One of a pair of push-up candlesticks: G99.40.1&.2. Stepped, round base supports a hollow cylindrical shaft topped by a candle cup above a decorative ring. Candlestick shaft is fitted with an inner cylinder with attached knob that raises and lowers candle. Thumb screw knob slides via a slot on side of candlestick and screws tight to secure position.
Very small redware jar, squat ovoid shape with small foot ring and flaring rim. Orange-brown body, decorated with random slanted swaths of dark manganese. Tin glazed inside and out except for bottom 1/5 of exterior and bottom.
Unique inscription: "A Bixler" is impressed on bottom with printer's fraktur typeface.
East Earl Twp. or Brecknock Twp. Attributed to Absalom Bixler (1802-1884).
Redware canning jar, ovoid shape with no handle. Pronounced foot ring and rounded flaring lip with recessed interior to receive a fitted lid (missing). Dark brown manganese decoration with some mottling, streaks and dark spatters. Lead glaze overall except for underside.
Very strong wear with losses. Lip has very large chip and one very small chip at outside edge. Strong losses of glaze at lip. Very strong abrasions at salient point of side, with considerable scattered scratches. Foot ring has three large chips and one very large chip. Soil on inside and underside.
Object ID
G.99.22.1
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Drs. Irwin and M. Susan Richman, Heritage Center Collection
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Dutch teapot (A) with lid (B). Handpainted "Butterfly" pattern decoration on pale blue body of pearlware. Squat ovoid body sits on a low footring; body swells most in lower half. Collar extends outward below an oblong mouth fitted with conforming domed lid with oblong knob finial . Spout has minimal molding as does arching applied handle.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Overall strong staining, especially at lower spout and base section and interior. Strong hairline cracks throughout base and bottom, with resulting staining. Scratchon butterfly wing. Chip on underside of spout tip. Long split/crack on handle back, perhaps from firing. Coloring is very uneven at multiple places, sometimes creating a mottled effect. Wear and soil under foot ring.
Object ID
G.98.51.03a-b
Place of Origin
England
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Welsh sugar bowl (A) with lid (B). Handpainted inverted tulips of red and yellow are interspersed with 3 large, dominating deep blue scalloped motifs decorated with copper lustre painted floral decoration. Squat pot-bellied body sits on a low squarish pedestal with scalloped edging. Two molded angular applied handles. Top has round mouth with flared collar extends outward. Domed lid has squarish molded knob finial. Darkened remnant of paper sticker with blurred writing, perhaps "-caster/ --ea set/ --1825."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Chinese export bowl of high fired porcelain, polychrome decoration under glaze. Thin walled in nearly hemispherical form sitting on a 3/4" raised foot. Gold-painted rim with red edging. Two goldfish inside bottom. Continuous landscape on exterior is the same repeating Roman or Greek scene of a seated half-robed seated man with dog facing three nude women and seated baby. All set against distant mountains and one tree in foreground.
Cup (A) and saucer (B), glazed soft-paste porcelain, Strawberry pattern. Handleless cup has straight flaring sides & rests on a small foot Paint decoration on white ground has 2 strawberries & a large green leaf on each side with smaller leaves, purple roses and brown squiggles. Interior has double stripe with berries and flowers. Rim painted rust.
Saucer (B)
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Wrought iron fat lamp on stand. Lamp is an open, shaped pan supported by a central high stem apparently comprised of two baluster-turned sections joined at the center. Stem fits into a disk-shaped base and is secured by a nut. Edges of base have a pie-crust decoration. Four penny feet under base are actually terminals of an X-shaped armature attached to bottom with the same nut attached to post end. Each of 4 arms is struck with a 6-pointed star; one arm has a diamond-like motif comprised of 4 semicircles. One arm struck "J HERR" and opposite arm has "J H 1825." Paint decoration is of a later period: black overall except underside which is an earlier green paint. Gold highlights on feet, edge of base, parts of center post and underside of lamp pan.
Made by John Herr (1771-1854) of Eden Twp, later Manor Twp., finally Pequea Twp.
