Platter of ironstone transferware with clear glaze. Rectangular with clipped corners, recessed bottom and moderately wide sides that extend outward. White body is devoid of decoration except for black transfer scene of a long bridge spanning a river, 5 people in foreground, town at right end of bridge and another in the distance on right bank. Underside has apparent impressed mark and transfer maker's mark at center: under a spread eagle with shield is a "sign" reading "COLUMBIA BRIDGE ON THE SUSQUEHANNA". Below it is "W.R.", indicating maker William Ridgway & Co. Sticker on bottom is: "$390" and "CLP". This river scene is a variation of the print done by William Henry Bartlett (see G98.12.21).
Shelton or Hanley, England
Provenance
Purchased in Adamstown Antiques Gallery for Heritage Center collection. Transferred from Heritage Center, December 2012.
Copper tea kettle, classic form with gooseneck spout, high dome lid, marked strap handle hinged on "plinth w/ serifs" tab bases. Lid fitted with a crudely fashioned replaced iron or steel mushroom-shaped finial, bent to one side.
Vertical dove-tailed seam on side opposite spout, top seam running length of spout. Dove-tailed bottom.
Tarnished with numerous dents and scratches over body. Two very heavy dents at shoulder, opposite each other and one on bottom. Finial knob bent to one side. Two significant cracks on proper right side at shoulder and one on back.
Object ID
P.01.48.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection. Purchased through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation
Very small redware jar, squat ovoid shape with small foot ring and flaring rim. Orange-brown body, decorated with random slanted swaths of dark manganese. Tin glazed inside and out except for bottom 1/5 of exterior and bottom.
Unique inscription: "A Bixler" is impressed on bottom with printer's fraktur typeface.
East Earl Twp. or Brecknock Twp. Attributed to Absalom Bixler (1802-1884).
Stoneware storage jar with applied lug handles, salt-glazed, gray ovoid body with prominent lip and brushed cobalt blue decoration on sides and at applied handles. One side has a bifurcated flower with oval cartouche centered between flowers. Within cartouche is maker's mark "H GAST/ West Orange/ LANCASTER". Opposing side has a flower with 3 branches.
Gast established himself on W. Orange St. in 1834, but moved to 416 Manor St. in 1838. Thus, this jar was made sometime 1834 to 1838. Gast was the principal supplier of stoneware in the city for over 40 years, His son joined him in the mid 1850s.
Provenance
Unknown.
See Phil Schaltenbrand, "Big Ware Turners," 2002, pp. 18-20.
Redware canning jar, ovoid shape with no handle. Pronounced foot ring and rounded flaring lip with recessed interior to receive a fitted lid (missing). Dark brown manganese decoration with some mottling, streaks and dark spatters. Lead glaze overall except for underside.
Very strong wear with losses. Lip has very large chip and one very small chip at outside edge. Strong losses of glaze at lip. Very strong abrasions at salient point of side, with considerable scattered scratches. Foot ring has three large chips and one very large chip. Soil on inside and underside.
Object ID
G.99.22.1
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Drs. Irwin and M. Susan Richman, Heritage Center Collection
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Dutch teapot (A) with lid (B). Handpainted "Butterfly" pattern decoration on pale blue body of pearlware. Squat ovoid body sits on a low footring; body swells most in lower half. Collar extends outward below an oblong mouth fitted with conforming domed lid with oblong knob finial . Spout has minimal molding as does arching applied handle.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Overall strong staining, especially at lower spout and base section and interior. Strong hairline cracks throughout base and bottom, with resulting staining. Scratchon butterfly wing. Chip on underside of spout tip. Long split/crack on handle back, perhaps from firing. Coloring is very uneven at multiple places, sometimes creating a mottled effect. Wear and soil under foot ring.
