Framed silhouette of gentleman in profile, facing viewer's right. He is perhaps early-to-middle-age years, dressed in high collar and coat. Below is the name "Amos Ellmaker" handwritten in cursive in faded black ink.
Image is cut out of a rectangle of white wove paper, superimposed on a matching piece of black silk and secured with stitches at periphery. There is a window mat of faded marbelized paper, frame is molded walnut.
Same marbelized paper also covers back of frame. Clipping from printed biographical article is pasted to back.
Moderate wear and aging overall. Wove paper is darkened with fold lines and pin holes. Frame is worn with loose joints. Frame backing paper shows wear at corners and was cut to remove artwork, replaced and secured with cellophane tape, now removed except for bottom strip, leaving adhesive residue.
Object ID
P.03.11.01
Notes
According to the Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Amos Ellmaker (b. 2-2-1787 and d. 11-28-1851) was a man of intellect and attainment. He was grandson of immigrant Leonard Ellmaker (Germany to Earl Twp in 1726) and son of Nathaniel Ellmaker. He attended Princeton College, then law school in Litchfield, Conn. He began practice in Hbg., served as an officer in the War of 1812, later was appointed prosecuting attorney for Dauphin Co., elected to the State House of Representatives, appointed Presiding Judge for the district composed of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, was later appointed Attorney General of Pa., but resigned in 1821 to move back to Lancaster. Judge Ellmaker was in 1832 a candidate of the anti-Masonic party for Vice-President of the U.S. In 1816, he had married Mary Rachel Elder of Harrisburg. They had six children.
Bookcase composed of two sections. The upper cabinet has two hinged doors that latch at center. The shelving is adjustable and both doors feature 12 oblong-shaped glass panes and mullions. The lower cabinet has two hinged wood doors that latch and lock at the center; each door features a square recessed panel.
Provenance
Thomas Potter
To - William Morris Meredith
To - James Buchanan
To - Harriet Lane Johnston
To - John Newton Lane
To - James Buchanan Lane II
To - Thomasina Thomas Lane
To - James Buchanan Foundation
Thomas Potter - 2nd owner of Wheatland
Sold to - William Morris Meredith for $75
Sold to - James Buchanan for $75
Bequeathed to - Harriet Lane Johnston
Bequeathed to - John Newton Lane, Harriet's nephew
Bequeathed to - James Buchanan Lane II, John N. Lane's son
Bequeathed to - Thomasina Thomas Lane, James B. Lane II's spouse
A map in brown and blue ink with an orate directional indicator in the upper right corner. The
Conestoga Creek flows across the map. Property lines with buildings (distillery, houses and stable) are drawn along the eastern bank of the creek with corners of property marked by posts, a stone and a birch tree. "Other land of the City of Lancaster" is written above the property line.
"The above draught represents 5 acres ? by 18 perches...situate in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, being the part of the plantation which the city of Lancaster purchased from the Executor of John ? ? which is intended to be preserved to the village for the ? of said City. Surveyed on the 28th September 1836. By Henry Carpenter
Brown fold lines. Some of the writing has faded and is difficult to read. There is a tear mid-left near the left edge of the map. Some blotches of black spots may be the result of mildew.
Watercolor painting of St. Mary's Church on South Prince Street in Lancaster in gilt frame.
Paining shows the Roman Catholic church painted from the street. Three passersby dressed in the style of 1800-1850, pass in front of the stone wall surrounding the church property. Fencing atop wall encircles the church building and adjoining cemetery. Large tall trees from a backdrop to church.
Painting is unsigned.
This is one of at least three very similar paintings. The other two are found in Gerry Lestz's Artists' Album/Lancaster County and another in Carl Drepperd's American Pioneer Arts and Artists. Both Drepperd and Lestz have captions stating the paintings date from about 1835. Likely theses paintings were executed by a number of students or the copied the work of the original artist.
This is similar to version 1.45.84 (loan by Mrs. R. Harcourt Darmstaetter).
Provenance
Purchased from Steven F. Still Antiques, Elizabethtown on Dec. 27, 1998, for $450.00.
Date Range
1835
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 5
Storage Cabinet
Unit 42
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Storage Drawer
Bin 2-G
Object Name
Painting
Length (cm)
15.24
Length (ft)
0.5
Length (in)
6
Width (cm)
21.59
Width (ft)
0.7083333333
Width (in)
8.5
Dimension Details
Framed: 13.5 inches wide x 11.5 inches
Condition
Good
Condition Date
1999-01-12
Condition Notes
Watercolor mounted on heavy paper backing; margins of backing have moisture stain at bottom right and insect damages across top and right. All paper darkened overall from age and acid, and painting has some foxing across surface.
