A) Violin - Label on the interior reads, "MADE BY ROY ZIMMERMAN / STRASBURG, PA / 1984." Spruce front plate, cherry back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Complete with four strings, bridge, and chin rest.
B) Case - Inside of case is padded with black fuzzy padding, two small storage compartments with lift tabs. Black plastic handle, two metal locks and two rings for a strap on case.
Violin owned by William Conroy.
Provenance
This gift is given in memory of Roy Zimmerman.
Purchased by donor from Roy Zimmerman for $1000, circa 1999. Violins are commonly made from spruce,and maple. Maple is used for the back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Spruce is used for the front plate of a violin.
This violin is very unusual in that it is constructed of cherry with a spruce front plate.
Referred to as a fiddle by donor who used it when playing "folk" music with various groups, including Stone Soup.
Coin of dull gray nonferrous cast metal in an irregular shape, replicating a Spanish piece of eight. One side has a central cross dividing the space into quadrants, two filled with a rampant lion and two with a stylized castle. Opposite side has a pirate ship with skull and crossbones prominently emblazoned on one sail, while top sail has "PIRATES / LANCASTER / PA" in raised letters.
Produced under the auspices of the Pirates Club of Lancaster as an emblem of their men's club, likely a later rendition of the original produced c. 1948. See Notes.
Some wear and flattening on coin edge. Faces have some wear at salient points.
Object ID
2009.003.7
Notes
This coin is perhaps the one described below, or perhaps a later incarnation. The following is lifted from the history given on their website:
"A beautiful emblem of membership was suggested and adopted at a dinner meeting October 21, 1948, following a cruise to the United States Naval Base in Philadelphia. It is a sterling pocket piece – the piece-of-eight - and insures the distribution of plenty of booty. The reserve of this fine coin carries the H.S. Williamson in full sail. Her flag shows, “Pirates of Lancaster, PA.” the coin is an exact replica of a piece-of-eight “the last one left of 4,623 picked up off the Azores some years ago.” The emblems: skull and cross bones, crows nest compass, treasure map, cutlass, tri-cornered hat, Pirate chest and a bottle of rum."
