This frog doorstop serves as an iconic symbol of James Buchanan's attachment to his favorite spring at his Wheatland farm, and was donated because it was an appropriate piece.
Lignum vitas wood caster with round, bowl-like top, pierced for shaking out pounce. Base is ring-turned tapers smaller to broad top, flat bottom. Small, shallow dotted pattern in two bands near bottom. Lip at top has thin groove. Top screws onto base that would be filled with pounce, which is a fine powder made from powdered cuttlefish bone. Pounce was used both to dry ink and to sprinkle on a rough writing surface to make it smooth enough for writing.
Esther 'Hetty' Parker, James Buchanan's housekeeper, chose this among several other household items that Buchanan noted she was to be allowed to choose after his death. Miss Hetty gave this to the daughter of her neighbor. Miss Steckman donated this to the Wheatland collection in 1938.
Sheraton-inspired mahogany veneer night table with satinwood inlay accents that outline the apron, drawer and keyhole, as well as the legs. The table top has eight sides and surmounts four saber legs that also support a lower inward-curved shelf.
Copper pint measure or mug. Straight sides taper in toward mouth with rolled lip edge. Strap handle anchored with 2 rivets at top; one at base. Keyed seam beneath handle. Some tinning remains on interior.
Handle is stamped "(E)ICHHOLTZ". Letter "E" is partially hidden at top.
Provenance
Purchased by Gunnions at Conestoga Auction circa March 1986.
Heritage Center purchased from Gunnion Antiques Aug. 1986
Tom Ryan, The Worlds of Jacob Eichholtz., pp. 1-3 and 82.
Henry Kauffman, American Copper and Brass, p. 119.
Height (in)
4.5
Width (in)
4.5
Diameter (in)
3.25
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2013-11-18
Condition Notes
Interior worn with some corrosion. Handle split below top left rivet. Small to significantly larger dents on sides and bottom. Some scratches from general wear. Surface has been polished and lacquered. Some polish residue visible at both the rolled lip and rolled base.
First "H" and "T" of "ichholtz" are very worn.
Object ID
P.86.3
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation.
Wooden gavel with metal plate, engraved "To Joe Wissler from his fellow Blackstonians, Dec. 12, 1941".
Provenance
Joseph Buch Wissler attended Lititz H.S., graduated from Franklin & Marshall College and earned his law degree from Harvard. He was Dist. Attorney of PA from 1924 to 1928. Elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1941 and served in that position for 29 years. F&M presented him with an honorary Doctor of Laws in 1952.
Birth & baptismal certificate on laid paper. Printed form with central textblock in German within a multiple line border. Infilled and decorated around textblock by Speyer; cross-legged angel at top, pelicans feeding young at sides and flowers at sides and bottom. Watercolors are red, blue, yellow, green and brown.
Infilled for Johannes, son of Valiendein (Valentine) and Eliesabetha (Elisabetha) Bohmer of Brecknock Township in Lancaster Co., born Dec. 13, 1788.
Georg Friederich Speyer (active 1774-1801) used this printed form produced c. 1789 by Barton & Johnson of Reading. See Notes.
General wear with numerous creases and wrinkles; one pronounced vertical centerline crease. Repaired tears, esp at left edge. All edges are ragged and uneven, esp. at right.
Conserved by CCAHA in 1989 (see report in file). Hinged into window mat & back mat. Relaced in its original frame using UF-3 Plexiglas and acid-free cardboard on reverse with a taped mylar dust shield.
Object ID
G.77.50.1
Notes
Printed form by Reading printers Thomas Barton and Benjamin Johnson, circa 1789 (see Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the Pa. Germans, v. 4, p. 84). Speyer used this printed form for Johannes Bohmer who was born the previous year in1788.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