Object ID
G.98.51.03a-b
Place of Origin
England
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Welsh sugar bowl (A) with lid (B). Handpainted inverted tulips of red and yellow are interspersed with 3 large, dominating deep blue scalloped motifs decorated with copper lustre painted floral decoration. Squat pot-bellied body sits on a low squarish pedestal with scalloped edging. Two molded angular applied handles. Top has round mouth with flared collar extends outward. Domed lid has squarish molded knob finial. Darkened remnant of paper sticker with blurred writing, perhaps "-caster/ --ea set/ --1825."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Chinese export bowl of high fired porcelain, polychrome decoration under glaze. Thin walled in nearly hemispherical form sitting on a 3/4" raised foot. Gold-painted rim with red edging. Two goldfish inside bottom. Continuous landscape on exterior is the same repeating Roman or Greek scene of a seated half-robed seated man with dog facing three nude women and seated baby. All set against distant mountains and one tree in foreground.
Profile of man in a high collar uniform, believed to be Napoleon Bonaparte, cast in chalkware as a framed representation under glass. Rectangular frame has conforming recessed area with cast profile in relief. Old glazing on frame covers image. Chalkware frame is painted dark green with a wire hanging ring imbedded at top center. Profile has black-painted, forward-swept hair with sideburns and pink-rouged cheek. Uniform is of red and black with high red collar and gold epaulette. Created as a memento and sold likely via peddler.
Inscriptions on back in pencil are faint. It appears to be "John M. Snavely/ picked April the 19/ A.D. 1863/ John S(nave)ly." Research reveals a John M. Snavely born 12/17/1843 and died 9/22/1883. 1880 census records him living at home with his farmer parents, Michael and Fannie, and working as a laborer. Obit notes funeral held at Denlinger's Mennonite Meeting House.
Interior profile appears in good condition due to glazing. Outside frame suffers the most with extensive paint loss and significant wear to frame corners. Strong soil on back and other unpainted area.
Object ID
G.04.23.16
Place of Origin
Eastern US
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Figure of a woman with brown hair wearing an ochre broad-rimmed hat, long-sleeved, full-skirted dress painted blue-green with ochre trim on bodice only, and unpainted pantaloons with black shoes. She is also holding a hankerchief in her right hand and flowers in her left hand. Square plinth with clipped corners is lightly dabbed with tannish-brown. Back side is inpainted.
Inscription inside base is pencilled "PRC".
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during their visits back East from CA. Donation to the Heritage Center.
Moderate soiling and paint loss. Small chips throughout; large loss on back right corner of base. Mended break in the left skirt. Several paint splatters on skirt front.
Object ID
G.98.51.75
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Cup (A) and saucer (B), glazed soft-paste porcelain, Strawberry pattern. Handleless cup has straight flaring sides & rests on a small foot Paint decoration on white ground has 2 strawberries & a large green leaf on each side with smaller leaves, purple roses and brown squiggles. Interior has double stripe with berries and flowers. Rim painted rust.
Saucer (B)
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Octagonal tin tray with straight sides projecting out at about 45 degrees; rolled edge. Center seam. On red-painted ground is a large central decoration of black and yellow fruit and foliate motifs. Tray sides have repeating pattern of loose S-scrolls in yellow. Underside of tray is black. Three inscriptions: "Elizabeth Altland 1862" in German script at one end; name repeats at opposite end in English script with differing date of "1862." At center seam is "Matilda Altland." Also, white tape with "HJK" (donor).
Probably border area between Adams and York Counties.
Decoration attributed to Altland family.
Provenance
Clarke Hess stated (Sept 2011) Altland families concentrated in border area between Adams and York Counties. Some were also gunmakers.
Tinsmith Mark Hammond examined tray on 8-29-05 and observed that early sheets of tin were 10" x 14", necessitating a seam across bottom. "Double size" sheets of 20" x 14" he thinks were available c. 1830s, although these large sheets would have been more expensive.
Touch-up paint decoration evident. Multiple drops of unknown liquid have resulted in small round paint voids on one side of tray. Strong wear on rim. Underside has many scratches and strong wear.