Oil on canvas portrait of a young girl,from her chest up, body facing to her left but her head turned sharply to her right. Dressed in a low-cut Empire style dress. Dark background. Cloth drapes the girl from above her left shoulder, across front and around waist.
Frame probably original, painted with bronze-colored paint.
Inscriptions on stretcher: In pencil is written: "Hand painted by Peter Lehn Grosh father to Jacob Grosh," followed by "(about 1834)" in ink. (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Paint crackled especially in center, paint chipped upper left corner, evidence of repairs along periphery, especially at upper left corner, tiny losses visible across dress, canvas visible (abrasion) on dress at bottom center.
Water color portrait of a young man on wove paper. The subject depicted in full-length profile, facing to the viewer's left, with right foot in front of left. He has short black hair and is wearing a dark blue coat, white shirt with high collar, blue and white checked vest, dark gray pants and black boots. He is holding a top hat upside-down in his right hand.
The background is dominated by a blue sky with a few clouds, an orange or light brown horizon, blue-green hills and bushes (probably faded green) and brown ground.
According to the sellers, the subject is one of the Reitz (or Ritz) brothers. Catherine Reitz was the great-great grandmother of the seller, Guiles Erisman Costolo. For more info on the provenance see the file.
Artist Jacob Maentel (1763-1863) was an important itinerant portrait painter in watercolor who worked extensively in northwest Lancaster County during the first quarter of the 19th century.
Some horizontal buckling on left side, vertical buckling along top edge, but otherwise in good condition.
Conservation treatment and matting done in Feb. 1989 by CCAHA in Phila. Mat must have later been removed, so this piece was matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard in 1996.
Water color portrait of a young man on wove paper. The subject depicted in full-length profile, facing to the viewer's right, with the left foot in front of the right. He has brown hair that curls up at the neck and is wearing a dark blue coat, white shirt with high collar, blue and white checked vest, dark gray pants and black boots. He is holding a top hat upside-down in his right hand.
The background is dominated by a blue sky with four white clouds, an orange or light brown horizon, blue-green hills and bushes (probably faded green) and brown ground.
According to the sellers, the subject is one of the Reitz (or Ritz) brothers. Catherine Reitz was the great-great grandmother of the seller, Guiles Erisman Costolo. For more info on the provenance see the file.
Artist Jacob Maentel (1763-1863) was an important itinerant portrait painter in watercolor who worked extensively in northwest Lancaster County during the first quarter of the 19th century.
Some slight buckling down left side. Some small brown spots in upper left corner, below the cloud; also spotted across the non-blue portion of the sky. There is a crease running from the extreme right edge (at approximately the height of the subject's hand) to the bottom, ending slightly less than an inch from the lower right corner.
Conservation treatment and matting done in Feb. 1989 by CCAHA in Phila. Mat must have later been removed, so this piece was matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard in 1996.
Oil painting of Mrs. Alexander Hood seated on red chair with draped red curtain behind. Her dark brown hair is parted in the center and she is wearing a white covering with ruffles along sides covering her ears. The two wide sashes/ties hang down to her waist. A dainty lace collar piece, unattached, is around her neck with opening in front. She wears a black dress with gathers from a front vertical seam that ends in a point below her waist. Long sleeve visible on her left arm has two sections of gathers on the upper arm. Her left hand rests on her lap.
Artist: Arthur Armstrong, American portrait painter (b.1798-d.1851).
Some crackling overall. Some paint rubbed off above wooden edges. Some fine vertical streaks on woman's dress, left elbow. A small spot on right side of painting above red chair. Canvas nailed to stretcher bars in tact.
Pastel drawing of Ann Slaymaker O'Reilly by Florence Starr Taylor.
Description
Pastel drawing of Ann Slaymaker O'Reilly by Florence Starr Taylor. Woman is seated, shoulder length dark hair, brown eyes. String of pearls around neck. Black and red off-shoulder dress. Signed "FLORENCE / STARR / TAYLOR / 1946" lower right corner.
Ann Slaymaker, born November 13, 1925 was the daughter of S.C and Martha Slaymaker.
Cross-stitched sampler done by Susanna Moore, dated 1811. Half-inch high upper case alphabet fills two rows at top of sampler. Beneath are 4 lines of 1-inch tall upper case letters. Two lines of 1-inch lower case letters, with y & z centered on a third line followed by half-inch numbers, 1 to 7. One line of half-inch lower case letters below. On second line, in addition to 'x y z' there are periods, a comma, a colon and a semi-colon. Most of the threads appear to be blue. However, the threads that now look green were probably originally red.
Sticker on back: Myers' Art Shop/Pictures and Picture Framing/ 408 West Chestnut St./Lancaster PA"
