Hardwood Printing Block of irregular shape with scenes near Norwood, depicted in muted colors. Roughly divided into quarters: two scenes appear to be mountainscapes, one sideways, another appears to be a painting on canvas of a river, and the remaining 1 appears to have been crossed out. Written in pencil on back is "Lloyd Mifflin c. 1865".
Jacquard coverlet, cotton warp and wool weft. Wool is dyed with madder red, indigo blue and green. Made with a 4 & 1 tiedown weave structure. Joined at center seam.
Corner block reads: "Made by J. Witmer, Manor Township, for Mary Shopf, 1840."
Note: Mary Shopf''s 1841 sampler is G.80.137.1.
Witmer, Jacob (1797 - 1887) Extant coverlets: 1837-1851
Provenance
Descent: Maker Mary Shopf Hertzler to daughter Mary Hertzler Herr to son Amos Herr to daughter and donor Anna C. Herr Wilkinson.
Genealogy: Mary Shopf (1 Feb 1823 - 12 Mar 1903) m. Rudolph Hertzler, dau. Mary Hertzler (16 Aug 1849 - 14 Apr 1929) m. Christian Herr, son Amos Herr (b. 1876) m. A.M. Hollinger, dau. Anna C. Herr m. Harold Wilkinson." (Anna is donor)
Maker was possibly the daughter of Henry Shopf & Elizabeth K. Kauffman. Henry was from Manor Twp.
Dressing table w/ mirror has Sheraton and Empire features, is made of solid mahogany and veneers with secondary woods of poplar and pine. This is a rare form.
Top has veneered half-column mirror frame supported by turned stiles which are set into top with a double tenon set at a backward cant. Mirror corners are blocks with turned bulls-eyes. Inner cove-molded fillet has vestiges of gilding.
Oblong table top comprised of solid 3/8" thick mahogany laminated onto 1/2" thick poplar, and secured to carcase with screws. A rounded molding is applied to front and ends.
Veneered carcase contains five dovetailed drawers faced with mahogany veneers: one long flanked by two short, over two long. The top drawers have a rounded profile while the two bottom drawers are cockbeaded. All drawers have replacement pulls of hollow, rounded brass knobs with a pierced floliate design. The two bottom drawers are fitted with locks; keyholes have brass insets but dark ghosting indicates missing escutcheons.
Baluster-turned legs extend from table top to floor. They support a low shelf 11 1/2" from floor. Shelf is shaped with recessed cutouts at front and ends.
Inscription: Interior of top central drawer has "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINET MAKER/ Locust St./ COLUMBIA." stamped within an oval laurel wreath.
Also in collections is a J. F. Markley Empire chest of drawers (P77.02).
Provenance
Provenance: This dressing table was previously owned by an acquaintance of John J. Snyder, Michael Stinchcomb of ???, who recently changed his mind about using this piece in his bathroom when he realized the veneers would suffer. He consequently consigned it to sale at Pook and Pook.
Cracking in veneer on mirror. Numerous spots of corrosion on mirror. Moderate cracking in veneer on front and sides. Minor chips and scratches overall. Top has two cracks, one is 2" long at left and one is 6 1/2" long at right side. Bottom shelf has 6 1/2" crack at right side. Nails have been added to secure top to carcase; back of top is not secure due to stripped screws. Top left drawer has significant wood removed with rasp at front of sides.
Empire style chest of drawers, mahogany veneer on pine or poplar. Four drawers, each with two pressed glass pulls & keyhole and each with bookmatched veneer of highly figured mahogany. The top drawer overhangs lower drawers and has a curved front (top-to-bottom), while the three lower drawers have flat fronts. Freestanding ionic columns flank drawers with carved plinths. Sunken panel construction at sides. Two extensively carved paw feet in front; two ball feet in back.
In April 1982, the entire case was disassembled and discovered to be signed and dated by Markley, behind the left front stile above the column. (Not seen in 2011. Inscription appears on top of thick drawer divider supporting top drawer.) Also stamped by maker within oval on upper surface of top drawer bottom: "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINETMAKER/ Locust Street/ COLUMBIA."
