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.
Named for its principle use, this mahogany table top, with its oblong top and bead molded edge, was typically found at the side of a bedstead. The table's skirt is three to four inches deep and contains a single drawer that is the full width of the skirt. The drawer has two original brass knob pulls and a top centered brass escutcheon keyhole. The table is supported by four round tapering legs with ring and ball turnings at the top and two sets of ring turnings approximately two inches above the tapered feet of the legs.
Provenance
Alexander Speer, maternal first cousin to James Buchanan
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)
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.
Shaving stand is comprised of a mahogany veneer; the mirror attached to the top has a veneered bull-nose frame supported by ring and vase-turned stiles set into the top with tenons at a backward cant. The skirt has two half-drawers; however, the brass knob drawer-pulls are missing. The stand is supported by four ring and ball turned feet
8-day musical clockworks by Mennonite Christian Eby (c.1768-1803) of Manheim. Housed in a large, inlaid cherry case attributed to Emanuel Dyer. Case is transitional from Chippendale to Federal, although strongly Federal due to inlay of eagle and floral motifs on tympanum, quarter fan inlays and another floral inlay on waist section, and a patera centered on the base within a cartouche of line inlay.
Notes: Weight, key, and various parts located in box on Unit 52, Bottom Shelf.
Hood has side lights, fluted colonettes at sides, swan's neck scrolls terminating in inlaid paterae, three ball and spire finials (spire missing on center finial). Waist and base have fluted quarter columns. French bracket feet.
White-painted iron dial w/ Roman numerals on chapter ring. Seconds use Arabic numerals. Floral spandrels, lunar dial and inscription "C EBY Manheim under XII. Above lunar dial are ten names of tunes played by the musical works. Dial attributed to Reading area due to a dark moon wheel and the 2 hemispheres for the moon phase are identical (per Gary Sullivan). He also notes that brass-clad weights are very unusual, and usually an English practice.
Provenance
Ex Renner (per Gary Sullivan, clock dealer). Later from estate sale of Pauline Heilman of York, PA by Sotheby's July 17, 1982. The buyer, a private client of Citibank, put clock in storage in Florida, then consigned it Christie's where HCLC purchased Jan. 1992.
John and Carol Pyfer paid $800 for Quentin Johnson to repair the clockworks and get it running in 2004. Clock hands have losses (pieces in a box stored in clock bottom), repaired by Johnson. Case refinished (see early photos in file). Scratch on side to left of pendulum door; nicks & scratches at left side vertical member of opening to pendulum. Marred overall. Split at left side of front section of molding under hood. Pieces of string inlay replaced. Proper left back foot loose; proper left front column loose. See Gary Sullivan condition report (loan to Willard House)
Object ID
P.92.02
Notes
Made by Christian Eby (c.1768-1803), working 1792-1803. Case attributed to Emanuel Deyer.
J.J. Snyder notes, "The clock is significant because it is the only known Lancaster Co. eagle-inlaid clock with a musical movement. Musical movements predating 1840 are quite rare, and fewer than eight Lancaster Co. musical clocks prior to 1840 are known to survive. The inlay is unique in the placement of the eagle in the center of the pediment rather than in an oval medallion above the pendulum door and in the use of floral inlay in addition to the eagle. In summary, the Christian Eby clock is a masterpiece of not only regional but also national importance."
Snyder also states "Unquestionably, this is one of the most elegant and sophisticated pieces of Lancaster County Federal furniture now known." He adds "Of all the known Lancaster County eagle-inlaid clock cases, this one alone has floral inlays. In view of the fact that this case must predate Christian Eby's death in 1803, it stands as the earliest known use of the eagle as a patriotic device in Lancaster County furniture."
Snyder also suggests Manheim cabinetmaker Emanuel Dyer (1760-1836) as the probable casemaker. Working for about a half century starting in the early 1780s, Dyer was the leading Manheim cabinetmaker.
Place of Origin
Manheim
Credit
Gift of members and friends of the Heritage Center, Heritage Center Collection
Leaded glass. 10 sided bottom. Finger-cut design toward bottom. 10 sided finger-cut shoulder. Neck has 3 beaded rings and flattish lip. Stopper is drop-shaped, pointed at top and is 7 faceted. Body is slightly flared to shoulder.
Sheraton style mahogany, holly and rosewood knife box. The slanting, hinged and hollow lids feature a metal ring on the front. The lids and the case fronts have a serpentine shape with inlaid wood strips at corners on the front, lid and bottom. Top front of the cases have a keyhole beneath the lid seam. The cases surmount three feet; one centered at the middle front wall and two under the back corners. Interiors have six compartments of varying depths that correspond to the slope of the cases.
