Pair of hand-knitted woolen stockings, worn by Amish women, called 'wedding stockings' Done in purple. 3-inch decorative top border with bands of red, purple and white. Scalloped top edge.
Within a 1-inch white band wide beneath decorative edge is a red "B B" and "1873" cross-stitched in red wool. Two red flowers with purple leaves separate date from initials.
Seam runs at back of calf from top to heel.
2 bands of red at toes.
Probably made for Amish woman with initials "BB", perhaps standing for a member of the Beiler family.
McCauley notes the popularity of knitting i American during the 1850s-1970s. "Patterns for knitting initials and dates into sock were published in women's magazines during this period and would have been available to the Amish community." (Wendell Zercher)
Photo appeared in "Knitting America" (2007) Michael Dregni, editor. Page 65.
Date Range
1873
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 5
Storage Container
Box 0058
Object Name
Stocking
Material
Wool
Length (cm)
5.842
Length (ft)
0.1916666667
Length (in)
2.3
Dimension Details
5 inches wide at top (folded)= 10-inch circumference
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2006-08-02
Condition Notes
Very good condition; slight color fading. Darned at toes.
Pair of hand-knitted woolen stockings, called 'Wedding Stockings,' worn by Amish women. Done in a mixed blue-and-red yarn with two bands of white at top. White toes decorated with a single 2-row band blue-red yarn.
Top 1.25-inch is knit 2-purl 2 ribbing, .25-inch of white at top edge. Below ribbing is a band of white with 'CD' and '1876' separate by two sets of three all-red flowers. These are knitted into the stocking (unlike P.06.15.03). Seam runs at back of calf, from top to heel. Probably made for Amish woman with initials 'CD,' perhaps standing for the Amish name Diener/Dienner.
This pair of stockings is pictured in Decorative Arts of the Amish of Lancaster County, p. 96. McCauley notes the popularity of knitting in American during the 1850s-1870s. "Patterns of knitting initials and dates into sock were published in women's magazines during this period and would have been available to the Amish community. (Owned at this time by Anne and Tom Wentzel.)
(Written by Wendell Zercher.)
These stockings were also pictured in the book "Knitting America," edited by Michale Dregni (2007) on page 65.
Date Range
1876
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 5
Storage Container
Box 0058
Object Name
Stocking
Length (cm)
50.8
Length (ft)
1.6666666667
Length (in)
20
Dimension Details
5 inches wide at top with sock folded in half = 10-inch circumference
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2006-07-02
Condition Notes
Good overall with multiple small holes near tops--moth damage. No visible wear or fading.
Watercolor aerial-angled view picturing the lower right corner of the bed. Green fabric curtains are tied to the slender fluted wooden column beneath the top decorative gray wooden edging. A square wood portion of the column supports the cross piece at the foot of the bed. A white covering on the bed has pink stripes along its edge and a green flounce matching the curtains above hangs between the mattress and the floor. Printed in lower left corner: "BEDSTEAD/ YEATES' HOUSE/1879."
Watercolor of "Mirror/ Yeates Mansion/ Lancaster/Pa:-" In lower right corner is a letter embellishment "m?n:" and beneath it, "-1879-" Oval-shaped mirror hanging on the wall is edged ornately with gold-colored curved leafy branches. On the top at the center is a gold lamppost/ torch.
There is a brown mark on the bottom edge, about 1.5 inches from the left corner. There are the remains of a previous backing on the corners and sides of the reverse which have partially bled through to the fronts, especially at the lower left corner. (by Scott Sagar, 12/06/2000)
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.42
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Ink drawing on paper, depicting the entrance hall of the Yeates Mansion. The foreground shows a chair, cushioned bench, and rug as well as a map on the left wall and a framed coat of arms on the right wall. At midpoint are fluted pilasters supporting Doric Order entablature, and in the rear is an open stair case and a rear door.
The drawing itself is in black and white, while the border has been colored tan.
The caption at lower left reads "HALL OF 'Ye OLDEN TIME'/ YEATES MANSION/ LANCASTER. PA."
The artist has signed and dated the drawing in the lower right corner: "8/79/ D. McN. Stauffer"
(Written by Scott Sager) NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
This piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2000-12-13
Condition Notes
The edges are worn and browned. Part of the bottom left corner is A light brown mark appears at the bottom, to the left of the caption. There are remains of a previous backing on the corners of the reverse, and glue stains have bled through to the front., especially in the lower right corner.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.71
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Ink drawing on paper, depicting the residence of Jasper Yeates Mansion. It shows a 3-story brick building with a 2-story rear section. The front entrance has a sideways staircase and pedimented door flanked by two columns. A man carrying a package is shown walking along the side of the house.