Object ID
G.86.6.2
Credit
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
Roughly fashioned polychromed softwood miniature trinket box of rectangular form. Domed lid hollowed out underneath and ends fitted with conforming caps. Wire hinges and wire loop at front with missing tin hasp. Corresponding wire loop for hasp on box front. Box sides constructed of rabbet joints secured by two wood pegs at front and two at back. Beveled bottom board attached with two pegs and extends beyond box sides. Top and four sides each have a floral motif of dark green, cream, ochre and red all on a tan ground. Glossy varnish overall except for bottom and interior. Indecipherable initials painted on bottom.
Probably Lancaster County
Provenance
Purchased by donor at Lancaster County sale. At least four other examples known. See example in collection #1973.003.2
Possible maker is Peter Brubacher (1816-1898), shoemaker and woodworker in Clay Township.
Trinket box of softwood constuction covered by German newsprint outside and a coarse blue-green paper inside. Glued over the newsprint are strips of straw of various tones arranged in geometrical designs on domed lid and sides in a technique very similar to marquetry. Newsprint visible on underside as well as where straw pieces are missing. Lid has hinge of coarse linen under laminate. Bent wire hook on lid fits into wire loop on box front.
Provenance
Collected by donor in Lancaster Co. According authority Clarke Hess, these boxes are plentiful, but not usually with newspaper lining. Clarke owns two of these boxes, both with Lancaster German language newsprint, and believes these boxes were made 1820-1840 in PA.
John Tannehill, expert in iron, reports someone told him these boxes were made in prisons.
Two-piece corner cupboard, white pine, painted with brown glaze over yellow (possibly a mid-19th century repainting). Bold cornice over a band of thin reeding in staggered blocks on fascia. Pilasters of thin reeding flank door sections. Upper section has large door with 12 lights (7.5" x 6.5") of old glass, hand-cut tin lock escutcheon and latch with brass pendant ring handle. with; staggered fluting on fascia. The bottom section has bracket feet with below carved sunbursts. Double doors with triple-raised panels and latch with brass pendant ring handle. The interior is painted off-white, and has four shelves furnished with plate moldings along back.
Pencil inscriptions at top inside rail of each bottom door. Left door appears to have "John Rentschler" or similar name, likely an owner. Rentschler name is found in Berks County in mid-19th c.
Lancaster County, possibly Strasburg area
Provenance
Purchased from Park Edwards at a Strasburg, PA sale in April, 1969. It was then purchased from a Walter Himmelreich sale in October, 1971 by Harry Hartman Antiques. Purchased by Museum Sept. 1979.
Scattered losses overall, with chipping and gouges. Evidence of most wear and damage is at cornice, mid-line molding and feet. Existing finish likely a late 19th c. repaint. Strong paint losses on molding at base of upper section. Large area of wood loss in lower left door adjacent to latch. Upper cupboard has wood losses along back edge of right side and reeding at fascia.
Object ID
P.79.101.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Strip quilt, composed of alternating printed and all-white strips, 6 printed and 5 white. Print is an ombre blue ground with tan medallions edged with a scrolling foliate design and red roses within. Back is three joined pieces of white cotton. Back corner is stamped "KH06".
Quilting is done with an undulating feather on the white strips and a diamond pattern on the printed strips. Back wraps around to front to form the binding.
Stamped on the back of one corner is "KH06." Unknown meaning.
Inscription Type
Stamp
Object Name
Quilt
Material
Cotton
Height (in)
89
Width (in)
90
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-06-16
Condition Notes
Generally good with little wear. Most pronounced are about 30 dark stain spots sprinkled across front. Two liquid stains on back as well as a small 1/4" hole.
Object ID
G.03.26.02
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Single Patch quilt made of printed cotton diamonds on point on a field of white cotton. There are eleven rows of 26 printed diamonds pieced with white ground patches of large and small squares. The large patches are quilted with a pattern of five overlapping circles and the smaller patches filled with parallel lines. The printed patches are also quilted with parallel lines, but in the opposite direction.
Quilt top and white cotton back are joined together at edges, with a narrow (1/2 - 5/8 inch wide) border of a blue-green print machine-stitched to front side only - not a true binding. This was of course reworked at a later time.
Inscriptions: Cross-stitched in red, at back corner is "SM / 7 / 1831." Another corner has "LBS" in pen and ink, indicating ownership by Paul A. Mueller, Jr.'s maternal grandfather, Lewis Buch Sprecher (April 22, 1876 -- April 27, 1975).
