Framed silhouette of gentleman in profile, facing viewer's right. He is perhaps early-to-middle-age years, dressed in high collar and coat. Below is the name "Amos Ellmaker" handwritten in cursive in faded black ink.
Image is cut out of a rectangle of white wove paper, superimposed on a matching piece of black silk and secured with stitches at periphery. There is a window mat of faded marbelized paper, frame is molded walnut.
Same marbelized paper also covers back of frame. Clipping from printed biographical article is pasted to back.
Moderate wear and aging overall. Wove paper is darkened with fold lines and pin holes. Frame is worn with loose joints. Frame backing paper shows wear at corners and was cut to remove artwork, replaced and secured with cellophane tape, now removed except for bottom strip, leaving adhesive residue.
Object ID
P.03.11.01
Notes
According to the Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Amos Ellmaker (b. 2-2-1787 and d. 11-28-1851) was a man of intellect and attainment. He was grandson of immigrant Leonard Ellmaker (Germany to Earl Twp in 1726) and son of Nathaniel Ellmaker. He attended Princeton College, then law school in Litchfield, Conn. He began practice in Hbg., served as an officer in the War of 1812, later was appointed prosecuting attorney for Dauphin Co., elected to the State House of Representatives, appointed Presiding Judge for the district composed of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, was later appointed Attorney General of Pa., but resigned in 1821 to move back to Lancaster. Judge Ellmaker was in 1832 a candidate of the anti-Masonic party for Vice-President of the U.S. In 1816, he had married Mary Rachel Elder of Harrisburg. They had six children.
Bookcase composed of two sections. The upper cabinet has two hinged doors that latch at center. The shelving is adjustable and both doors feature 12 oblong-shaped glass panes and mullions. The lower cabinet has two hinged wood doors that latch and lock at the center; each door features a square recessed panel.
Provenance
Thomas Potter
To - William Morris Meredith
To - James Buchanan
To - Harriet Lane Johnston
To - John Newton Lane
To - James Buchanan Lane II
To - Thomasina Thomas Lane
To - James Buchanan Foundation
Thomas Potter - 2nd owner of Wheatland
Sold to - William Morris Meredith for $75
Sold to - James Buchanan for $75
Bequeathed to - Harriet Lane Johnston
Bequeathed to - John Newton Lane, Harriet's nephew
Bequeathed to - James Buchanan Lane II, John N. Lane's son
Bequeathed to - Thomasina Thomas Lane, James B. Lane II's spouse
Pencil/charcoal and watercolor drawing of Eichholtz home on S. Lime St. in Lancaster. Drawn on orange paper and signed by Florence Taylor, 1969. Double-matted outer tan, inner green. Cherry wood colored frame labelled "Eicholtz home, S. Lime St." Framed by Dream Framer, Creative Framing and Gallery, 1645 Main St., Mountville, PA 17554. Ron Ettelman (717) 285.4931.
A map in brown and blue ink with an orate directional indicator in the upper right corner. The
Conestoga Creek flows across the map. Property lines with buildings (distillery, houses and stable) are drawn along the eastern bank of the creek with corners of property marked by posts, a stone and a birch tree. "Other land of the City of Lancaster" is written above the property line.
"The above draught represents 5 acres ? by 18 perches...situate in Lancaster Township, Lancaster County, being the part of the plantation which the city of Lancaster purchased from the Executor of John ? ? which is intended to be preserved to the village for the ? of said City. Surveyed on the 28th September 1836. By Henry Carpenter
Brown fold lines. Some of the writing has faded and is difficult to read. There is a tear mid-left near the left edge of the map. Some blotches of black spots may be the result of mildew.
Watercolor painting of St. Mary's Church on South Prince Street in Lancaster in gilt frame.
Paining shows the Roman Catholic church painted from the street. Three passersby dressed in the style of 1800-1850, pass in front of the stone wall surrounding the church property. Fencing atop wall encircles the church building and adjoining cemetery. Large tall trees from a backdrop to church.
Painting is unsigned.
This is one of at least three very similar paintings. The other two are found in Gerry Lestz's Artists' Album/Lancaster County and another in Carl Drepperd's American Pioneer Arts and Artists. Both Drepperd and Lestz have captions stating the paintings date from about 1835. Likely theses paintings were executed by a number of students or the copied the work of the original artist.
This is similar to version 1.45.84 (loan by Mrs. R. Harcourt Darmstaetter).
Provenance
Purchased from Steven F. Still Antiques, Elizabethtown on Dec. 27, 1998, for $450.00.
Date Range
1835
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 5
Storage Cabinet
Unit 42
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Storage Drawer
Bin 2-G
Object Name
Painting
Length (cm)
15.24
Length (ft)
0.5
Length (in)
6
Width (cm)
21.59
Width (ft)
0.7083333333
Width (in)
8.5
Dimension Details
Framed: 13.5 inches wide x 11.5 inches
Condition
Good
Condition Date
1999-01-12
Condition Notes
Watercolor mounted on heavy paper backing; margins of backing have moisture stain at bottom right and insect damages across top and right. All paper darkened overall from age and acid, and painting has some foxing across surface.