According to file, the 1830-1846 Columbia Borough tax records list Markley variously as a doctor, cabinetmaker, contractor or gent.
See also a gentleman's dressing table with mirror, P00.39.01.
Piece of veneer 1.5" x 0.5" is missing from top right above drawer. Small spots and scratches overall, and two large cracks on top: one near front right corner, and one at rear center, partially filled in. The left pull on the second drawer up from the bottom is split in half; held in place with string windings.
Two toes on the right front foot were pieced and recarved by Joseph Molz of Lancaster City. Some veneer was also pieced.
Object ID
P.77.02
Notes
More info in file. There was a discrepancy in the research with two different Jacob Markleys. It appears that the maker of this chest of drawers was Jacob Fry Markley (1800-1854), born in boro of Strasburg to parents Jacob Markley, Sr. (1765-1829) and Barbara Fry Markley. Jacob Sr. was also a cabinetmaker.
Son Jacob is listed with different occupations over the years. He was living in Columbia in 1830 and possibly as late as 1841. He moved to Spring Grove, Philadelphia County by 1850 and is listed as a druggist in the 1850 Census with wife Ann & 5 children. "JACOB F. MARKLEY M.D." is on his tombstone in the Hatboro Cemetery. Thus Jacob Markley claimed to be a cabinetmaker, druggist and doctor (Doctor is perhaps what he called a pharmacist).
Place of Origin
Columbia
Role
Cabinetmaker
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Coll
Copper sculpting/modeling tool hand fashioned to create a flattened, spoon-like handle leading to a rounded shank ending in another flattened end bent at the tip to create a short 1/2" extension bent to nearly a right angle for working in clay or plaster. End is squared off. Crude but effective tool for sculpting bears marks of hammering, especially underside of flattened handle. Used by Lloyd Mifflin. Tool presumed to have been fashioned by Lloyd Mifflin himself from a length of copper. Provenance: Mifflin to the Minnich sisters to the groundskeeper at Norwood to donors.
Pieced and appliqued block quilt of cotton with floral pattern on white ground and eagle quilting.
Top is pieced with floral blocks on point alternating with white open blocks (approx. 8.5" sq.). There are 64 stylized/geometric pieced flowers (peonies?) of 6-petals. Flower top is a red floral print; lower part is a green floral print. Stem and leaves are appliqued. Floral blocks arranged in 8 columns of 8.
The 49 open blocks are quilted with a spread eagle with shield; border triangles have a feather. Back of white cotton is wrapped to front to create narrow binding. Cotton batting.
Elizabeth Schneider Mann (10/8/1780 - 3/25/1870) was raised in East Donegal Twp, the daughter of George Schneider/Snyder and wife Anna Margaretha. Her birth is recorded in the records of the Maytown Lutheran Church. She made quilt around 65 yrs. of age, during her marriage to Johannes/John Mann, farmer of Manor Twp., just east of Washington Boro. The Mann family was Lutheran.
Provenance
Descent in family from parent to child:
Maker to George Snyder Mann (1822-1912) to Abram Kauffman Mann (b. 1864), to George Snyder Mann to Richard H. Mann, M.D., husband of donor.
Exhibited 2004 in "Home Sweet Home"
Featured in Dec. 2007 "McCall's Quilting: The Art of Vintage Quilts"
Wear and deterioration with many holes on the white flowers of the red print of more than half the floral blocks. Two grayish liquid stains on green print of two separate peonies. Minor light brown/yellow stains across surface and along edges, especially upper left edge. Needle holes along all four edges, suggesting previous mounting. Reverse has some acid burn at folds and a small stain. See condition report in file.
Object ID
G.96.07.1
Place of Origin
Manor Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Mary Jane Mann in memory of Richard H. Mann, M.D
Carte de visite. Unidentified Civil War soldier. Written on back: "From others in this series I would say this Jameson photographed before and during the Civil War. George A. Hyers occupied same studio after Jameson, but before 1870. Hyers was followed by W. F. Stein in same location. I have 2 photos printed on back 'Photographed by Geo. A. Hyers, front St. above Locust, Columbia, Pa.' They show the same curtain and decorations as this one, but are the later half of 1860s decade."
