Wine bottle. Brown glass, shallow pontil, seamed shoulder and neck. Cork with red wax to seal mouth. Wine inside almost to shoulder level. Found by volunteers sometime during the early years of the James Buchanan Foundation. Bottle was found in the east end of the basement level in the Wheatland mansion.
Trinket chest of dovetail construction, hinged lid, turned feet and polychrome decoration. Bottom secured with square nails. Keyhole at front; key missing. On a burnt orange ground are 5 large decals (4 of fruit and 1 of flowers) and one small decal at front center of spread eagle, shield and banner. Chest sides and top have centered line decoration of 3 concentric rectangles with hollow corners (black, ochre, white). Feet are black. Edge moldings of lid and base painted black with yellow-green double line decoration enclosing leafy scrolling vines. Interior and underside unfinished.
Inked # 00.43.1 on bottom. Two old stickers: "65603" on back and "65625" on bottom.
Attributed to Joseph Lehn (1798-1892). South of Clay, Elizabeth Township.
Provenance
Transferred from the James Buchanan Foundation where chest was "found in collection" with history/provenance.
Paint soiled and darkened. Large scar on left end of lid molding. Arc scored into top at right front of lid. Wear/abrasions overall, especially lid and base molding. Loose left front foot and paint loss of right back foot. Pristine interior. One hing screw missing.
Object ID
G.03.35.1
Place of Origin
Elizabeth Twp.
Credit
Gif ot James Buchanan Foundation, Heritage Center Collec
Indigo Jacquard coverlet. Natural cotton and indigo wool. Center seam. Inner border of alternating birds and trees. Outer border (3 sides only) a double row of 8-pointed stars. Center field of 20 full floral and star square blocks with 4.5-inch blocks at top. 25 stars between blocks.
Head edge finished with doubled .25-inch brown cotton binding. 3.5-inch self-fringe on sides with tape of fringes applied to foot.
A: Homemade awl or piercing tool with hand-shaped shank with turned up tip set into a crude wooden handle with no finish. L: 5.25"
B: Awl or bodkin with decoratively turned walnut or rosewood handle fitted with a foresection of bone set into handle that tapers to a sharp point. L: 5"
C: Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3.25"
D. Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3"
Provenance
These four items were designated as basketweaving tools by donor. Unknown origin.
Painted portrait of William Albright (or Albrecht) (1793-1852) by Jacob Eichholtz, c. 1830
William Albright, or Albrecht, was born May 23, 1793 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to German printer, John Albright (1745-1806). He worked intermittently in Philadelphia as an ornamental painter, lithographic artist, limner, "dancing-master," and teacher of drawing from 1815 to 1845. Albright delineated the color plates for the "Floral Magazine and Botanical Repository" (Philadelphia, 1832-1834).
In 1820, Albright returned to Lancaster at his father's bequest, where until 1836, he published the "Staatsbothe" and continued the publication of the "New and Improved North American Almanac" started by Francis Bailey in 1775. On Christmas Day in 1821 he married Mary Weaver with whom he had one daughter, Anna M. Albright (1822-1855).
Albright returned to Philadelphia ca. 1837, and following a year as a dance master, taught drawing at 21 South Fifth Street until his death in 1852.
William Albright, or Albrecht, was born May 23, 1793 in Lancaster, PA. During his lifetime he worked as a printer, ornamental painter, lithographic artist, limner, dancing-master and teacher of drawing.
Between 1820 and 1836, Albright published a German-language newpaper in Lancaster, the 'Staatsbothe,' as well as the 'New and Improved North Americna Almanac.' Albright moved to Phila. in 1837 where he spent his remaining years teaching art.
On Christmas Day in 1821 William Albirhgt married Mary Weaver. The had one daughter, Anna M. Albright (1822-1855). The birth and death dates of Mary Weaver Albright are unknown.
Glove stretcher is cast, nickel-plated brass (?). Made of two opposing lengths of tapered, rounded metal, spring operated. Dog's leg shape tool has handle cast with raised, scrolled decoration. Opposite end is tapered so it fits into glove fingers for stretching after being heated. The larger end of the taper is inset with lead for holding heat.
Inscriptions: "THE / FOSTER GLOVE STRETCHER" is on one handle and the other has "PATENTED JULY 27, 1888."
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.
Button-hole cutter, creaser or marking tool is silver plated ferrous metal.
In form of a miniature spoon with a blade instead of a bowl. Blade is eye-shaped with raised midline extending from tip to tip. Edges of blade are fairly sharp. Handle end has the bust of a crowned femal monarch with long flowing hair and necklace above a decorative base of scrolls surrounding a cabochon. Shaft of tool is similar to an architectural column. Entire handle is made of two identical halves, cast and joined with side seams visible.
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.
Some tarnish overall. Large dent in one cabochon and small dent in the other.
Object ID
G.05.15.19
Notes
See another example of this ring found on internet in this file. Iguala is a town near the renowned silvermaking town of Taxco (near the west coast of Mexico) where William Spratling, in the 1930s, famously reinstituted the silver industry and craftsmanship that had died centuries before.
Credit
Gift of Susan Garofola in memory of Lillian Kiker (mother), Heritage Center Collection