Oil on canvas portrait of a young girl,from her chest up, body facing to her left but her head turned sharply to her right. Dressed in a low-cut Empire style dress. Dark background. Cloth drapes the girl from above her left shoulder, across front and around waist.
Frame probably original, painted with bronze-colored paint.
Inscriptions on stretcher: In pencil is written: "Hand painted by Peter Lehn Grosh father to Jacob Grosh," followed by "(about 1834)" in ink. (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Paint crackled especially in center, paint chipped upper left corner, evidence of repairs along periphery, especially at upper left corner, tiny losses visible across dress, canvas visible (abrasion) on dress at bottom center.
Watercolor,Bringing Home Christmas, "shows a winter scene with many trees and fences. The main subject is a man in a horse-drawn sleight with a Christmas tree following a dog onto a covered bridge. A stream runs through the middle of the scene and under the bridge. Several house appear in the background as well as a man cutting down a tree in the upper left and deer in the upper right.. (Scott Sager, 01/26/2001)
Artist's name, Hattie K. Brunner, written lower left of the primitive painting.
Taped to back, 3 newspaper articles: 1) "Local Artist Gains Fame...at 83" , 9/18/1973; 2) "$3,100 for a Hattie Brunner" no date; 3) "Hattie Bruner, Antique Dealer, Artist Dies," 8/2/1982. Hattie was 92 years old when she died.
Provenance
Given in memory of J. Nelson Newcomer, V.M.D., by his sisters, Beatrice N. Stauffer and Ethel N. Herr.
Brown paint on frame rubbed off on some corners and edges. A chip reveals light wood on upper right back edge. No cover on back sealing painting from outside dirt. Acidified clippings about the artist glued to the back
Jan. 6, 2001: A correction to the painting has been done in the lower left area, under the sleigh: a roughly triangular area about 1.5 " across and 1.25" high has been white out and the fence and tree leaves re-done. (Scott Sagar)
Oil painting of Mrs. Alexander Hood seated on red chair with draped red curtain behind. Her dark brown hair is parted in the center and she is wearing a white covering with ruffles along sides covering her ears. The two wide sashes/ties hang down to her waist. A dainty lace collar piece, unattached, is around her neck with opening in front. She wears a black dress with gathers from a front vertical seam that ends in a point below her waist. Long sleeve visible on her left arm has two sections of gathers on the upper arm. Her left hand rests on her lap.
Artist: Arthur Armstrong, American portrait painter (b.1798-d.1851).
Some crackling overall. Some paint rubbed off above wooden edges. Some fine vertical streaks on woman's dress, left elbow. A small spot on right side of painting above red chair. Canvas nailed to stretcher bars in tact.
Pictorial needlework, silk embroidery on linen depicting two females at the right, one in blue, the other in yellow. On the left is a tree on a hillock with some flowers at the base of the trunk. To the left of the tree is the following poem: "margaret m Grosh is my name/ marietta is my station/ heaven is my dwelling Place/ and christ is my salvation/ when i am dead and in my/ grave and all my bones ar/ rotton when this you see/ remember me or I shal/ be forgotton"
Another inscription at the bottom reads "MarGaret Grosh Sampler made in Marietta in the year of our lord/ 1830"
The piece has a rose-beige ribbon border, and is in a period mahogany veneered frame.
The sampler has dark marks over all, brown marks, especially in the upper left are and between the two female figures.
There are losses in the upper left, lower left and upper right corners of the frame and the frame has also split in the upper left and lower right corners.
Printed Birth & Baptismal Record, Christian Schelly
Description
Printed birth and baptismal certificate, pictorial fame with central text block. Infill and hand coloring attributed to Heinrich Keyser, a school mast working in Warwick Twp.
The pictorial frame consists of eight different plates around a perimeter. The four corners each have a Gospel reference withing a floral oval (two from St. Matthew and two from St. John). The other four prints depict scenes of Christ: is baptism, crucifixion, ascension and his welcoming the children to come to him. Prints are hand-colored.
The central text block is printed in German, in traditional form, under the title: "Geburts und TaufSchein." Infill is executed in black ink in both fraktur-style lettering and script.
Certificate was done for the birth and baptism of Christian Schelly, son of Johannes and Catarina Kericher Schelly, born Dec. 18, 1823 (?) in Rapho Twp. and baptized 1833. At bottom of text is written that Christian was born under the sign of Pisces, under which a tiny pen and ink drawing is executed of two fish. (Written by Wendell Zercher.)
(more info on Schoolmaster Keyser in file)
Provenance
From Strasburg Antique Marker, Strasburg, PA for $245.00. Received on Aug. 11, 2000.
Generally acid-burned overall; extreme burn at edges of top and left side. Two liquid stains in lower text block which bleached the paper. Heavy fold lines have resulted in tears. with a triangular loss at terminus of right fold line. Additional tears at end of left fold line as well as two inches above this; also tear along bottom edge, one inch from right corner. Entire piece is pasted to acidic cardboard backing.
