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.
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.
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
Birth & baptismal certificate, with printed 3-heart form with text in all three hearts. Blank spaces infilled by hand in thin red ink by Speyer. Fraktur done for Peter Scholl, son of Peter Andreas and his wife Elizabeth Margretha, nee Illick. Son Peter was born September 7, 1772, in Heidelberg Township, Lancaster Co. (Now Berks Co., likely in Stouchsburg area of Marion Twp.)
Infill & decoration Berks Co. (formerly Lancaster Co.) by Georg Friederich Speyer (active c. 1774-1801) and printers Barton & Jungman, Reading.
Densely paint-decorated by Speyer with cross-legged angels in the top corners and bottom center, mermen and winged heads of angels in lower corners, parrots along the sides, a crown at top center, and birds holding flowers in their beaks at the top of the main text block. Dominant colors are red, green, yellow, and blue.
Certificate printed on laid paper with an "FS" watermark, indicating papermaker Frederick Schutz(Scheetz) of Lower Merion Twp. in Montgomery Co. (See American Watermarks). Mounted with window mat in a brown frame
Provenance
Fraktur was given to the Lancaster County Historical Society by donors with the understanding that it would become part of the Heritage Center collection when that institution was established.
Significant horizontal crease across the middle, and three vertical creases. Smaller creases and crinkles appear overall. The paper has browned, and there are stains in the lower half.
A treatment proposal was offered by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in 1986, followed by treatment in 1988-89 -- consolidated pigment, dry and wet cleaned, mended and reinforced, filled losses, flattened, and matted. More details available in the object file.
Object ID
G.77.50.12
Notes
Earnests note that "neatness was of little concern to Speyer, but he did seem concerned about filling white space." He normally infilled with words done in a thin red ink which does not stand up well over time. He worked mostly in northern Lancaster Co.and in southern Berks and Dauphin Counties. Speyer used the 3-heart print more frequently from about 1790 on.
On-line Nissen family genealogy (internet, 2010) states Peter Scholl married Eva Elizabeth Rieth on Apr. 28, 1800 in Reeds Church, Stouchsburg, Berks, Co. He died Feb. 25, 1839. His parents were also married in Stouchsburg.
References:
Klaus Stopp, Printed B&BC of the Pa Germans, Vol. IV, pp.. 81 & 89.
Earnests, "Papers for Birth Dayes", pp 722 ff.
Gravell, Miller & Walsh, American Watermarks, 1690-1835, 2002, pp. 79 & 305.
Slide # 27-1-4 in Archives West
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Printed B&BC on laid paper, in German, decorated and infilled by artist & scrivener Georg Friedrich Speyer. Johannes Schnierer was born 17 May 1786 in Cocalico Twp., sign of Capricorn. He was the son of Johannes Schnierer and wife Catharina, nee Meynsser(in). Baptism was done 7 July 1786 by Rev. Immanuel Schultz in the Lutheran Church; sponsors were Michael and Elizabeth Pilz. This church was the Warwick Lutheran congregation, now called the Brickerville United Lutheran Church.
Fraktur has been pasted onto heavy, acidic paperboard, then fraktur-on-board was heavily trimmed on all four sides, removing portions of Speyer's decoration. Printed heart design has faded red ink infill in text. Strongly decorated with Speyer's colored drawings. A carnation at center of top has flanking parrots in horizontal position hovering over heart. At upper sides are cross-legged putti at lower sides are two tall, elegantly dressed ladies. Confronting mermaids at bottom center. See Notes.
Infill & decoration in Brickerville area; printed in unknown.
Some light soil and age yellowing with minor foxing. Edges have attractive "torn" look. A 3/4" tear at bottom center has cellophane tape mend creating some staining. Small tear at bottom, near right corner. Small L-shaped tear at center left. small 1/8" hole near top edge 3.75" from right corner. Small inked "D" at top near left corner. Very small hole near bottom, 4" from right corner.
Object ID
2004.718
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser 2 Sept 1988. Assigned #18. A large 5.75" x 6.75" B&W negative is in file. This fraktur likely related to Elizabeth Elser B&BC, 2017.999.1, due to Johannes Schnierer (b. 1786) later marrying an Elser (Catharine).
Georg Friedrich Speyer was a schoolmaster, among other places, the Warwick Lutheran Church ( or Emanuel Church -- today known as Brickerville United Lutheran Church). He became schoolmaster at Warwick in August 1780. Speyer preferred 3-heart printed B&BCs, like Friedrick Krebs, and infilled them with German script, rarely using the fraktur alphabet. He had very poor handwriting, commonly using red ink that has faded over time.
His decoration consisted of motifs borrowed from other artists (Otto, Krebs, the Cross-Legged Angel Artist, etc.). He decorated the fraktur with in a loose and very folksy manner with little sense of proportion or neatness. He fitted them into the space available around the 3 central hearts, leaving little empty space. Parrots, cross-legged angels, and mermaids are some of his favorite motifs. Speyer worked mostly in northern Lancaster Co. and southern Berks and Dauphin Co.
See file for church record listing the son Johannes and his wife Catharine (nee Elser) and the births of their 6 children. Also see "Find A Grave" listing for Johannes "Schnuerer" b. 1786 and d. 1829, buried in Brickerville United Lutheran Church Cemetery.
Preferred citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Collection Title (MG#), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
This collection has not been cataloged. Original documents may be used by appointment--contact Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit. Please use digital images and transcriptions when available.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
