Watercolor on paper, showing a building called the Telescope House or the Steamboat House. It has a two-story octagonal center section, and two one-story wings; the center section has a cupola (also octagonal). The building has a frame construction, and is colored brown with ivory-white trim. A high fence extends across the front of the building. Various trees are visible behind the building. NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
The caption at the bottom reads "THE TELESCOPE HOUSE,--BUILT BY JOHN F. REMLEY. 1841-8/COLUMBIA AVN. & MARIETTA PIKE." The lower right corner has the date of the painting, "1881"
The building stood approximately where W. King and W. Orange Streets meet. The name "Telescope House" comes from the fact that the house used to have an observatory until the late 1800s, when the building was renovated and additional floors were added (prior to this painting).
J.W.W. Loose, The Heritage of Lancaster, pp.74-75.
Height (cm)
15.24
Height (ft)
0.5
Height (in)
6
Width (cm)
17.78
Width (ft)
0.5833333333
Width (in)
7
Dimension Details
Hinged within a window mat..
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2017-06-28
Condition Notes
There are numerous gray marks over the surface of the painting, and some areas of paint are faded. The reverse has glue stains on the corners, where the painting was apparently attached to a previous backing.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.11
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Rococo Revival writing desk. High relief carved arching crest with acanthus leaf motif flanked by matching finials. A cherub relief face with wings in a recessed arch is seen below the crest, surmounting a storage cabinet decorated with more highly carved foliate and scroll motifs along both rails. The cabinet door is decorated with inlaid woods that form a vase with flowers. The writing desk has a fold-down/pull-out writing surface and four drawers that surmount a central drawer and four highly carved foliate and scroll adorned cabriole legs that terminate on casters and are connected by supports to central finials.
Several broken finials and high relief carvings under central cabinet
Object ID
W.1936.008.001
Notes
From the account of Major Andre, who visited Wheatland in 1888, it can be surmised that the escritoire stood in the sitting room or study. This room was located to the left of the front door in the central section of the house.
Crest of top rail, finger-molded in scalloped shaped. Horizontal splat curved upward, terminating in scroll on each end, thicker at middle. Seat is shield shape, serpentine front. Legs plain cabriole, back legs square and canted. 36.14.3 differs from 36.
Re-upholstered -date unknown Two had been green velvet and one blue velvet Originally [when owned by Buchanan] chairs were covered in green morocco leather.
The walnut frame of the chair is exposed. The crest is flat and squared. The upholstered back has a slight taper. Three quarters down the back, the walnut arms curve outward with partial upholstered rests, The back frame continues below the arms in a gentle outward curve to form the side rails of the upolstered seat. The seat is an elongated, slightly tapered rectangle with a straight apron. The arms are supported with back curved uprights terminating at the cushioned arm rests with a foliate carved scroll design. The front legs are both ornate, tapered reeded columns terminating in brass casters; the back legs are square and canted terminating on brass casters.
Provenance
George B. Willson
To - Mary Willson Rettew
To - The James Buchanhan Foundation LancasterHistory
Re-upholstered in Black Horsehair -date unknown Seat and back had been covered in beige self-stripe damask with blue braid. Unknown if this was original.
Rococo Revival walnut upholstered Salon Parlor Chair. Carved roses on crest and apron, Cabriole legs terminating in castors. Upholstered in gold damask fabric, chair back is button tufted.
Provenance
Owned by a Buchanan family member
To Elizabeth Hensel Nauman (Dorothy Flinn - donor)
Renaissance Revival Style, large, over-mantel mirror. Top has high crest with shell and heart-like motif in heavy applied piece scroll work to sides of center crest. At ends are heavy capitals with shell design at top and below, small concave flower-like medallion at center. Below scroll work at the top is the same medallionwith wing-like leaves at each side.Larger version of the medallion are found at center of both sides. Curved bracket at top corners of glass. Bottom of sides stylized with leaf and flower applied design. All wood gilded top of frame is heavier than the sides and bottom.
Louis XV balloon back side chairs. Carved open back with scroll designs at top. Central vertical splat does not connect to seat but rather to a central horizontal splat. Cabriole front legs with carved lines and scrolls, back legs are squared and slightl
Mahogany veneered night stand with a gray marble top, bull-nosed edges and rounded corners. Three inch skirt has an ogee curve on all sides with a wide centered drawer and a small brass knob drawer pull. Skirt surmounts two horizontal beads of trim above an ogee crest and sides that form the frame of the cabinet with a centered side-hinged door. The small brass knob pull is missing. The wide base apron is surmounted with cockbeaded trim and at the base are four beveled carved trimmings around the feet that terminate in casters.
