Dial scribe used originally for engraving circular lines (chapter rings) in brass dials. Converted for use with later white-painted dials (probably held a pen, according to clock expert Ed LaFond). Used by Jacob Gorgas (1728-1798). Maker unknown; most likely Lancaster Borough.
The tool arm is created from a foot-long bar of iron, rectangular in section. One end is enlarged and fitted with a vertical attachment made of cone-shaped iron surmounted by a turned wooden (walnut?) handle. This vertical attachment comes to a blunt point at the bottom. A shaped sleeve fits onto the horizontal iron bar and is fitted with a vertical hexagonal hole at one side. Two iron thumb screws are positioned at each side of sleeve.
Provenance
Owned by two brothers, Samuel K. and William L. Fraser, clockmakers who lived in Lincoln (just west of Ephrata) and grandsons of clockmaker William Fraser (1801-1877), then to early collector Earl T. Strickler (FNAWCC) who had it on display at the Columbia Clock and Watch Museum. Upon Strickler's sudden death circa 1974, it was sold by his widow, Mary Jane Strickler, to Edward F., Jr. and Virginia A. LaFond who owned it for "20 some" years. They then traded it to dealer Jamie Price for some clocks. Price had it on sale at the 2004 Philadelphia Antiques Show in mid-April where, as representative for the von Hess Foundation, Tom Cook, purchased it for this museum's collections.
Ed LaFond believes the Fraser family was related to the Gorgas family, thus they were in a position to inherit tools. Due to this, it was believed at first that both the machine and the scribe were from the Gorgas family. However, LaFond believes the Frasers were also related to the Shreiners.
Iron surface is pitted from corrosion, now stable. Turned wood handle is moderately worn and scarred with a broken off piece creating one flattened side. Wood is also checked (cracked) throughout neck.
Object ID
G.04.19.2
Notes
Stacy Wood researched origins and provenance of these tools and wrote an article in Vol. 96 #4 of LCHS Journal. Conversations with Virginia LaFond ( 5/19/04) and Ed LaFond (7/6/04).
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Usage
Gorgas, Jacob, 1728-1798
Credit
Gift of the Richard C. von Hess Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Sheraton-inspired mahogany veneer night table with satinwood inlay accents that outline the apron, drawer and keyhole, as well as the legs. The table top has eight sides and surmounts four saber legs that also support a lower inward-curved shelf.
Copper pint measure or mug. Straight sides taper in toward mouth with rolled lip edge. Strap handle anchored with 2 rivets at top; one at base. Keyed seam beneath handle. Some tinning remains on interior.
Handle is stamped "(E)ICHHOLTZ". Letter "E" is partially hidden at top.
Provenance
Purchased by Gunnions at Conestoga Auction circa March 1986.
Heritage Center purchased from Gunnion Antiques Aug. 1986
Tom Ryan, The Worlds of Jacob Eichholtz., pp. 1-3 and 82.
Henry Kauffman, American Copper and Brass, p. 119.
Height (in)
4.5
Width (in)
4.5
Diameter (in)
3.25
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2013-11-18
Condition Notes
Interior worn with some corrosion. Handle split below top left rivet. Small to significantly larger dents on sides and bottom. Some scratches from general wear. Surface has been polished and lacquered. Some polish residue visible at both the rolled lip and rolled base.
First "H" and "T" of "ichholtz" are very worn.
Object ID
P.86.3
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation.
Birth & baptismal certificate on laid paper. Printed form with central textblock in German within a multiple line border. Infilled and decorated around textblock by Speyer; cross-legged angel at top, pelicans feeding young at sides and flowers at sides and bottom. Watercolors are red, blue, yellow, green and brown.
Infilled for Johannes, son of Valiendein (Valentine) and Eliesabetha (Elisabetha) Bohmer of Brecknock Township in Lancaster Co., born Dec. 13, 1788.
Georg Friederich Speyer (active 1774-1801) used this printed form produced c. 1789 by Barton & Johnson of Reading. See Notes.
General wear with numerous creases and wrinkles; one pronounced vertical centerline crease. Repaired tears, esp at left edge. All edges are ragged and uneven, esp. at right.
Conserved by CCAHA in 1989 (see report in file). Hinged into window mat & back mat. Relaced in its original frame using UF-3 Plexiglas and acid-free cardboard on reverse with a taped mylar dust shield.
Object ID
G.77.50.1
Notes
Printed form by Reading printers Thomas Barton and Benjamin Johnson, circa 1789 (see Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the Pa. Germans, v. 4, p. 84). Speyer used this printed form for Johannes Bohmer who was born the previous year in1788.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Multicolored Vorschrift done by schoolmaster/fraktur artist Christian Strenge on rectangular laid paper. Bordered in a yellow band with red corners. German script text has an elaborately embellished large upper case letter "K" at upper left and multicolored floral design filling entire right side, surmounted by a distinctive yellow crested bird. Colors are red, yellow, blue and green. Modern frame.
Hand-printed in black ink above the letter "K" is the name of recipient, David Neff. Signed at the bottom by Strenge in German script: "Written in Hempfield Township in the year 1801 by Christian Strenge." Inscribed on reverse in script is "David Neff" in black ink.
The text begins with Psalm 95:1-4, "Kommt lasset(?) uns dem...," followed by two alphabets, the first in upper case and the second in lower case, and finally the numerals 1 - 14. (See translation on copy of nearly identical fraktur in file).
Provenance
Provenance: This Vorschrift was recently found in a book in the library of Sarah Stauffer on Lime Spring farm along the Marietta Pike. Consigned to sale at Conestoga Auction Co. and purchased 29 June 1998 with funds from V. Ronald Smith ($9,725) and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R. ($125).
John J. Snyder, Jr. researched Stauffer genealogy to discover a relationship to David Neff. See letters & charts in this file which explain the likelihood that the fraktur may have passed from Neff (probably when he went to Ohio, perhaps unknowingly hidden in a book, even as it was found recently) to his cousins, such as Anna Bear Lehman who is in the direct line of Stauffer descent. David Neff (1791-1866) was the son of Henry & Anna Oberholzer Neff. He would have been about 10 yrs. old when fraktur was made.
Generally good condition, although two folds show some breaking with tangential tears. Other minor tears and one small hole at right center. Some soiling, foxing and minor stains overall. Edges lifting in frame.
Conserved 1998 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. Surfaced cleaned and losses repaired. Hinge-mounted on acid free mat and sealed in a package for framing. Mounted in modern black frame by Lancaster Galleries circa 2004.
Object ID
P.98.25.1
Notes
Christian Strenge was a Hessian soldier turned school teacher.
Place of Origin
East Petersburg, East Hempfield Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of V. Ronald Smith and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R., Heritage Center Collection