The drawing itself is in black and white, while the border has been colored tan.
A banner in the lower right corner reads " RESIDENCE/ OF/ HON/ JASPER YEATES/ LANCASTER/ PA"
The artist has signed and dated the drawing in the lower left corner: " D. McN. Stauffer. fecit 1879.""
(Written by Scott Sager) NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
This piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2000-12-13
Condition Notes
A significant brown mark appears in the lower left area of the drawing, between the stairs and basement window. A smaller brown mark appears in the sky, 1 inch to the left of the top of the chimney. A blue ink mark appears on the top edge, about 5 inches from the top right corner. There are remains of a previous backing on the corners of the reverse.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.72
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Ink drawing on paper of the Old White House, a 2-story building with a raised doorway, basement entrance, and possible skylight in the roof. There is a high fence extending from the corner of the building. A man with a walking stick and a boy with a stick and hoop are shown in front of the fence.
The border has been colored light brown.
A sign over the door reads" JOHN WHITE BOOK BINDER" and a smaller sing on the second floor reads "1764." The caption at the bottom reads "The Old 'White" House/ East Orange St.: Lancaster Pa:/ in which tradition ways the Continental Congress met 1777 (?)"
Tradition also claimed that this was the house of Timothy Matlack during the Revolution.
(Written by Scott Sagar) NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
Ink drawing on paper of the parlor door of the Yeates Mansion showing a 6-paneled door with four strap hinges, crowned with pediment. The upper portion of the surrounding wall has been painted gray; the rest of the drawing is in black and white.
The caption reads:'PARLOR DOOR "YEATES MANSION"--/ LANCASTER PA.' A note at the bottom rights reads "Scale. 3/4" = 1"." The drawing is dated "9/79" in the lower right corner and appears to have the artist's signature. NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
There is significant brown mark on the right side of the door frame between the two lowest hinges. There are the remains of a previous backing on the corners and sides of the back, and some of this is visible on the front, specifically at the upper left corner and halfway down the left side.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.23
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Ink drawing on paper depicting the Indian Queen Tavern, a large 3-story plastered stone building with a high pitches roof and multiple entryways. The paster has fallen off in several spots. A man sitting on the steps leading to one of the entrances is talking to a woman standing on the sidewalk. A street sign for Church Street is attached to a tree at the right corner of the tavern.
The caption written on a scroll at the bottom reads "THE INDIAN QUEEN TAVERN/LANCASTER PA: EAST KING ST." Below is written "D. McN. STAUFFER. SEPT. 1879." (Written by Scott Sagar.)
There are brown marks running down the right side and the remains of a previous backing on the corners and sides of the reverse, some of which is visible on the edges of the front, specifically the upper and lower left corners and about 4" in from the upper left corner.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.29
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Black silk quilted woman's bonnet with large visor attached to small crown at back. Long skirting around nape of neck is not quilted. Bonnet is hand-quilted with a running stitch in two wide outer bands having a zig-zag pattern, and nine narrow inner bands. Cotton batting.
The lining at the back of interior is cotton print of squares in tan, white, blue and plum.
Two black tying strings are pinned to the bottom--one partial tie is sewn on.
Year Range From
1840
Year Range To
1870
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Storage Container
Box 0059
Object Name
Bonnet
Height (cm)
33.02
Height (ft)
1.0833333333
Height (in)
13
Width (cm)
25.4
Width (ft)
0.8333333333
Width (in)
10
Depth (cm)
20.32
Depth (ft)
0.6666666667
Depth (in)
8
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2001-05-18
Condition Notes
Small losses to silk on outside; larger loss on interior silk. Fraying in interior where black silk meets lining.
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.
Redware jar of square body with four sides, each press-molded with the same recessed oval having raised design of C-scrolls, flowers and leaves. Corners of body are chamfered. Round neck supports a wide round mouth with protruding lip. No recess for a lid. Bottom is recessed with an impressed marking: "D. OBER,S./ POTTERY." Dark brown body has lead glaze overall. Three furniture marks on bottom from the firing.
Very small redware jar, squat ovoid shape with small foot ring and flaring rim. Orange-brown body, decorated with random slanted swaths of dark manganese. Tin glazed inside and out except for bottom 1/5 of exterior and bottom.
