Postal cubby holes from the Mast Post Office in Narvon. Contains 24 small mail slots in three rows of eight. Mail slots are on a wide base, approximately twice as deep as the slots, and raised 10inches above the base.
The post office opened April 23, 1883 and closed August 31, 1909. The post office and store were located in a farmhouse, and the cubbyholes were built to fit one of the windowsills.
A) Inkwell, square mold-blown leaded glass. Thick walls, sides molded with thick strands lazily undulating in a diagonal direction. Raised neck and deep well.
B) Stand is a cast brass tray shaped like a picture frame without center picture. Two projecting handles. All supported by four scroll-molded feet attached to bottom of tray corners with screws. Entire top surface is decorated profusely with mostly scrolling leafage.
Glass is very good with expected wear on bottom edges. Metal stand has darkened surfaces except for top area where glass inkwell fits. Spotty stains on top.
Paperweight or keepsake of carved white marble has a carved reclining sheep, done in bas relief, is lying on a narrow ledge on an inch-thick slab of marble resembling a curved top tombstone. Incised name in block letters below the sheep: "E. M. Howell." Bottom edge below name is relieved with a carved cupid's bow design.
Attributed to Charles M. Howell (4-24-1814 to 4-10-1903).
Provenance
Donor inherited two carvings from her Aunt Annie and Aunt Kate Willson. They were pupils in Charles M. Howell's Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church and he passed them out as Christmas gifts. Great grandson Dick Witmer states E.M. Howell is certainly Howell's wife Elizabeth Michael who Charles married in 1841. She died 10-22-1877.
Howell was an important in business and civic affairs. He operated a marble yard on N. Queen St. in Lancaster. Other carvings by Howell's employee,
Augustus Beck, are extant. Dick's brother Bob Witmer removed these large carvings (of lions?) that had been at the corner of a Howell residence at East Chestnut and Cherry Sts. to his home outside the city. Additional small carvings are reportedly owned by Lancaster collector Gene Charles.
Paperweight or keepsake of carved white marble has a 3-D carved reclining sheep reclining on a half-inch-thick rectangular base, secured with a screw on underside. Base has chamfered top edges. Thin sheet of red rubber glued to underside of base.
Attributed to Charles M. Howell (4-24-1814 to 4-10-1903).
Provenance
Donor inherited two carvings from her Aunt Annie and Aunt Kate Willson. They were pupils in Charles M. Howell's Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church and he passed them out as Christmas gifts.
Howell was an important in business and civic affairs. He operated a marble yard on N. Queen St. in Lancaster. Other carvings by Howell's employee,
Augustus Beck, are extant. Dick's brother Bob Witmer removed these large carvings (of lions?) that had been at the corner of a Howell residence at East Chestnut and Cherry Sts. to his home outside the city. Additional small carvings are reportedly owned by Lancaster collector Gene Charles.
Portfolio of medium brown leather, book form opening to inside with two expandable side pouches for holding papers. Interior is lined with a very dark brown leather. Front and back covers decorated with foliate designs witin lined borders created with wire stitching over a filler of heavy paper or leather. Designs are further embellished with tooled lines throughout. Top and bottom edges of folio are stitched.
Porfolio was owned and used by Blanche Nevin (1841-1925), Lancaster poet and sculptor.
Generally sound condition with considerable wear with some losses of decoration, ink stains scattered mostly on back and leather worn with some breaking at edges and fold. Darkened areas from handling.
Object ID
2014.020
Credit
Gift of Sarah Nevin Schindler, Collection of LancasterHistory.org
Hand stamp with raised lettering of rubber mounted onto oblong wood block fitted with turned and finished wood handle.
Used to mark objects with: "For Sale By / H. C. Slaymaker, / The House Furnishing Man, / [deteriorated number 147?] N. Queen St. Lancaster, Pa."
H.C. Slaymaker, Agent, was listed as a salesman during the 1860s in Lancaster. Harry C. Slaymaker was listed circa 1892-1916 variously as a bookkeeper, clerk, secretary and treasurer while living at 230 E. Orange St.
