Color printed Fraktur is a Birth & Baptismal Certificate for Emma Matilda Ried. Angel type print in German has standing angels flanking the text block and four perching birds in lower corners. An eagle is at top center and baskets of flowers & flower sprays below text block.
Text block infilled in red in a very accomplished, controlled hand. Emma was born 3 Oct 1838 in Lancaster City and baptized 22 Jan 1839 by Samuel Trumbauer. Parents are Peter Ried and his wife Margaretha, daughter of Johannes & Catharina Bard.
Printed in Harrisburg; infilled likely in Lancaster City. Printer: G.S. Peters; Infill unknown
Overall very brittle and age darkened. Broken broken at fold lines, creating 5 separate pieces. Cellophane tape at both the top and bottom of the vertical break, taped on the front! Tape is staining paper. Very large loss 1.75" x .50" at left edge near top. Small tears and losses around edges.
Printed B&BC on wove paper infilled for Elizabeth Martin, born 9 July 1842 in Lykens Twp., Dauphin Co. Parents were Samuel P. Martin and wife Mary, nee Dubindorf. Elizabeth was baptized 15 Aug 1842 by Rev. John Peter Schindel. The parents were the sponsors.
This is the first English edition printed by Werner in Pottsville, c. 1840 (see Notes). Title at top is "Birth and Christening / Certificate" Central text block with infill is flanked by two of the 3 virtues done with woodcuts. The third, usually above the text block is replaced by the tailpiece of a lady playing a piano. A tailpiece of 2 flowers separates the text block from 2 smaller blocks with religious verse, at bottom. Printed in blue, red and yellow. A perching bird is in each corner of bottom. At bottom center is the imprint: "Printed and sold by J.T. Werner, Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pa." An "H" is written in top left corner.
Fair condition largely due to the large chunk out of the edge at top center, obliterating half of the title. Tape stains indicate it had been mended with tape before being lost. Two other places where tape is bleeding through is at left near top (3/4" tear) and at right near bottom corner (1" tear). Several large nicks or losses, esp. at left near mend.
Pronounced brown spot stains along right edge and 2 round liquid stains on left edge adjacent to tape mend. Lighter stains elsewhere. A 1/8" hole near the "Pa." of imprint at bottom. Color printed in yellow, red and blue.
Object ID
2004.748
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser 2 Sept 1988. Assigned #48.
Printer J.T. Werner was born in Lebanon Co. in 1814. He printed in various places, finally in Pottsville from 1837 on. He died there in 1882.
In The B&BCs of the German American, Vol. 4, Klaus Stopp lists this fraktur for Elizabeth on page 14, numbered #562. This is the first English edition by Werner in Pottsville. Instead of one of the virtues (Love) above text block a lady playing a piano is shown. This little tailpiece is also known since it was used with BBCs in his printshop in Orwigsburg, PA.
Color lithographed Memento Mori on heavy tan paper depicts a scene in a church graveyard. A grieving couple, likely the parents, dressed in early 19th c. black mourning clothes, stand by a church with a large urn-topped tombstone underneath a green weeping willow tree. Gentleman gestures toward the stone with the side printed at top "IN / MEMORY / OF", followed by 2 sets of 4 lines in ink. First is "Henry Augustus was / born Sept, 10th 1829, / Departed this life / August 27th 1833,". Next is "Nathaniel was born / January the 24th 1835 / Died January 25th / Anno Domini 1835". These 2 sons both died an early death. No surname is given.
Printed underneath the border of this scene is "LITH. & PUB. BY N. CURRIER" at left and "2 SPRUCE ST. N. Y." at right. The number "280" is at center. Printed in New York City.
Printer: Nathaniel Currier, Infill by unknown
Provenance
Memento Mori - Remember that you have to die. Printed by Nathaniel Currier, circa 1830s
Artwork designed to remind the viewer of their mortality and of the unpredictable nature and fragility of life. This scene depicts a church graveyard and a grieving couple all in black mourning clothes. The urn on top of the tombstone symbolizes death since urns were often used in Greece and Rome to store cremated remains. The weeping willow, so named because of the way raindrops run down its long leaves causing some to think it looks like the tree is crying, serves to reinforce the emotions of grief and mourning.
The remembrance is particularly somber since it mentions the name of two children - Henry Augustus (1829-1833) and Nathaniel (1833).
Considerable foxing with gray soil darkening the paper at upper corner area but smaller areas extending along both right edge and top edge. Some soil at upper left side. All edges have been hand-cut. Reverse has heavy foxing with streaks of dark brown soil and acid burn from backing. Some ink spots. Stamped "PROPERTY OF / LANCASTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY".
Object ID
2004.744
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, 2 Sept 1988. This certificate designated #44.
Memento mori is a Latin phrase meaning 'remember you must die'. It is the medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits.
Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) in 1840 began to move away from job printing and into independent print publishing. He printed this and other versions of this scene in the 1840s.
Calligraphic Birth Record for Anna Bollinger hand-done on wove paper. Lettering is accompanied by very heavy calligraphic scrolls and flourishes, covering entire page.
Light overall acid/light burn. Paper is wrinkled with fold lines; some long tears extending in from left edge -- longest is 2.5" and another is circular and nearly detached. Additional tears at edges. Very large round loss with a 1" tear at left edge; ragged edges have some minor losses. Corners are clipped. Dark stains at right edge 2.5" up from corner.