Unique inscription: "A Bixler" is impressed on bottom with printer's fraktur typeface.
East Earl Twp. or Brecknock Twp. Attributed to Absalom Bixler (1802-1884).
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
Butter crock, stoneware, blue-gray ground with cobalt floral decoration. Lip is 7/8 inch high with scored decorative rings below. Applied handle at each side near top.
Clarke Hess says this crock is known "in the trade" as a cake crock.
Several cracks: one extends 2 1/4 inches down from lip to exterior air bubble on surface, one extends down side from top to bottom (especially visible at lip and exterior. Crazing over much of surface. Salts visible at lip, inside and outside
Object ID
G.04.23.07
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Profile of man in a high collar uniform, believed to be Napoleon Bonaparte, cast in chalkware as a framed representation under glass. Rectangular frame has conforming recessed area with cast profile in relief. Old glazing on frame covers image. Chalkware frame is painted dark green with a wire hanging ring imbedded at top center. Profile has black-painted, forward-swept hair with sideburns and pink-rouged cheek. Uniform is of red and black with high red collar and gold epaulette. Created as a memento and sold likely via peddler.
Inscriptions on back in pencil are faint. It appears to be "John M. Snavely/ picked April the 19/ A.D. 1863/ John S(nave)ly." Research reveals a John M. Snavely born 12/17/1843 and died 9/22/1883. 1880 census records him living at home with his farmer parents, Michael and Fannie, and working as a laborer. Obit notes funeral held at Denlinger's Mennonite Meeting House.
Interior profile appears in good condition due to glazing. Outside frame suffers the most with extensive paint loss and significant wear to frame corners. Strong soil on back and other unpainted area.
Object ID
G.04.23.16
Place of Origin
Eastern US
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Figure of a woman with brown hair wearing an ochre broad-rimmed hat, long-sleeved, full-skirted dress painted blue-green with ochre trim on bodice only, and unpainted pantaloons with black shoes. She is also holding a hankerchief in her right hand and flowers in her left hand. Square plinth with clipped corners is lightly dabbed with tannish-brown. Back side is inpainted.
Inscription inside base is pencilled "PRC".
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during their visits back East from CA. Donation to the Heritage Center.
Moderate soiling and paint loss. Small chips throughout; large loss on back right corner of base. Mended break in the left skirt. Several paint splatters on skirt front.
Object ID
G.98.51.75
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, 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."
Paperweight or keepsake of carved white marble has a carved reclining sheep, done in bas relief, is lying on a narrow ledge on an inch-thick slab of marble resembling a curved top tombstone. Incised name in block letters below the sheep: "E. M. Howell." Bottom edge below name is relieved with a carved cupid's bow design.
Attributed to Charles M. Howell (4-24-1814 to 4-10-1903).
Provenance
Donor inherited two carvings from her Aunt Annie and Aunt Kate Willson. They were pupils in Charles M. Howell's Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church and he passed them out as Christmas gifts. Great grandson Dick Witmer states E.M. Howell is certainly Howell's wife Elizabeth Michael who Charles married in 1841. She died 10-22-1877.
Howell was an important in business and civic affairs. He operated a marble yard on N. Queen St. in Lancaster. Other carvings by Howell's employee,
Augustus Beck, are extant. Dick's brother Bob Witmer removed these large carvings (of lions?) that had been at the corner of a Howell residence at East Chestnut and Cherry Sts. to his home outside the city. Additional small carvings are reportedly owned by Lancaster collector Gene Charles.
Paperweight or keepsake of carved white marble has a 3-D carved reclining sheep reclining on a half-inch-thick rectangular base, secured with a screw on underside. Base has chamfered top edges. Thin sheet of red rubber glued to underside of base.
Attributed to Charles M. Howell (4-24-1814 to 4-10-1903).
Provenance
Donor inherited two carvings from her Aunt Annie and Aunt Kate Willson. They were pupils in Charles M. Howell's Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church and he passed them out as Christmas gifts.
Howell was an important in business and civic affairs. He operated a marble yard on N. Queen St. in Lancaster. Other carvings by Howell's employee,
Augustus Beck, are extant. Dick's brother Bob Witmer removed these large carvings (of lions?) that had been at the corner of a Howell residence at East Chestnut and Cherry Sts. to his home outside the city. Additional small carvings are reportedly owned by Lancaster collector Gene Charles.