Provenance
Donor believes quilt descended through Lewis B. Sprecher's mother's side of the family.
Generally good; reworked border with machine stitching at edge, with at least 3 areas of open and fraying seams. Some areas covered with a light brown staining or soiling. Dark reddish brown stains at 3rd & 4th square of center row. Several minor scattered stains. Two of the 4 printed diamonds having a turkey red ground and heart flowers show significant deterioration; one has a long split and the other overall deterioration with holes and splitting.
Object ID
G.03.26.05
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Bars or stripe quilt of cottons, using three different prints of brown-to-beige hues on the front and another on the reverse. Border all four sides, 7.5" wide, is lacy-edge paisley containing a branch of flowers, on a tan ground with pin dots and angular geometric shapes. Alternating bars in centerfield have the same width of 7.5"; of 11 total, 6 have stripes and five are floral. Red stripes alternate with an abstract brown motif. The five floral stripes have a 3-petal flower on a picotage ground. Backing is a Cotton batting. Cotton print on reverse is ovals, each with a flower within. Backing is a floral print on dark background, brought forward to create binding.
Quilting patterns are swag at borders and floral bars. Diamond grid striped bars.
Overall soil with some darkening. Many small to medium size holes, mainly in striped print on flowers(see sketch of condition in this file). Several large liquid stains and several small ones.
Reverse has larger ragged holes and a variety of strong stains. Deteriorated and detached fabric along central fold line; scattered deterioration elsewhere, especially on the dark dyes that used an acidic mordant.
Object ID
G.04.23.38
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Medallion quilt of pieced and appliqued cottons and chintz. Design is a center diamond within a square within a diamond within a square, all within three different borders. Center diamond within a square has 9 large blocks of white cotton, 5 with five large appliqued circles of chintz and 4 with pieced triangles of printed cottons and a floral "Persian embroidery" applique at center. Next is a diamond of chintz., followed by a large square of pieced triangles in same geometric pattern as the center diamond.
The inside 6" wide border uses the same chintz pattern as the diamond. Middle border has a white cotton ground with pieced "overlapping" diamonds of various chintzes. Outside border is same chintz print of inside border.
White cotton backing is brought forward to create narrow binding. Quilt patterns used are waffle, flowers and cable. The chintz pattern used throughout was made in the 1820s, thus suggesting the date for this quilt. Batting is cotton.
Made in the Paradise area by Jane Weakly Leche, with help from Margaret McCausland Sample, mothers of David Harmanus Leche (1825-1862) and his wife Harriet Ann Sample (1828-1896).
Provenance
Maker(s) to son David Harmanus Leche (1825-1862) and his wife Harriet Ann Sample (1828-1896) to Harriet Sample Leche Keller (Mrs. Charles B. Keller, 1858-1951) to daughter Harriet Elizabeth Keller Shand (Mrs. James Shand, 1892-1946) to son and donor James Shand (1926- ).
Quilt had a stitched-on fabric label, now removed, with handwritten statement (c. 1925) by donor's mother, Harriet Elizabeth Keller Shand. Message was transcribed on paper by James Shand in 1991. It states: "Property of Mrs. Keller 85 to 90 years old. Made by Jane Weakly Leche wife of David Leche. Margaret (McCausland) Sample wife of Dr. Nathaniel Sample helped to sew on it."
Fair to good condition due to fabric deterioration, soiling and liquid stains. Losses & deterioration mostly in triangular pieces but also some large blocks of one chintz. Heavy liquid stains scattered overall. Liquid stains very visible on reverse. Generally sound structurally, although there are two significant holes through top and back, an L-shaped tear about 3" in from one quilt edge and a fabric separation hole near point of one center diamond.
Fabric label removed from quilt back and placed in file.
Object ID
G.04.37.01
Notes
Family genealogy in this file includes two pages of family tree offered by donor. See Ellis & Evans, pp. 922, 106, 661 and Biographical Annals, pp. 151, 1210.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