Ogee-molded, gilded frame with large overhanging crest at top. Scrolled leaf carving around edges. Central applied molding at center of shield surrounded by foliate/floral garlands. Top has shell style, with fleur-de-lis crown.
Provenance
Harriet Lane Johnston - Mary Speer Denny- Detwiler
Armchair, balloon back with ornate carved crest of flowers, below center and scroll work. Back has concave curve at sides, flaring to arms. Back seat is separate except for two side attachments. Arms are carved scrolls. Rudimentary claw slopes down to se
Rococo Revival armchair. Cyma curve seat back. Tufted Upholstery (arm rests also). Top crest carved with foliate, central flower design with central tablature and metal plate 'Occupied by the President of the National Democratic Convention at Cincinnati,
One of two triple-arched settees; two outer arches feature taller backs with slight curve, the lower arch is at middle. Each back has a small crest with scroll work and an open loop. Wood exposed only along top of teh settee following its curves and down to the arm rests. Arms and back upholstered as one unit. Serpentine front rail valanced with scrolled molding and central carving mirroring a tulip plant. Cabriole legs at front terminating on casters; rear legs are saber and canted.
Dovetail construction, wire nails used on interior. Inside is a till and a sliding drawer; shoe molding on all bottom inside corners. Below mid-line molding are two thumbnail-molded, side-by-side drawers with nailed joints and fitted with locks, escutcheons and bail-type brasses in batwing style.
Lid is two joined boards with ends tenoned into end boards and pegged, cutting board fashion. Edge molding is intrinsic, not applied, except for light molding attached to underside to create lip. Lid has strap hinges with fishtail terminals and is fitted with a lock and brass batwing-type escutcheon. Medallion is relief-carved into center of lid top with "18 SF 40." The meaning of this 1840 date is a mystery.
Molding at the base of chest; four ogee bracket feet.
Provenance
Provenance: One of twelve pieces of furniture transferred to this museum from the Lancaster County Historical Society. These pieces were part of the estate of Sarah Ann Stauffer (1913-1996) whose property, Lime Kiln Farm, was bequeathed to LCHS upon her death in 1996.
Clarke Hess had suggested the chest may have been made for Sarah Ann Frantz and the 1840 date may be her birth year. Often, he says, pieces of furniture were made for a child or heir at the time of the settling of an estate.
Research: Sarah Ann Frantz (sister of Sarah A. Stauffer's gr-grandfather Henry L. Frantz) was born 1835, Grandfather Samuel O. Frantz was born 1861, so this theory is incorrect. (The East Hempfield Twp. farm of Sarah A. Frantz is located on both the 1875 and 1899 Atlases, SW of Rohrerstown and S.O. Frantz is shown nearby on 1899 Atlas.)
Top has large crack through center and many dents, scratches and score marks. Loss at right end of mid--line molding of front. Multiple cracks in sides. Repairs done to feet. Refinished with heavy stain and varnish on lid and all interior surfaces. Original finish on front is heavily alligatored; finish on sides is crackled. Interior surfaces have had paper and textiles adhere to wet varnish. Sliding drawer has crack in bottom.
Object ID
G.99.41.9
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Transferred from Lancaster Co. Historical Soc., Heritage Center Collection
Small lift-lid desk of walnut, Aesthetic Style, has green baize inset into lid's center panel. Gallery at top rear is missing, leaving only its dark outline and screw holes. Upper section of desk overhangs base, with applied decorative raised panels at front and sides faced with burl veneer. Desk interior has pigeon holes at rear.
Base has 3 drawers and pull-out shelf at right side, and double panel construction on 3 other sides. Base has applied decoration of shaped brackets at top (under overhang) and bottom of sides of front. Applied turned bosses and bulls-eyes. Sits on 4 molded low block feet at corners.
Provenance
Desk reportedly belonged to James Buchanan Henry II (1875-1961).
Desk top finish worn and marred with holes and stains. Baize worn with holes and edge losses. Desk lid warped.
Back right corner of desk top broken off and missing. Top drawer front missing applied edge molding at left side. Left side near front has ten-inch-long crack. Right rear block foot mostly missing, despite nails indicating attempted repair.
Object ID
2013.008.018
Credit
Gift of the Family of Eleanor N. Henry (John D. McNeill Jr., Mary Catherine Henry West, James Buchanan Henry IV, and Elizabeth Henry Richardson)
Oval center table with marble top, rounded on top edge. Elaborate pedestal / leg support. Four arms descend from double layered skirt in curving, flattish, jagged shape to central turned pedestal with top and pendant finial in turnip shape. Four legs des
Rectangular top, green baize-covered (thick, felt-like cloth) writing surface. Ogee-molded edge overhangs crotch-grain skirt with sectioned drawer opening on one long side with two wooden turned knobs. Brackets on top of two legs have rounded medallions,