Empire style chest of drawers, mahogany veneer on pine or poplar. Four drawers, each with two pressed glass pulls & keyhole and each with bookmatched veneer of highly figured mahogany. The top drawer overhangs lower drawers and has a curved front (top-to-bottom), while the three lower drawers have flat fronts. Freestanding ionic columns flank drawers with carved plinths. Sunken panel construction at sides. Two extensively carved paw feet in front; two ball feet in back.
In April 1982, the entire case was disassembled and discovered to be signed and dated by Markley, behind the left front stile above the column. (Not seen in 2011. Inscription appears on top of thick drawer divider supporting top drawer.) Also stamped by maker within oval on upper surface of top drawer bottom: "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINETMAKER/ Locust Street/ COLUMBIA."
According to file, the 1830-1846 Columbia Borough tax records list Markley variously as a doctor, cabinetmaker, contractor or gent.
See also a gentleman's dressing table with mirror, P00.39.01.
Piece of veneer 1.5" x 0.5" is missing from top right above drawer. Small spots and scratches overall, and two large cracks on top: one near front right corner, and one at rear center, partially filled in. The left pull on the second drawer up from the bottom is split in half; held in place with string windings.
Two toes on the right front foot were pieced and recarved by Joseph Molz of Lancaster City. Some veneer was also pieced.
Object ID
P.77.02
Notes
More info in file. There was a discrepancy in the research with two different Jacob Markleys. It appears that the maker of this chest of drawers was Jacob Fry Markley (1800-1854), born in boro of Strasburg to parents Jacob Markley, Sr. (1765-1829) and Barbara Fry Markley. Jacob Sr. was also a cabinetmaker.
Son Jacob is listed with different occupations over the years. He was living in Columbia in 1830 and possibly as late as 1841. He moved to Spring Grove, Philadelphia County by 1850 and is listed as a druggist in the 1850 Census with wife Ann & 5 children. "JACOB F. MARKLEY M.D." is on his tombstone in the Hatboro Cemetery. Thus Jacob Markley claimed to be a cabinetmaker, druggist and doctor (Doctor is perhaps what he called a pharmacist).
Place of Origin
Columbia
Role
Cabinetmaker
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Coll
Mahogany chest of drawers. Three drawers which are width of chest and vary in depth. Two smaller drawers at top. Pillars on either side American
Provenance
James Buchanan- General & Mrs. Logan [friends of Buchanan and purchased chest at Buchanan estate sale]- Elizabeth Logan Payne [inherited chest from Logans]
Information found in 'Restoration Committee Report 5/1/1957- 'Possibly an acquisition from Elizabeth Logan Payne-had belonged to Buchanan-Payne inherited the dresser from Gen. & Mrs. Logan who were friends of Buchanan in Washington.
English mahogany chest of drawers. Hardware has a classic oval shape with ring pulls. Shell design at center of ring pulls. Federal style, with four drawers. Each drawer has their original oval pressed brass drawer pulls, two per drawer. At the top center of each drawer is a brass escutcheon key hole. The top of the chest and each drawer are decorated with satinwood inlay. The chest is supported at its base by four French feet, which feature a slightly outswept bracket foot combined with a valance skirt.Closely matches shaving stand, 95.108, also donated by Katherine Powell.
Top of chest of drawers is split. (Was split prior to the time of donation)
Object ID
W.1995.107.001
Notes
Came from the home of Dr. Alexander Speer, Washington, DC. Dr. Alexander Speer was James Buchanan's first cousin. Donated to Wheatland by Dr. Speer's granddaughter, Katherine Speer Powell.
Chippendale chest of drawers, primary wood is cherry, three thumb-molded and aligned drawers over two aligned drawers and four graduated drawers, each with brass bat pulls and keyhole escutcheons, flanked by rounded quarter columns over a molded edge base. Ogee bracket feet.
Lancaster, PA c. 1770
Provenance:
Owned by Mathias Gish, Penryn, PA
-Abraham Gish
-Jacob Gish of Bainbridge (built a mill on Conoy Creek)
-John S. Gish of Bainbridge
-Henry B. Gish " "
-H. John Gish " "
Provenance
Owned by immigrant Mathias Gish of Penryn, PA, then to son Abraham Gish (1745 - 1789) who relocated to Bainbridge, W. Donegal Twp. Then to eldest son Jacob Gish (1767 - 1845) who built a mill, to son John S. Gish ( ? - 1889), to son Henry B. Gish (1834 - 1896/7), to son H. John Gish ( ? - 1942). Donor is granddaughter of H. John Gish.
Two of the top three aligned drawers have patches to corners. One of the two sligned drawers has patches to left thumbmolding. The top graduated drawer has center and left corner thumbmolding patched and restored. The second graduated drawer has restorations to thumbmolding and bottom graduated drawer has center and center left thumbmolding restored. Replaced feet. Brasses appear to be original (appraisal)
Object ID
2011.012
Notes
Mill was built by Jacob Gish (1767-1845) on the Conoy Creek near Bainbridge in West Donegal Township. He operated the mill from 1790 until his death in 1845. Jacob also served in the state legislature from 1805-1809 and again in 1824.