Provenance
Ex-Stratford Lee Morton lighting collection, who was an insurance man from Clayton, Missouri and a founding member of the Rushlight Society. After his death the lamp was sold at Garth's auction in Ohio in either Nov. 1979 or March 1980. Then offered for sale in July by dealer Chris Machmer to the Heritage Center. Morton may possibly have acquired the lamp from Hattie Brunner.
John Herr was a blacksmith first in Eden Twp., then Manor Twp. He is listed as a blacksmith in 1808 Manor Twp. tax records. After a 2nd marriage, he moved in the late 1840s to Pequea Twp. just south of New Danville. See Clarke Hess, Mennonite Arts, pp. 84-85.
Roughly fashioned polychromed softwood miniature trinket box of rectangular form. Domed lid hollowed out underneath and ends fitted with conforming caps. Wire hinges and wire loop at front with missing tin hasp. Corresponding wire loop for hasp on box front. Box sides constructed of rabbet joints secured by two wood pegs at front and two at back. Beveled bottom board attached with two pegs and extends beyond box sides. Top and four sides each have a floral motif of dark green, cream, ochre and red all on a tan ground. Glossy varnish overall except for bottom and interior. Indecipherable initials painted on bottom.
Probably Lancaster County
Provenance
Purchased by donor at Lancaster County sale. At least four other examples known. See example in collection #1973.003.2
Possible maker is Peter Brubacher (1816-1898), shoemaker and woodworker in Clay Township.
Trinket box of softwood constuction covered by German newsprint outside and a coarse blue-green paper inside. Glued over the newsprint are strips of straw of various tones arranged in geometrical designs on domed lid and sides in a technique very similar to marquetry. Newsprint visible on underside as well as where straw pieces are missing. Lid has hinge of coarse linen under laminate. Bent wire hook on lid fits into wire loop on box front.
Provenance
Collected by donor in Lancaster Co. According authority Clarke Hess, these boxes are plentiful, but not usually with newspaper lining. Clarke owns two of these boxes, both with Lancaster German language newsprint, and believes these boxes were made 1820-1840 in PA.
John Tannehill, expert in iron, reports someone told him these boxes were made in prisons.
Pewter beaker or handleless cup. Part of the Warwick Congregation's (now known as the Brickerville United Lutheran Church) communion service.
Cylinder form flares out slightly at bottom as well as top. Banded at base.
Engraved on the exterior, near top, are the small initials "M.W."
Provenance
The entire communion service remained in use over the years until the congregation decided in 1997 to find a safe place for this valuable communion set. Purchased by the Heritage Center of Lancaster County.
Diameter of bottom is listed. Diameter of top is 2.5".
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-08-28
Condition Notes
Overall abrasions, pitting, small dents and staining. Rim has multiple small dents and abrasions. Bottom interior is pitted. Wear underneath with some areas slightly cracked. Dent at base.
Object ID
P.97.08.5
Place of Origin
Hartford, Connecticut
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation and Friends of the Heritage Center Museum, Heritage Center Collection
Hepplewhite blanket chest of walnut with dovetail construction. Hinged lid with centered inlaid eagle in flight and applied molding on three sides. Eagle is heavy in form, without shields, banners or stars. Front and sides undecorated except for hollow corner rectanglular cartouches of string inlay; one on each side and two on front.
Two drawers below the mid-line molding have the same inlay rectangles as well as bail handles and oval lock escutcheons. The left drawer has a "1" on the bottom in red chalk and an illegible pencil inscription. The right drawer has a "2" in the same place and in red chalk. Applied base molding and supported by French feet.
Cannot open chest due to missing key. John Snyder reports that "Fianna Bitzer" is written on the inside of the chest lid. She was born in 1861, the daughter of Martin and Annie Royer Bitzer of Ephrata Twp. Although Bitzer was a later owner, Snyder believes that the chest was originally in the Bitzer or Royer families.
Note: John Snyder states that there is a small group of Lancaster County chests and a desk with eagle inlays like this one. This is the best documented piece of the group.
Northern Lancaster County, likely Ephrata area
Provenance
Chest was purchased by John Snyder from Greg Kramer at the York Antiques Show in May 1993. Kramer had just purchased it at Alderfer Auction Co. May 20, 1993. Snyder then sold it to his mother Evelyn Snyder who donated it to the museum.
