Framed silhouette of gentleman in profile, facing viewer's right. He is perhaps early-to-middle-age years, dressed in high collar and coat. Below is the name "Amos Ellmaker" handwritten in cursive in faded black ink.
Image is cut out of a rectangle of white wove paper, superimposed on a matching piece of black silk and secured with stitches at periphery. There is a window mat of faded marbelized paper, frame is molded walnut.
Same marbelized paper also covers back of frame. Clipping from printed biographical article is pasted to back.
Moderate wear and aging overall. Wove paper is darkened with fold lines and pin holes. Frame is worn with loose joints. Frame backing paper shows wear at corners and was cut to remove artwork, replaced and secured with cellophane tape, now removed except for bottom strip, leaving adhesive residue.
Object ID
P.03.11.01
Notes
According to the Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Amos Ellmaker (b. 2-2-1787 and d. 11-28-1851) was a man of intellect and attainment. He was grandson of immigrant Leonard Ellmaker (Germany to Earl Twp in 1726) and son of Nathaniel Ellmaker. He attended Princeton College, then law school in Litchfield, Conn. He began practice in Hbg., served as an officer in the War of 1812, later was appointed prosecuting attorney for Dauphin Co., elected to the State House of Representatives, appointed Presiding Judge for the district composed of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, was later appointed Attorney General of Pa., but resigned in 1821 to move back to Lancaster. Judge Ellmaker was in 1832 a candidate of the anti-Masonic party for Vice-President of the U.S. In 1816, he had married Mary Rachel Elder of Harrisburg. They had six children.
The Buchanan home in the 19th century, with lights on inside, on front porch and lamppost in right foreground. A woman in a pink dress and bonnet is being assisted as she alights from a black horse-drawn carriage. The man helping her is attired in a formal black suit with top hat. The driver and a third gentleman are seated inside the carriage. Although flowers cascade from a planter in the foreground, the orange leaves indicated fall.
The artist signed Florence Taylor 1970 on lower right beside lamp post.
Written on the back: "Purchased at Wheatland Fallfest Auction held in front of building 5 October 1978. From Wheatland Collection. Used as cover illustration on 36-page booklet "Tour of mansion in color." Hung in the Florence Starr Taylor Show at The First Presbyterian Church, Lancaster Town Fair, October 20 and 21. 1980. (Unknown initials)
Also, taped to the back are newspaper clippings: articles/obits and funeral notice.
Contoured brown satin vest has standing collar of brown velvet with floral motif. Long sleeves have velvet cuffs attached. Center front embellished with velvet. Back flaps have velvet between two sating flaps. 16 hand-finished buttonholes; 13 cicular (5/8") bronze-colored shank/loop buttons with figure and silver-colored crescent moon. Inside, 2 loops of brown fabric tape sewn at underarms. Fully lined. All seam edges hand overcast. There are pockets for 10 stays: 2 each side for bodice darts; 2 either sied of underarm and 2 to contour back.
Year Range From
1800
Year Range To
1815
Storage Location
Wheatland, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Butler's Pantry
Storage Wall
East Wall
Object Name
Bodice
Material
Mahogany
Length (cm)
48.26
Length (ft)
1.5833333333
Length (in)
19
Width (cm)
34.29
Width (ft)
1.125
Width (in)
13.5
Dimension Details
Width measurement is shoulder seam to shoulder seam.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2022-07-07
Condition Notes
Left cuff loose. Some seam wear at underarms & right sleeve exterior; some underarm stains from wear. 2 buttons are sewn with white thread & one is upside down. One button hole torn.
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)
Decorated wedding handkerchief, square shaped, of plain weave bleached linen. Three sides arrow hemmed and one is selvage.
Embroidered in multicolored cotton and silk. Along with the normal cross stitch is extensive use of chain stitch. Within a red chain-stitched border is sparse decoration: a tulip variant is embroidered near each corner, and a symbol similar to an infinity symbol is located along the center of each side.
"CATY CASSEL 1808" extends along one side of border. A multicolored alphabet is done in upper-case script along two sides (except for a distant 'z') and 'a b c d' in lower case script is embroidered near one corner.
In 1997 exhibit "Just For Show," Tandy Hersh noted that scholars are puzzled by the presence of decorated handkerchiefs among the Pa. Germans. They are very rare. This is one of only 20 that have been documented. In Europe, handkerchiefs celebrated betrothal or marriage. It is unknown if the tradition continued in America, though one handkerchief made in 1787 in Warwick Twp. is associated with the maker's wedding. Tandy notes the Pa. German women produced handkerchiefs between 1768 and 1830. Motifs were apparently arranged so that they could be viewed from all four sides.