Each generation operated the mill on down to H. John Gish, until the early 1940s. The Gish mill was in continuous operation for over 150 years.
Credit
Gift of Barbara Goudarzi in memory of Nancy Hershey Gish.
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
Miniature Empire chest of drawers. Cherry case with mahogany veneer on drawer fronts and edges of top and bottom. Large top drawer overhangs three graduated drawers, all with cock beaded molding. Pressed glass pulls. Overhang of top is supported by S-scrolls at sides. Turned bulbous feet. Small nails with oblong heads used throughout.
Inscriptions in pencilled script: Under bottom drawer is "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz, Lancaster, Pa." On back of 2nd bottom drawer is "Mrs. Kurtz Lancaster, Pa." Chest back has: "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz" and chest bottom has "Flora Kurtz got 1889 from Grandmam when I was 13 years".
A business card, now in file, reads "DANIEL KURTZ./NO. 130 CHARLOTTE STREET,/LANCASTER, PA." On reverse side is written: "Made by Daniel Kurtz in the/ midsumer [sic] of 1845 and/ presented to Miss Lizzy Stoner/ as a token of respect/ Lizzie Stoner who in the/ same year 1845 became his/ wife, later the mother of/ E.S. Kurtz."
Daniel Kurtz, son of Conrad, was raised in the Golden Triangle area. In 1847 he renovated the "Overlook" house on Fruitville Pike and lived there until listed in 1860 Census in the SE Ward of the City
Provenance
File states donor (Mary Herr Glenn) acquired this piece from her neighbor Florence Kurtz, later Mrs. Daniel Musselman Groff.
Maker Daniel Kurtz was a carpenter/builder. Son Emanuel S. Kurtz became a job printer, resided on Church St. and Florence (Flora) was his daughter. She, at age 13, was the recipient of the chest from her "grandmam" (Lizzie Kurtz) in 1889. How and when donor acquired this chest from her neighbor Florence is unknown.
Under bottom drawer is "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz, Lancaster, Pa." On back of 2nd bottom drawer is "Mrs. Kurtz Lancaster, Pa." On chest back is: "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz" and chest bottom: "Flora Kurtz got 1889 from Grandmam when I was 13 years".
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Chest of Drawers
Oither Names
Miniature Chest Of Drawers
Material
Wood, Glass
Height (in)
11.25
Width (in)
8.75
Depth (in)
5
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-05-12
Condition Notes
Multiple blemishes overall. Top has 2 losses of veneer at right and 1 at left end. Bottom has veneer at back left edge, as well as a repaired break of this corner with leg. Long crack along grain at back.
Bowfront mahogany veneer chest of drawers in the Hepplewhite style. Four drawers have progressing depths from the top to the bottom, each with overpressed drawer pulls two per drawer. At the top center of each drawer is a brass escutcheon keyhole. The top of the chest and each drawer are decorated with satin wood inlay. Chest is supported at its base by four french feet which feature a slightly outswept bracket foot combined with a valence skirt.
Provenance
Dr. Alexander Speer (James Buchanan maternal cousin)
Walnut chest of drawers. Two small drawers mounted side by side just below the top of the chest with three full-width drawers below; each drawer has two glass drawer pulls and a centered, brass escutcheon keyhole. The chest has recessed side panels with matching crotch-grain walnut veneer. The chest sits on four turnip feet for overall support.
Chest is red-painted poplar. Lid has molding pegged to 3 sides, supported by plain iron strap hinges. Brass escutcheon at keyhole. Wrought iron bail handles on a heart-shaped plate, on each end. A till is at left end of interior.
White-painted platter-shaped panels at each end, two on lid and two on front. Above the painted front panels is a thin, long, white-painted cartouche containing a painted inscription along with geometric floral/star motifs. The inscription reads: "17 BARBARA POTZERIN 95."
On the underside of the lid, left side, is pasted a fraktur measuring 6.5" x 8" showing a woman in a red dress and a man in a pink coat and black pants flanking a text block, with red and blue flowers above.
The fraktur is a "baptismal sponsor's letter form" done with ink and watercolor on laid paper for "Maria Barbarra" Potzer, born March 11, 1768 in Warwick Township, Lancaster County. The central text block expresses good wishes for the child (translation in file)and in the upper left and lower right corners are the names of baptismal sponsors, Maria Barbara Fockt [?] and Jakob Zook [?]. This unusual form was used in the Alsace/Palatine areas, according to Pastor Fred Weiser.
Barbara Potzer was original owner. Maker of the chest is unknown. The fraktur is by the Sussel-Washington artist.
Provenance
Chest was purchased at a sale in Harrisburg in approximately June, 1979, by seller, H. William Koch. It
Multiple large marks and stains on lid, including two blotches of a varnish-stain. Edges are worn, and bits of wood are missing in several areas. Base is separating from the front and sides. The iron hinges are rusted. Top has a long split along grain.
A condition report and treatment proposal for the fraktur were done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in May 1986, but no treatment was done.
Object ID
G.79.103.1
Notes
This is a twin of the "Anna Nislesin" chest (G.95.29.1) except for paint color and feet.
There is a group of several other similar chests (see file).
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
