Pair of ice skates (A-B), housed in custom-fitted wooden case (C).
Skates constructed of steel plate in shape of foot surmounted on a 1/4-inch-thick blade terminating in a scrolled toe. Skates are identical with no right or left differentiation. One skate has four additional holes in heel. Three leather straps with buckles are riveted to footplate. Dimensions of skate: H: 4 1/2" W: 4" L: 12"
Bottom of each skate's footplate is stamped: "EICHHOLTZ & BRO/ LANCASTER, PA."
Box, softwood, dovetail construction, re-painted flat green. Under paint is a ghost of floral decoration on lid, front and sides. Has hinged lid leading to fitted interior covered with coarse green fabric pasted and tacked to wood and edged with braiding. Latch hooks on front to secure lid.
Made by Eichholtz & Bro. (Henry Clay Eichholtz (1830-1918) and Robert Lindsay Eichholtz.
Provenance
Research done by Tom Ryan suggests that according to Lancaster Directories, Eichholtz & Bro. were operating in Lancaster City possibly as early as 1858 and at least as late as 1870. Jacob Eichholtz's sons, Robert Lindsay and Henry Clay, were in partnership, listed as gunsmiths by 1863 and guns and cutlery by 1866 until at least 1870.
Skates largely intact, metal has slight corrosion overall, leather straps deteriorated with losses (2 missing on one skate and one on the other). Box appears to have been repainted and is very soiled. Interior has worn "upholstery" with losses of braiding. Hingers have been replaced; handle is missing at front.
Object ID
P.03.10.1a-c
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, acquired through the generosity of Ronald V. Smith
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.
Copper measure of sheet copper with conical body. Beneath applied handle is a keyed seam. Rolled copper base and lip. Applied strap handle, attached with 2 rivets at top, 1 rivet at bottom. Handle terminates with heart form at bottom and two lobes at top. Interior is tinned.
The name "(E)ICHHOLTZ" is stamped onto top of strap handle. "E" of Eichholtz is hidden where handle is attached at top. Interior is coated with tin.
Jacob Eichholtz worked as a coppersmith/tinsmith with his brother George on East King St. until c. 1815, when he began focusing on portrait painting. 1830 Tax Assessment lists him as a portrait painter.
Research by Pat C. Keller at Historical Society of PA in Jacob Eichholtz's daybook, indicates he made measures, not mugs. Notes in file indicate purchase was contingent on results of an effort to x-ray upper handle for evidence of initial unseen letters of stamped name. No indication this was ever done.
Provenance: Sellers Jackie & Vernon Gunnion purchased measure at Conestoga Auction circa March 1986. Jackie reports Don Fennimore of Winterthur knows only two other signed copper pieces -- by Apple and by Schlosser.
Photos: slides #23-5-1 to 9 and multiple B&W 8x10s
Small to significantly larger dents on sides and bottom Some scratches from general wear. Surface has been polished and lacquered. Some polish residue visible at both the rolled lip and rolled base.
First "H" and "T" of "ichholtz" are very worn. Corrosion and wear to interior tin surface.
Upper terminal of handle has split at left rivet (stable).
Object ID
G.86.03
Notes
See accompanying P86.3 file for research done by Heritage Center Director Pat Keller-Connor to determine authenticity of the touchmark. There was a possibility of the first initial being "J" for Jacob or "G" for George, a brother. On Feb. 17, 1802 Jacob advertised with his brother George as "tin-plate workers". Pat K-C intensively did research to settle the matter before finalizing the purchase of the measure
studied Vol. 1 & 2
See Henry Kauffman, American Copper and Brass, p. 119.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Molded red earthenware pitcher with mottled brown glaze. Sits on hexagonal foot, has hexagonal swelling body with shoulder upper section constricting to hexagon neck with straight sides. Pronounced spout and angular "C" shaped handle.
Provenance
Donor purchased pitcher at a Lancaster City garage sale in 1987.
Copper tea kettle, classic form with gooseneck spout, high dome lid, marked strap handle hinged on "plinth w/ serifs" tab bases. Lid fitted with a crudely fashioned replaced iron or steel mushroom-shaped finial, bent to one side.
Vertical dove-tailed seam on side opposite spout, top seam running length of spout. Dove-tailed bottom.
Tarnished with numerous dents and scratches over body. Two very heavy dents at shoulder, opposite each other and one on bottom. Finial knob bent to one side. Two significant cracks on proper right side at shoulder and one on back.
Object ID
P.01.48.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection. Purchased through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation
Traditional tea kettle form made of tinned sheet iron. Now unmoveable handle hinged to oval tab bases with two rivets. Dovetailed vertical seam on side opposite spout: spout has a straight seam along top and also bottom of base section. Dovetail seam around shoulder top. Slightly domed lid has black-painted knob.
Made by George Rogers, tinsmith, (1814-1854, working c. 1848).
For references to G. Rogers, see Kauffman, American Copper and Brass, p. 207. Copy in file.
Also see 1859-60 Directory, p. 143 for reference to George Rogers.
Height (in)
11
Width (in)
11.75
Diameter (in)
8
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2013-11-18
Condition Notes
Interior heavily rusted. Dent to the right of the spout on shoulder. Multiple smaller dents. Multiple score lines, possibly from a rasp, especially on shoulder area.
Large redware pitcher, sectioned octagonal form with conforming low pedestal base. Applied handle and pulled pouring spout. Orange-red color dark brown manganese mottling with clear glaze overall.
Impressed mark on underside is "C GAST" for Conrad Gast (1813- after 1880).
Prince and James Sts. Lancaster, PA
Provenance
Heritage Center purchased from Ruth Rogers of School House Farm Antiques, New Holland.
Wear at all salient points of the lower body as well as the outside and tip of handle. Two medium chips at opposite sides of lip and several minor chips at spout and sides of lip. Wear at bottom.
Object ID
P.02.04.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of V. Ronald Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Redware Storage Jar with Image of George Washington and Diana the Huntress
Description
Redware storage jar with molded figures of Washington & Diana. Made by Henry Gast.
Square molded red earthenware storage jar. Overall brown lead glaze with manganese speckling. Chamfered corners and sloping shoulders with short neck and flared rounded rim. Each side of jar has a recessed, arched panel containing figures in relief. Two opposing sides depict Diana the Huntress and other opposing sides portray George Washington labeled at bottom "WASHINGTON." Impressed on underside is "H. GAST. LA."
Liens filed by contractors showing names of parties including owner of property; description of property including location; nature of claim; and description of materials and work done on property.
Liens filed by contractors showing names of parties including owner of property; description of property including location; nature of claim; description of materials and work done on property; volume and page number of recording in Mechanics' Liens Docket; and date filed.
Liens filed by contractors showing names of parties including owner of property; description of property including location; nature of claim; description of materials and work done on property; volume and page number of recording in Mechanics' Liens Docket; and date filed.
