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)
Chippendale chest of drawers, primary wood is cherry, three thumb-molded and aligned drawers over two aligned drawers and four graduated drawers, each with brass bat pulls and keyhole escutcheons, flanked by rounded quarter columns over a molded edge base. Ogee bracket feet.
Lancaster, PA c. 1770
Provenance:
Owned by Mathias Gish, Penryn, PA
-Abraham Gish
-Jacob Gish of Bainbridge (built a mill on Conoy Creek)
-John S. Gish of Bainbridge
-Henry B. Gish " "
-H. John Gish " "
Provenance
Owned by immigrant Mathias Gish of Penryn, PA, then to son Abraham Gish (1745 - 1789) who relocated to Bainbridge, W. Donegal Twp. Then to eldest son Jacob Gish (1767 - 1845) who built a mill, to son John S. Gish ( ? - 1889), to son Henry B. Gish (1834 - 1896/7), to son H. John Gish ( ? - 1942). Donor is granddaughter of H. John Gish.
Two of the top three aligned drawers have patches to corners. One of the two sligned drawers has patches to left thumbmolding. The top graduated drawer has center and left corner thumbmolding patched and restored. The second graduated drawer has restorations to thumbmolding and bottom graduated drawer has center and center left thumbmolding restored. Replaced feet. Brasses appear to be original (appraisal)
Object ID
2011.012
Notes
Mill was built by Jacob Gish (1767-1845) on the Conoy Creek near Bainbridge in West Donegal Township. He operated the mill from 1790 until his death in 1845. Jacob also served in the state legislature from 1805-1809 and again in 1824.
Each generation operated the mill on down to H. John Gish, until the early 1940s. The Gish mill was in continuous operation for over 150 years.
Credit
Gift of Barbara Goudarzi in memory of Nancy Hershey Gish.
Assumed to be traveling dress from latter part of 19th century.
84.41.1 is long-sleeved contoured woman's top of durable ribbed fabric. 2 bust-darts on both sides with stays from the waist up in all 4 darts. Collar and buttonhole panel, center front, of dark brown fabric. 13 hand-finished 1-inch buttonholes on right front. 11 buttons on right front. Buttons are covered in dark brown with 4-pointed brown stars in center. Set-in sleeves with 2 seams and tiny gusset at armhole. Cuff of same fabric is attached and folded up. Edge trimmed in a dark brown ribbed tape and 3 matching buttons on upperside of wrist and cuff. Front opening at waist opens like an upside-down "V." Center back seam runs from neck to hem. 2 seams run shoulder to hem; 2 additional seams run from armholes to hem.
Inside: Double construction with light tan fabric. One stay (4.5 inches long) is stitched to the center back seam from waist up. 4-inch wide pieces with 4 eyes on left and 4 eyes on right front, both contain vertical stays. Seam edges are overcast. On lower right front below buttonholes is an additional button hole on the inside only.
84.41.2- Long skirt of brown durable ribbed fabric. 1 1/2-inch wide waistband of same brown polished cotton as lining. At center front a 3-inch length of brown tape is sewn on the inside of the waistband creating a loop. A 9.5-inch placket in back is closed with a single black metal button and buttonhole. Center front is flat with 2 pleats. Top skirt measures 29 inches long. In back, top skirt is full, gathered and hiked up and tacked in center area. Underskirt upper portion is lining fabric. In the back (16.5 inches above hem) a casing holds brown fabric tape that has been pulled to gather fabric. The lower edge has a plain flat inner hem trimmed in a light brown tape. The portion of the underskirt that shows is 12 inches long with a 3-inch flat upper section; a 2.5-inch wide gathered section. The lowest 6.5-inch section is edged in dark brown trim with 1-inch box pleats about every 2 inches around the bottom edge. A 1/2-inch wide dark brown tape is sewn 1-inch above the hem edge around the entire skirt.
Inside, about 12 inches below the waistband is back, a band of brown fabric, 17 inches long is tacked to the lining in 3 places. On the right seam of the lining is a 'pocket' (17 inches long and 6 inches wide). Opening is a narrow 3 inches.
Small, cotton, pink child's dress. Drop-waist. From approximately the turn of the century. Trimmed with machine made lace. Square neckline. Buttons down back made of mother of pearl. Button holes hand made. Large tuck from cap of shoulder down front.
9in set in sleeves with lace trim 2.25in from cuffs. Same lace trim sewn on waist seam, around neck opening and on pleated skirt 6 in above hem. Machine made but for white cotton tape had stitched insde at skirt hem, seam where bodice and waist are joined. Pink cotton fabric tape hand stitched inside neck edge,. 8 back closure button holes are hand sttitched, 8 2 holed .25in shell buttons sewn on back. Front hem tear repaired.
