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
A Cannon Pinion, 2 pieces (in a small circular metal container with lid.) Accompanying patent documentation in file). A part for inside a clock.
Cannon Pinion is the heart of the motion works. This piece translates the movement of the wheels on the back into the time keeping display on the front.
A: Homemade awl or piercing tool with hand-shaped shank with turned up tip set into a crude wooden handle with no finish. L: 5.25"
B: Awl or bodkin with decoratively turned walnut or rosewood handle fitted with a foresection of bone set into handle that tapers to a sharp point. L: 5"
C: Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3.25"
D. Section of cow's horn (thumb protector?) L: 3"
Provenance
These four items were designated as basketweaving tools by donor. Unknown origin.
Pen nib of gold. Marked on top is "MABIE / TODD & CO / NEW YORK / 4". This company had roots in the 1840s, but established as Mabie, Todd & Co. in New York around 1907. They were known for their gold nibs, pencils and pens.
Taped to card with "See Minutes" in pencil. Accompanying cut envelope is addressed to LCHS with postmark from Seattle, Washington 26 Sep 1976. In pen is written "Gold Pen Point Box 23." Crossed-out name below is "Ann Hoeck(?)".
Provenance
A present from Thaddeus Steven to Eli Lybe--with memorandum "Thaddeus Stevens pen. Presented to Eli Lybe by young Thad."
World War I medal consists a cast bronze pentagonal medallion suspended from a silk ribbon of green and white, pinned to an oblong buff colored card printed with "WELCOME HOME / BOYS!" at the top and "LANCASTER, PA. / MADE BY J.F.A.Co." at the bottom.
Medallion hangs from ribbon via two brass rings. Raised detail on face is "WELCOME HOME" written in a banner at top. At center is the Lancaster seal flanked by the date "1919". Banner at bottom reads "LANCASTER PA." Ribbon has a safety pin stitched to upper back side, and is mounted by pin onto printed card.
Inscribed in ink on card to right of medallion is "$6.50". Struck on reverse of medallion is "JFACo."
Bronze is very dark with tarnish and soil. Ribbon is in poor condition with losses of green threads at left and broken and separating threads at right side. Card is worn and darkened with bottom right corner missing.
Easter egg decorated by David B. Landis for his wife Bertha Cochran Landis for Easter of 1931. White chicken egg, with contents intact, is covered with inked inscriptions printed by hand. Two arrows are drawn at "To" of "To / Bertha / Cochran / Landis / From / David / Bachman / Landis / at / 38 East / Chestnut / Street / Lancaster / Pa. " Written vertically is "EASTER 1931". On one end is "An Egg in the hand is worth two in the nest" and the opposite end has "The hen that laid this egg ought to see her product now!"
Housed in a fitted lid square cardboard box covered with colored and textured paper except for the gold textured lid. The underside of lid has pink satin-covered cardboard cutout that accomodates egg shape. Scrap of pink paper inside is a note written in cursive with blue ink: "Easter Egg - Decorated by David B. Landis 1931 for me - Bertha Cochran Landis. Handle with care".
Cast-iron toy tri-motor Fokker aquaplane, painted yellow. Made of multiple castings fitted and securred with screws. Three wire spring cables are fitted to pulleys under plane, allowing the 4 rubber wheels to turn the 3 propellers and activate a noisemaker. Raised letters atop wings spell "FRIENDSHIP". "NX4202" is on tail and "Fokker" is on left side of fuselage. All letters painted blue. Inside hollow fuselage is "HUBLEY." Gold seal on left end of wing reads "It's a Hubley Toy". Profile of Earhart is cast into one of the two rear windows on left side.
The Friendship was flown across the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Wales, on June 17, 1928, with Amelia Earhart aboard. She was only a passenger, but this event won her immense fame, including a ticker tape parade in New York City, and started her career as a major celebrity. (see Notes on why this plane was made.)
Provenance
Plane was given to donor by his friend Charlie Reiger (sp?).
Moderate overal loss of paint; rust on exposed metal; cracking rubber on wheels.
Object ID
G.88.9
Notes
Hubley Mfg. Co. was commissioned by Pittsburgh industrialist Arthur E. Braun (1876-1976) to make 22 yellow aquaplanes modeled on Earhart's Friendship. Earhart signed each one and Braun gave the planes out as gifts at a reception in honor of Earhart, held at his own residence in Pittsburgh in June of 1929. This plane is unsigned, suggesting perhaps that this example may have been a factory extra.
In 1932, Earhart flew solo across the Atlantic, again achieving acclaim as the 2nd person and 1st woman to do so. She received the Distinguished Flying Cross from Congress, the gold medal of the National Geographic Society and the Cross of the Legion of Honor from France.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of Samuel S. Snyder, Heritage Center Collection
Flat shaped tool is constructed of two sheet brass sides riveted together at the handle end, allowing a flat triangular iron blade that is sandwiched between to slide out at the other end for cutting. Blade slides via a small riveted guide that slides along a slot in the brass sides. Cutter's brass sides have a fleur-de-lis-shaped handle and scalloped sides and each slot has a measuriing scale numbered from one to ten.
Inscription: The sliding guide on both sides of the slot reads "D.M.CO. / PAT SEPT. 3, 72 / BPT.CONN."
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.
