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
Broadside commercially printed on wove paper in Pa. German script. Geometric border surrounds text block of 4 long paragraphs. Modern frame.
Title is "Kraftiges Gebet, / Wodurch man sich vor Kugel und Degen, vor sichtbarlichen und un- / sichtbarlichen Feinden, so wie vor allem moglichen / Uebel beschutzen und bewahren konne."
Place of origin is unknown.
Seller's translation: "A Powerful Prayer whereby one can protect himself from shot and sword, of a visible or invisible enemy, just as from all other possible wounds that one need protect against."
Rows of letters at bottom with more text with a title "Vor die fallende Sucht, oder Gicht," which seems to mean "For those who've come down with an ailment (addiction?), or gout."
Spiral labyrinth, watercolor and ink on wove paper, signed by John A. Landis (15 Sep 1777 - 8 Mar 1862) of Lancaster City. Within a line border is a compass-drawn large circle filled with interwoven near-circles (paths of labyrinth) emanating from another center circle that is in turn filled with compass-drawn floral decoration. The near-circle pathways have text written within, beginning at the top with the words, "What is a gentleman?" Leafy vines with flowers fill the corners outside of the large circular labyrinth. Two distelfink-type birds are perched on lower vines. At bottom center is a heart in which vines are anchored. Within heart are 4 lines of neatly printed English: "Made By/ John A. Landis in the/ Year of our Lord 1852/ in the Seventy Fifth/ Year of his/ Age."
Reverse side of frame has two stickers; the top one reads: "MSC/ #135" and the lower one reads: "T76.10.37/ (MSC - 135)."
Unusual -- believed to be the only hand-done Lancaster City fraktur known. Samuel Baumann is the design source for Landis's birds, flowers and hearts. Baumann produced printed fraktur in Ephrata in the early 19th century. See NOTES
Provenance
Provenance: Dealer Hattie Brunner to Dr. & Mrs. Donald A. Shelley. Shelley collection sold at auction (Pook & Pook), Oct. 2004 to Heritage Center.
Paper is darkened overall; watercolored words of labyrinth are blurry and often illegible.
Object ID
P.04.45.1
Notes
According to Landis family genealogy & other sources, Landis operated a museum in Lancaster City at several successive locations. Article in Lancaster Gazette, 1825, lists detailed changes & additions Landis made to the museum.
Landis married twice, leaving no children and is buried in Shreiner's cemetery (tall monument along Mulberry St. side). The 1850 Census records him living, at age 72, with his wife Sarah in a hotel kept by Henry Nauman. He is also listed in the 1860 Census but of course gone by 1870.
Labyrinths have been made in various forms for centuries, traditionally of a spiritual nature. According to Michael Bird, "The labyrinth had pre-Christian roots in the worlds of Crete, Greece and Rome..." Landis's labyrinth is unusual in that it is not rooted in a spiritual or Biblical theme, but instead focuses on moral character. This compass-drawn design is not traditional Pa. German; it is likely Anglo-inspired.
This labyrinth was illustrated in Donald Shelley's "The Fraktur-Writings of Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pa. Germans", figure #223. See Klaus Stopp's The Printed B&BCs of the German Americans, Vol. II, pp. 208-217, for fraktur printed by the Baumanns of Ephrata. These show the source of motifs used in this labyrinth.
Scherenschnitte, freehand cutwork on light cream-colored wove paper folded horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, then cut out. Rectangular form is centered with an 8-lobed flower made of four hearts enclosing smaller hearts & a medallion with inscription Surrounded by figures of boys and girls as well as birds and hearts. Colored w/ red and blue paint/gouache and some details in blue ink.
Scotland area, Greene Twp., Franklin Co.
Handwritten in blue at center is: "Margarert [sic] Elizabeth / Farner / A present / By John Farner / March 11th 1854" Made for sister Margaret when John was age 11. Similar one is owned by Jim Gergat, done by Farner in 1854 for Isaac Shetter in Green Twp. in Franklin County. Jim has a photo of recipient Shetter. He owns an additional cutout w/ no written presentation. Gergat states Farner was a Civil War veteran and is buried in Centerville, Cumberland Co. (at intersection of Rt. 174/Walnut Bottom Rd. and Rt. 233 & associated w/ Centerville Lutheran Church, Carlisle).
Provenance
Given by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith to the Lancaster County Historical Society with the understanding that it would become part of the collections of The Heritage Center Museum with the establishment of that institution.
Small brown spots overall, especially in top half. Larger brown stains in top left area and central design; possibly faded brown coloring.
Matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard of Carlisle in 1996
Object ID
G.77.50.3
Notes
Earnest, Fraktur: Folk Art & Family, 1999, p. 118.
Informed 1-9-12 by Jim Gergat, former York Co. H. S. curator, of identity of John Farner. See photocopies of his two Farner cutouts in file. Gergat's phone # is (610) 473-0137.
Slide #27-2-10 and Transparency file under "Fraktur" #18.
Removed from Masonic Lodge Fraktur exhibit early 2008.
Exhibited Landis Valley Museum, scherenschnitte exhibit curated by Irwin Richman, May-Dec. 2008.
Place of Origin
Greene Twp., Franklin County, Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Trinket chest of dovetail construction, hinged lid, turned feet and polychrome decoration. Bottom secured with square nails. Keyhole at front; key missing. On a burnt orange ground are 5 large decals (4 of fruit and 1 of flowers) and one small decal at front center of spread eagle, shield and banner. Chest sides and top have centered line decoration of 3 concentric rectangles with hollow corners (black, ochre, white). Feet are black. Edge moldings of lid and base painted black with yellow-green double line decoration enclosing leafy scrolling vines. Interior and underside unfinished.
Inked # 00.43.1 on bottom. Two old stickers: "65603" on back and "65625" on bottom.
Attributed to Joseph Lehn (1798-1892). South of Clay, Elizabeth Township.
Provenance
Transferred from the James Buchanan Foundation where chest was "found in collection" with history/provenance.
Paint soiled and darkened. Large scar on left end of lid molding. Arc scored into top at right front of lid. Wear/abrasions overall, especially lid and base molding. Loose left front foot and paint loss of right back foot. Pristine interior. One hing screw missing.
Object ID
G.03.35.1
Place of Origin
Elizabeth Twp.
Credit
Gif ot James Buchanan Foundation, Heritage Center Collec
Glove stretcher is cast, nickel-plated brass (?). Made of two opposing lengths of tapered, rounded metal, spring operated. Dog's leg shape tool has handle cast with raised, scrolled decoration. Opposite end is tapered so it fits into glove fingers for stretching after being heated. The larger end of the taper is inset with lead for holding heat.
Inscriptions: "THE / FOSTER GLOVE STRETCHER" is on one handle and the other has "PATENTED JULY 27, 1888."
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.