(Written by Wendell Zercher.)
Provenance
The Wedding Handkerchief is one of five items given to the society by Hampton C. Randolph, Sr. of Lansdale, PA, in 1997.
Clarke Hess purchased from dealer, Jean Cook, who states this came out of a home in Montgomery County. Hess then sold to donor. Cassels were living in both Mongomery and Lancaster Counties.
Pictorial sampler on unbleached linen ground, all edges bound with many colors of silk thread, in modern frame. Mostly cross-stitch, but also satin and other stitches.
The central panel is surrounded by a variety of motifs and devices. Segmented border at top and sides consists of a dark blue flowering vine rectilinearly zig-zags between the edge and the central panel, forming squares. The area between the central panel and the edge is, on each side, divided thus into five squares, each of which contains an embroidered device, such as flowers, hearts, geometric designs, clover, etc. This vine begins 1/5 of the way in from the left on the bottom and continues clockwise across the top and 3/5 of the way down the right side. The devices are symmetrical on the left and right edges. The bottom and right of this periphery contains a pictorial embroidery of Trinity Lutheran church of Lancaster in profile, two women in dresses, and two trees with birds on top.
The square, central panel has a two double-rowed rectangular checkered borders separated by a zig-zag vine with flowers internally, this central panel is divided into five areas. The top panel contains the words: "Ann Herbst a daughter of Henry/ & Elisabeth Herbst was born the / 10th of August in the year of our/ Lord 1792 & made this sampler in/ the 9th year of her age in Miss Ar/ mstrong's school AD 1801." In the middle of the panel: "O come let us/ sing to the Lord/ come let us evry (sic)/ one a joyful nois/e make to the/ Rock of our salvation." Bottom left: "o Lord thou art/ my God and king/ thee will I magnif/ y and praise I will." On the right panel: "Ann Herbst is m/ y name Lancast/ er is my Habitati/ on Kings street is/ my dwelling place/ & christ is my sal/ vation the rose is/ red the leaves/ are green the/ day are past/ that I have seen."
Conserved by Dora Shotzberger at Winterthur in Jan. 1989. Four dark stains along top edge; hole in middle of right side; damage to embroidery in both bottom left corner of church and in third floor window of church.
Creamer, glazed soft paste procelain. Sticker on bottom says: Rounded sides with front and back molded into a shell shape. Gently curving spout, missing handle.
Paint decoration consists of brown borders arount mouth, handle and side decoration. Around the mouth is a 1/2-inch pink band with a string of diamond shapes containing 4 dots edged on the bottom with painted scallops. On either side is a large pink rose and three large flowers with yellow centers and tiny red petals. Leaves of green; and yellow and green
Provenance
Handwritten note, in black ink, on slip of unlined paper reads: "Presented by Mrs. Bessie M. Keplinger for her mother, Mrs. Ella Fox."
Handwritten on a sticker attached to the bottom of the pitcher:
"First owned by/ Hettie Breneman Lightner/
1800/ Given to Mrs. Ella Fox/ by her grandmother/ Jane Lightner Henry."
Date Range
1800
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
West Wall
Storage Cabinet
Unit 33
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Object Name
Pitcher, Cream
Material
Clay
Height (cm)
10.795
Height (ft)
0.3541666667
Height (in)
4.25
Length (cm)
13.97
Length (ft)
0.4583333333
Length (in)
5.5
Width (cm)
8.255
Width (ft)
0.2708333333
Width (in)
3.25
Condition
Fair to poor
Condition Date
2022-10-17
Condition Notes
Handle missing. Some chipping and paint loss overall Cracks from rim on one side. Some crazing and soiling.
Limited edition gold-plated medal, designed by C. R. Whitson, struck by the famous Franklin Mint in celebration of the 50th Floor Division Wholesalers Convention, Lancaster, Pa., December 7 and 8, 1971. The 50 years are symbolized by the star formation of five "X" Roman numerals. Includes a 26 inch link chain.
Lancaster Road Runner's sleevelss tank top. Yellow silky synthetic fiber runner's shirt, sleeveless, with side seams, 4-inch vent/slash at base of both side seams. Care label directs "Machine Wash Warm. Line or Tumble Dry"
Size "M" (medium). In blue on front is a runner with "L" of Lancaster intertwined with other lines froming tracks/roads & "road runners."
