Shadow pattern, c. 1940
Top: plain-weave, twill-weave and crepe wools as well as rayon. Center blocks are 2"-square, are of startling colors ranging from crimson to orange to pink. Inner border, 4 1/4" wide, is dark green with pink corner blocks. Outer border has two colors: two sides are dark steel-gray blue and two a denim blue. Corner blocks are again of pink. Dark green 1.25" binding.
Back: dark blue woven-stripe sateen-weave cotton.
Quilting: Waffle quilting through center blocks intersects center of each small square. Inner border has "pumpkin seed" 4-petal flowers within open diamonds. Five-petal flower in corner blocks. Outer border has scrolling feathers continued through corner blocks.
Provenance
Unknown provenance, although quilt wason the cover of Jonathan Holstein's book, says Julie Silber. This would indicate a purchase from Holstein.
See existing Esprit condition report. Multiple stains over surface, most noticeable are the strong blue paint(?) stains on opposing sides of steel-gray outer border and on several small squares near quilt center. Additional smaller, lighter stains overall. Fading as evidenced by back of binding.
