Blanket chest, walnut with dark brown stain, by Henry Slaugh, showing stylistic influences of Colonial Revival, Italian Renaissance and Arts & Crafts (per donor). Elaborate carving on front & two bottom drawers. Unusual tenoned dado joint used in case construction. Secured with nails.
Hinged lid is unadorned except for double string inlay on edges.
Front, at top, is a frieze with two 1.75"-wide panels of intricate relief carving on either side of a shield inlay keyhole escutcheon. Centered within each carved panel are the first and last names in overlapping letters of the attorney who commissioned the chest "REDMOND" "CONYNHAM". The date of 1916 is also carved at sides of names. In the top corners of the front are carved rectangular boxes with relief carved initials, "H" on left and "S" on right for the maker, Henry Slaugh. Within the relief carving are smaller incised letters, "F" and "W" on left and "E" and "R" on right." Henry Slaugh Workshop.
Center panel has a long rectangle of string inlay with hollow upper corners. Applied, carved ionic columns at extreme left and right are decorated with vertical string inlay. At the top and bottom of the central panel is a thin molding with double string of inlay. The bottom molding and inlay continue around the sides.
Below the center panel are two drawers with double brass bail pulls and central shield inlay keyhole escutcheons and string inlay around the perimeter of each drawer. Flanking the drawers are two inlaid oval paterae. There is a thin molding under the drawers that continues around the sides with a double string of inlay.
Chest has French feet with spurs. Interior contains two fitted sliding drawers.
Redmond Conyngham (1863 - Jan. 8, 1929) was a Lancaster lawyer whose longtime office address was 53 N. Duke. His home at 134 N. Duke was the same residence of his mother & step-father. Later it was 304 N. Lime some time before his death. The 1912 Lancaster Business Guide, p. 11, lists Conyngham, lawyer, and Wm. H. Hager, Dept. Store, at 134 Duke St. Mrs. Wm. H. Hager was his half sister Mary Wilson Hager(1871-1956). Their mother was Mary E. Miller Conyngham Wilson, M.D.; Redmond's father was John Redmond Conyngham(b. 5-26-1842 d.?).
Provenance
Donor purchased chest for $1,000 at the Mary Hager sale held by Horst Auction, Jan. 29, 2000. Chest passed to Conyngham's half-sister who died in 1956, Mary Wilson Hager (Mrs. Wm. H. Hager).
Horst records only say "From the home of Mary Hager." Many items were consigned this way, apparently by a bank that was administering the estate.
Moderate soil and abrasions overall. A 1-inch-long discoloration on top is11.75" from right edge and 22" from front. Chips along top edge of lid. Left column partially separated from chest. Wear near bottom of feet. Back left foot has large loss and some chipping. Chip on right front foot. Loss at left drawer escutcheon;some cracks in others. Scrape below carved numeral "9".
Object ID
G.00.05.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of John J. Snyder, Jr. in honor of the Krote Cousins, Heritage Center Collection
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
Chippendale high chest, mahogany, ornately carved, Phila-inspired Rococo style. Top section has scrolled broken arch pediment with central cartouche (attrib. to Phila carver, Martin Jugiez) and fully relief-carved vine tympanum, leading down to large central drawer w/ large carved shell & surrounding vines. Two small drawers flank center drawer, under which are 4 full-length, graduated drawers with original Chinoiserie brasses. Fluted corner columns on upper case; vine & leaf-carved corner columns on lower case.
Lower chest has top full-length drawer over 3 small drawers that mirror the 3 drawers at top. Again, the center drawer is fully carved. Below drawers is a fully vine-carved skirt w/ shaped bottom. Has 4 carved fully articulated cabriole legs w/ acanthus knees and ball and claw feet and original brass casters.
Original owner Matthias Slough was a colonel in the Rev. War, a superintendent of the Philadelphia to Lancaster Turnpike, a county coroner and treasurer, and tavernkeeper of the White Swan. Buried in St. James Episcopal Cemetery.
Made by unknown Lancaster Borough workshop.
Provenance
Original owner believed to be Mathias Slough, based on a 1934 letter from Ethel Torrington Davis to Mr.(James?) McCormick. Ms. Davis states her mother received story from her mother Mrs. Beatty. Mathias Slough married Mary Gibson and had three daughters. The oral tradition is that each daughter was given a high chest. These chests then descended in the family, one of which descended through the mother of Ethel T. Davis to James McCormick (in payment of an outstanding debt). This info researched by John J. Snyder.
From a July 1975 letter, donor George J. Finney recalls the highboy in the home of James McCormick of Hbg, his grandfather. After his death in 1917, it stayed with the house & his son Donald McCormick until his death in 1945. It was then put up for sale at auction of household good but failed to sell due to price not meeting expectations of executors. Donor learned of this, and in 1946 he offered to buy it for $2,500 and the estate accepted. Donor has owned highboy since 1946. Upon the death of the donor, it was bequeathed from his estate.
Multiple repairs (e.g. pieced out around drawers); refinished; some losses, most noticeable in some cartouche elements and leaves of rosettes. Finials missing the ball at mid section. Cosmetic conservation done by Cory Berrett April 1992.
Repairs made 12-2-09 by Winterthur conservator in consultation with curator Wendy Cooper (see conservation report in file). Major changes: broken off rosette leaf tips replaced; missing finial balls and top plates of plinths replaced.
Object ID
G.92.06
Notes
John Snyder states that mahogany is unusual for Lancaster Co. high-style pieces. Secondary woods are poplar and pine.
He notes six or fewer high chests of this Lancaster County Chippendale design are known to exist, and that of these six, "this piece is unquestionably the finest example." (Based on artistic evaluation, condition and provenance. Of these other chests, 2 are in private collections, one is in the State Department collection at Yale University, and the others' whereabouts are currently unknown.
Snyder says this high chest is closely related structurally to the famous Chippendale desk and bookcase acquired by the Winterthur Museum from the Withers family, living near Strasburg, Lancaster Co.
OBITUARY
May 14, 2009 FRANCES DAVIS HASSINGER EVERHART, of Lower Allen Township, Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away Thursday, May 14, 2009, in Bethany Village, Mechanicsburg. Frances was born March 1, 1916, in Harrisburg, PA, the daughter of CARL W. AND ETHEL TORRINGTON DAVIS. She was a 1938 graduate of Vassar Co...
Matthias Slough (1733-1812) was the tavernkeeper of the White Swan. The high chest was made at an unknown Lancaster Boro workshop, except for the carved cartouche of Philadelphia.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, bequest of George J. Finney Estate