Has significant cracks, especially on front side where a midline crack extends entire length of chest. Front has inlay losses; in unstable condition; reglued in Jan. 1996 by Clifford Clayton, as well as repair to damaged feet. Dark stains and marring on lid with molding loss at front right. Water spots and worn finiah across lower section of front and feet. Strong wear overall. Old refinishing. Hardware appears to be replaced. No key for opening chest.
On 10/11, discovered extreme detaching of proper right front foot, partially on front left foot and minimally on back left. Reseated all nails but replaced one short rose-head nail at front section of proper right foot w/ modern box nail. It will not penetrate farther, however, and is not properly seated) Old nail placed in envelope in drawer.
Object ID
G.94.19.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Evelyn R.G. Snyder, Heritage Center Collection
Two-piece corner cupboard, white pine, painted with brown glaze over yellow (possibly a mid-19th century repainting). Bold cornice over a band of thin reeding in staggered blocks on fascia. Pilasters of thin reeding flank door sections. Upper section has large door with 12 lights (7.5" x 6.5") of old glass, hand-cut tin lock escutcheon and latch with brass pendant ring handle. with; staggered fluting on fascia. The bottom section has bracket feet with below carved sunbursts. Double doors with triple-raised panels and latch with brass pendant ring handle. The interior is painted off-white, and has four shelves furnished with plate moldings along back.
Pencil inscriptions at top inside rail of each bottom door. Left door appears to have "John Rentschler" or similar name, likely an owner. Rentschler name is found in Berks County in mid-19th c.
Lancaster County, possibly Strasburg area
Provenance
Purchased from Park Edwards at a Strasburg, PA sale in April, 1969. It was then purchased from a Walter Himmelreich sale in October, 1971 by Harry Hartman Antiques. Purchased by Museum Sept. 1979.
Scattered losses overall, with chipping and gouges. Evidence of most wear and damage is at cornice, mid-line molding and feet. Existing finish likely a late 19th c. repaint. Strong paint losses on molding at base of upper section. Large area of wood loss in lower left door adjacent to latch. Upper cupboard has wood losses along back edge of right side and reeding at fascia.
Object ID
P.79.101.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Medallion quilt of pieced and appliqued cottons and chintz. Design is a center diamond within a square within a diamond within a square, all within three different borders. Center diamond within a square has 9 large blocks of white cotton, 5 with five large appliqued circles of chintz and 4 with pieced triangles of printed cottons and a floral "Persian embroidery" applique at center. Next is a diamond of chintz., followed by a large square of pieced triangles in same geometric pattern as the center diamond.
The inside 6" wide border uses the same chintz pattern as the diamond. Middle border has a white cotton ground with pieced "overlapping" diamonds of various chintzes. Outside border is same chintz print of inside border.
White cotton backing is brought forward to create narrow binding. Quilt patterns used are waffle, flowers and cable. The chintz pattern used throughout was made in the 1820s, thus suggesting the date for this quilt. Batting is cotton.
Made in the Paradise area by Jane Weakly Leche, with help from Margaret McCausland Sample, mothers of David Harmanus Leche (1825-1862) and his wife Harriet Ann Sample (1828-1896).
Provenance
Maker(s) to son David Harmanus Leche (1825-1862) and his wife Harriet Ann Sample (1828-1896) to Harriet Sample Leche Keller (Mrs. Charles B. Keller, 1858-1951) to daughter Harriet Elizabeth Keller Shand (Mrs. James Shand, 1892-1946) to son and donor James Shand (1926- ).
Quilt had a stitched-on fabric label, now removed, with handwritten statement (c. 1925) by donor's mother, Harriet Elizabeth Keller Shand. Message was transcribed on paper by James Shand in 1991. It states: "Property of Mrs. Keller 85 to 90 years old. Made by Jane Weakly Leche wife of David Leche. Margaret (McCausland) Sample wife of Dr. Nathaniel Sample helped to sew on it."
Fair to good condition due to fabric deterioration, soiling and liquid stains. Losses & deterioration mostly in triangular pieces but also some large blocks of one chintz. Heavy liquid stains scattered overall. Liquid stains very visible on reverse. Generally sound structurally, although there are two significant holes through top and back, an L-shaped tear about 3" in from one quilt edge and a fabric separation hole near point of one center diamond.
