Charcoal Portrait of Simon Cameron by Bertha L. Cochran. There are faint grid lines--first horizontal line is at the top of Cameron's head. In lower right corner, written in cursive with charcoal: "Simon Cameron / by / Bertha L. Cochran / -1890-"
Bertha L. (Cochran) Landis donated a collection to the Lancaster County Historical Society. (She married David B. Landis in 1914 and she died in 1959.) May have been donated by Mrs. George W. Hicks in 1930. See object file for additional information.
Portrait of a Plain gentleman with beard and no mustache. Front view, the man has brown hair parted on left and a gray beard. He wears a lapelled coat, vest, white shirt and bow tie. The signature "Saylor" appears beneath the left sleeve of the subject.
NOTE: Since B(enjamin) Franklin Saylor (1838-1920) was a photographer in Lancaster, this may be a photograph that was accented/highlighted with pencil.
Above measurements are to the portrait sheet that is attached to a cardboard piece 13" x 16". Back of cardboard shows some fluid stains in the lower right corner and foxing overall. Heavy streaks of brown along the right edge.
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2023-01-19
Condition Notes
Although brown around edged, these areas were covered by an oval frame and the photo/portrait is clean.
Pastel portrait of a woman, dark hair parted in middle, facing slightly to the left. Her white head covering has a thin band beneath the chin. A white sash is around her neck, overlapped in the front to cascade below her chin and widen down of her chest.
This Gutekunst photo has been enhanced with charcoal and white pastels. It is matted with an oval opening. Angled along the base of her left sleeve impressed in tiny cursive is " F. Gutekunst" with a line beneath.
Written in pencil on reverse: " 189/ Pastel Portrait,/ woman".
Label on back: "From/ F. Gutekunst/ Photographer,/ 719 Arch Street, Philadelphia."
Frederick Gutekunst (September 25, 1831 – April 27, 1917) was an American photographer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He opened his first photographic portrait studio with his brother in 1854 and successfully ran his business for sixty years.
Year Range From
1854
Year Range To
1914
Object Name
Drawing
Oither Names
Portrait
Condition
Good to excellent
Condition Date
2023-06-19
Condition Notes
The fine condition has been preserved by the oval-cut mat and backing for this piece. There is a chunk of the top mat missing from the lower left edge.
Charcoal-photo on paper that's attached to a heavy cardboard backer. Written on reverse: "Ida (V?) Liff/ Born Feb 5, 1856/ Died 1930? Daughter of H.S. & Mary E. Liff."
Ida is looking to the left. Her dark wavy hair is parted in the middle and pulled and attached in the back. She is wearing a dangling pierced-ear earring. Her dark garment top, with three decorated buttons on the front that are beneath a horizontal pin at the neckline. Over both shoulders of her garment there is elaborate decorative stitching/trim
Painting of young, uniformed Civil War "soldier", posing in front of a cannon & American flag and leaning on a fluted pedestal with urn. Painting done a paper 5 3/8" x 6 1/2" piece of paper paste-mounted onto a larger piece of paperboard within a double-line border. Below image is a hand-painted cartouche with "Regimental Bugler, A.F. Shenck, / 9th Penna. Vet. Calvary, / Aged 14 years". Outside of border at bottom left is painted "PRESENTED TO A.F. SHENCK ESQ., / BY REDMOND CONYNGHAM.
Note: Redmond Conyngham (1863-1929) was a Lancaster attorney as was Shenck (8-16-1846 to 4-1-1921). This presentation piece appears to have been a gift and tribute to Shenck, honoring his Civil War service, suggesting a friendship between the two colleagues.
Provenance
Note on card accompanying drawing/painting is: "D.A.R. gift / 1880s". This date seems doubtful since it suggests Shenck giving this presentation piece away while still a young man in his 30's or early 40's.
"A.B. Rote & Co., Ornamental and Structural Iron and Steel Works" advertisement containing a list of work done by the company and address. A precise ink drawing (scale 1"= 1 ft.) of a sample ornamental iron gate is featured below the written information.
Items listed include: plain and ornamental iron fences, cellar grates, window guards, iron stairs, fire escapes, stable fittings, brass and iron grilles and railings, elevators enclosures, beams and girders, roof trusses and columns, bolts and anchors and erecting of structural steel works.
See Object file 2023.001.163 for more information. Donation by Mrs. Margaret Smith in 1957 includes projector (2023.001.163) and slides 2002.091.38-40, 42, 43 & 2002.095.30,32.
