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
NOTE: Gift of Irene N. Walsh (reimbursed purchase price).
Birth record in German for Barbara Eschlemann made on laid paper by the Johannes Schopp/Schopf Artist. Paper has Ephrata watermark (CIB with tulip design). Framed in old frame of softwood with dark, crazed finish and applied blocks at corners.
Execution is typical of this artist's design. Horizontal orientation has outer and inner double-line borders with central heart having an open ring at top from which emanate vining flowers. Space between inner and outer borders is especially full with typical flowers of muted colors as well as a crown at top and shells both at top and a large one at bottom center.
Within heart is the text: "Barbara Eschlemann/ Ist gebohren im Jahr unsers Herrn und Heilandes Jesu/ Christi Anno 1777 den 8 Januarius. Morgens um/ 4 uhr, im Zeichendes. Steinbock." Additional text is added in muted ink within the space between heart and inner border. At left is: "Gott allein/ Hilf dahichseyvonher(?)/ heu from(?) ohn alle heucheley(?)." At right is: "die Ehre/ damit mein gankes(?)/ Christenthum, dir Wohlgefalligley(?)."
Breaking at fold lines; two corners missing and two corners with small holes. Three-inch tear extends from left bottom corner to right side. Tear at bottom, 2" from right corner, extends upward 1/2-inch. Additional tears with losses at bottom, esp. at center. Reverse has paper tape repairs: vertical strip entire length of center fold line and shorter strip along bottom from center to torn corner. Several moisture stains along bottom.
Frames\'s wood backing removed and replaced with acid free backing, Dec. 2004.
Object ID
P.05.51.1
Notes
Gift of Irene N. Walsh (reimbursed purchase price).
See G77.50.11 for another Birth Record by Schoff Artist (done for Anna Schenck). Additional Schoff pieces are photocopied in this file.
Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes, pp. 675-676.
Earnest, Fraktur: Folk Art & Family, pp. 99, 109.
Weiser & Heaney, Pa Germ. Fraktur in the Free Library of Phila. #870-872.
Walnut schrank has two paneled doors on rat tail hinges, separated by a vertical panel; two drawers below with two brass handles and a keyhole each. Bold projecting removable cornice. The sides have two panels each. The schrank rests on five turnip feet, one at each corner and one at front center. The left interior has wooden pegs around all three sides near the top, and the right interior has three shelves.
Each door has two panels decorated with a carved fleur-de-lis motifs at corners and sulphur inlay which reads:
Upper left panel: "ABRAHAM/REIST"
Upper right panel: "ELISABETH/REISTIN"
Lower left panel: "ANO 1775"
Lower right panel: "DEN 8 MERTZ"
Clarke Hess research notes that Elizabeth Reist was a Kauffman and not a Metz (who was a later wife). The published Reist genealogy is incorrect on this point.
John J. Snyder, Jr. believes the shop that produced the sulphur inlaid furniture was likely located in central or north central Lancaster County.
Provenance
The schrank was owned by Abraham Reist (1737-1810), and then possibly by his son Abraham (1770-1852), who inherited his father's farm. According to previous owner, Henry T. Muth, the schrank was purchased at the Reist family sale for one dollar by Christian Martin in 1845 in Sun Hill, Penn Township. He owned it for 20 years. From 1865-1905 it was owned by Christian's son Tobias D. Martin, who gave it to his daughter Elizabeth Bausman Martin Muth (Mrs. William Henry Muth) who owned it from 1905-1940. It was then given to their son, Henry T. Muth, who owned it for 37 yrs. (1940 to 1977) after which he sent it to sale.
The schrank was refinished in the early 1900s by Elizabeth and William H. Muth at their home in Lititz. Son Fred Muth recalls the job being done by an old man from Lititz who came to their house to perform the job in their huge attic.