Fabric label removed from quilt back and placed in file.
Object ID
G.04.37.01
Notes
Family genealogy in this file includes two pages of family tree offered by donor. See Ellis & Evans, pp. 922, 106, 661 and Biographical Annals, pp. 151, 1210.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Wrought iron trivet is a heart shape with three legs with small turned feet. Top end of legs pierce heart and are flattened on top like rivets to secure them. Top surface of heart is punch-decorated with dots
Provenance
Card in file has note by donor stating "made by C.B. Zimmerman, R.D.1, East Earl." However, "Made by" is later crossed out, resulting in questionable origns. A Christian B. Zimmerman (1908-1981), a farmer in East Earl and belonging to the Old Order Weaverland Mennonite Church is buried in the Weaverland Menn. Cemetery.
Diminutive hammer has elongated steel head; tapered cylinder end and thin flattened opposite end. Long hardwood handle mortised into head is wide and flat at head end and swelled to a rounded oval shape before tapering to blunt point at terminal.
Provenance
Donor was given hammer mid 1970s by an acquaintance, Frances Geiger, a "maiden lady from Quarryville." Attribution to Gorgas was stated by Ms. Geiger at that time. (Research indicates Frances was a teacher living in Millersville.)
Handmade sticker on hammer, now removed, had "Circa 1763-1798". These dates relate to Gorgas Sr. rather than Jr. The father appeared on Cocalico tax records by 1763 and died 1798.
Head has some dark tarnish. Handle is smooth and polished with some dark stains. Two small nails driven into handle end as it protrudes at top of head.
Object ID
G.08.19.1
Usage
Gorgas, Jacob, Jr. (b. circa 1763-1828)
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diminutive hammer has elongated steel or iron head; tapered cylinder end and a tapering, flattened, thin end. Long hardwood handle is square-mortised into head and has a swell near opposite end with a blunt tip.
Provenance
Donor states the hammer was used by clockmaker Martin Shreiner (1769-1866), his great, great, great grandfather. Donor donated a signed statement by Edward D. Glass (1881-1962) that the hammer was purchased by him from the Shreiner estate sale at 136 E. Walnut St. in Lancaster, apparently around 1895 or 1896. (see file) Glass was a paperboy in that district of town and lived with his parents Daniel & Mary at 556 N. Shippen St. He would have been 14 or 15 yrs. old when he bought the hammer.
Head has some considerable corrosion. Moderate wear and soil on handle with some minor loss of wood near terminal. Head is loose on handle and small nail has been driven into handle end as it protrudes at top of head.
Object ID
G.96.31.2
Usage
Shreiner, Martin
Credit
Gift of Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Fraktur birth certificate for Lydia Glasz / Glass, daughter of Leonard Glass and wife Christina, nee German. Hand drawn and colored on paper. Unusual confronting women with yellow dresses and red parasols flank central textblock within border. Tree of life above textblock; undulating plant w/ flowers sit on shelf at sides. Triple-line outside border.
German text translates to "Lydia Glasz daughter of Leonard Glasz and his wife Christina a born German. Was born 25th day of Jan. in the year of our Lord 1811.
Some buckling of paper overall. Some bleeding of ink, causing brown marks around letters; also in entire upper left corner. Small 1.4" brown streak below the word "Christina" in center panel.
Condition report of 1986 by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Phila. in file. No documented treatment. Matted and framed in 1996 by conservator Brian Howard.
Object ID
P.77.12
Notes
Similar to designs of Plate #61 in Weiser & Heaney, Penna. German Fraktur of The Free Library of Phila., v.1.
Research: Ancestry.com gives the marriage of fraktur recipient Lydia Glass to John Kempfer on 20 Nov. 1828 in Ephrata at the Bethany United Church of Christ. Husband John was born 19 Feb. 1809, died 4 April 1865. Lydia died 24 June 1853. Their daughter Elizabeth Kempfer (1836-1909) married David Rudy Buch (1834-1925) and lived in Lititz.
Ancestry also gives the 1810 Census in Earl, Lancaster Co. that lists Leonard Glase with 4 household members under 16 yrs., 1 at 16-25 yrs., and 2 over 25 yrs. Total of seven in home. Lydia was born the following year in 1811.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection