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
Large fraktur is both a Vorschrift & Taufschein, done on laid paper, for Johan Philip Grunewalt, born June 17, 1756, in Cocalico Twp. Mounted in modern red-painted frame with window mat. Has watermark of a shield with a fleur-de-lys at top and "GR" at bottom.
Large religious text at top begins: "Dass walt der Trey Einige Ewige un Endliche und Allmachtige gott der gott, Abraham der gott, Isaac der gott, Jacob der heylige In Israel Auser welche..." followed by 2 more lines of in smaller font, then13 lines of German script filling center of fraktur. Below this is a line of large fraktur style alphabet, then numerals, and finally a line of German script.
At bottom is the taufschein section noting Johan's birth and baptism. German script at bottom right Alan Keyser identifies as simply completing the previous sentence due to running out of space. It is "auffer stehung(en)" which ends the thought of eine seelige... "toward a blessed after-life" (or resurrection). Following the mention of holy baptism are sponsors names, Jorg Weber and his wife Ann Eliza. No date of baptism.
Around entire fraktur is a 3-line border of red, yellow and blue, with a religious text dated 1767 between red & yellow lines. Decoration at top, within border, are simple leafy vines with stylized tulips of red, yellow, green and black.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin Co., p. 300 ff.
Height (in)
19
Width (in)
23.875
Dimension Details
Unframed dimensions. Frame is 25" x 31"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-08-04
Condition Notes
Damp stains mostly at top border and some foxing across surface. Significant damage to paper from multiple tape repairs at fold lines. (Conserved in 1996 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. and placed in a sealed Mylar package on acid-free corrugated board).
Object ID
P.94.21.2
Notes
Recipient of Vorschrift, John Philip Greenawalt, was born in Cocalico Twp. to parents Philip Lorentz and Maria (or Margaret?) (Foesser) Greenawalt. He apparently settled in Ephrata where he was a farmer and a hotel keeper.
Son John Philip served as first lieutenant in the Rev. War (and his father served as a colonel with Washington at Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, etc.). The Dauphin Co. Biog. Encyclopedia, p. 300, states Philip became a hotel keeper at Lebanon after the war. He apparently left Cocalico Twp. no later than 1763.
Place of Origin
Cocalico Twp.
Usage
Grunewalt, Johan Philip, 1756-1834
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation
Small Vorschrift done for Jacob Stibgen, mounted within a white window mat. Within a thin border writing example, first line begins with enlarged, decorated letters with flowers and bird: "Allein Gott in der Hoh" with ending "Seig Ehr" in tiny letters below "Hoh". Translation: All glory to God on high. Following lines in English, then the alphabet and finally numerals.
Signed at the bottom "Diese Vorschrift gehoret mir Jacob Stibgen febreary (sic) the 10 1817." Translation: This Vorschrift belongs to me..." . Colors are muted: red, brown, dirty yellow and some black. Some notations on reverse of matboard.
Overall light brown age darkening. Several dark brown stains along bottom left and near center, above "20". Quarter inch discoloration at top, left of center. A 3" long slanted line near upper left corner is breaking, has holes and at right end extends a 1" long vertical break from top down. Also some color losses along break. Surface loss of about 1/4" at left border, 1/5" up from bottom.
Object ID
2017.999.15
Notes
Appraisal done by Pastor Fred Weiser on 2 Sept 1988. Marked fraktur #13 during this event.
Liebesbriefe (love letter) papercut or scherenschnitte on laid paper, mounted on green paperboard within a black wooden frame. Intricately cut circular design has narrow sawtooth border and cutout hearts, urns and flowers (tulips and carnations) in a repeated design. Center has a large flower-like, scalloped edged shape outlined in blue and lines of text written in red ink around periphery. It reads: "Lieben und nicht haben ist harter dann stein graben, und nicht bey sammen seyn(?) / ist fur wahr die groste pein." Appears to read: To love and not have (have love requited) is harder than stone (graben?) and not by ? ? ? is in truth the greatest pain.
16 inverted hearts dominate outer area, arranged in a staggered fashion around periphery. Each heart is alternately edged in blue or red and each is numbered and infilled with an expression of love written in red ink. Eight 2-handled urns radiate outward from center filled with tulip plants that connect with the hearts. Vasiform paper shapes alternate with urns and are decorated with drawings of tulips and blue flowers. Watercolor decoration is typical color palette of red, yellow, blue and what originally was green foliage. On back of acidic paperboard is written "This is probably Christian Strange (sic) Cut-Out." Old paper label taped to back is printed "An Old Pennsylvania / German Valentine."
See David R. Johnson, Christian Strenge's Fraktur, East Petersburg Historical Society, 1995, for two other examples.
Diameter (cm)
33.3375
Diameter (ft)
1.09375
Diameter (in)
13.125
Dimension Details
Diameter of frame is 19.5"
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2017-06-26
Condition Notes
Delicate cutout has heavy losses, especially sawtooth border, parts of flowers & leaves as well as 3 missing vasiform (resembling a tube/duct) shapes with the floral drawings. Fold lines are broken and breaking. Paper generally age-darkened with some scattered light brown stains. Multiple repairs detached elements and pieces of paper pasted onto back for support. Black painted frame has abrasions. Glass has some light molding on inside surface.
Object ID
2017.999.9
Notes
Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. He notes that the condition restrains the value. There is a large B & W transparency in the file.
See other examples in David R. Johnson's "Christian Strenge's Fraktur", 1995. (Copies in file, including translation of German).
Fraktur birth certificate for Lydia Glasz / Glass, daughter of Leonard Glass and wife Christina, nee German. Hand drawn and colored on paper. Unusual confronting women with yellow dresses and red parasols flank central textblock within border. Tree of life above textblock; undulating plant w/ flowers sit on shelf at sides. Triple-line outside border.
German text translates to "Lydia Glasz daughter of Leonard Glasz and his wife Christina a born German. Was born 25th day of Jan. in the year of our Lord 1811.
Some buckling of paper overall. Some bleeding of ink, causing brown marks around letters; also in entire upper left corner. Small 1.4" brown streak below the word "Christina" in center panel.
Condition report of 1986 by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Phila. in file. No documented treatment. Matted and framed in 1996 by conservator Brian Howard.
Object ID
P.77.12
Notes
Similar to designs of Plate #61 in Weiser & Heaney, Penna. German Fraktur of The Free Library of Phila., v.1.
Research: Ancestry.com gives the marriage of fraktur recipient Lydia Glass to John Kempfer on 20 Nov. 1828 in Ephrata at the Bethany United Church of Christ. Husband John was born 19 Feb. 1809, died 4 April 1865. Lydia died 24 June 1853. Their daughter Elizabeth Kempfer (1836-1909) married David Rudy Buch (1834-1925) and lived in Lititz.
Ancestry also gives the 1810 Census in Earl, Lancaster Co. that lists Leonard Glase with 4 household members under 16 yrs., 1 at 16-25 yrs., and 2 over 25 yrs. Total of seven in home. Lydia was born the following year in 1811.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Fraktur Taufschein of Johannes Müller probably from Lancaster/Dauphin County. Artist, if not Christian Mertel, then similar. Circ 1795. (Appraisal by Pastor Frederick Weiser, 2 September 1988.)
Printed birth & baptismal certificate with infill & decoration by Francis D. Levan, made for the Werts family. Johanes Merts was born 17 Feb 1832 in Cocalico Twp. in Lancaster County and baptized 8 April 1833. He was the son of Jacob and Catharina Schweigart Werts.
Central text is in German with fraktur infill lettering. There is a border surrounding the text. On the top of the page is a cherub flanked by two boxes of text. Flanking the main text are two large angels. Below them on either side of the text are two branches, each with birds. Within the border, but below the main text is an open bible. Below this motif is an emblem with a lute and trumpet superimposed over music. The artist's signature follows, written as, "Francis D. Levane."
Moderate staining overall. Creases, especially at top and left side. Tear at bottom near center. Small loss on left side near top. Small tears and small area of soiling on lower left side. Paper is darkened at lower corners. Framed in archival materials in 2/2000 by Lancaster Galleries.
Object ID
P.00.9.1
Notes
According to Klaus Stopp, this printed form by Ritter was done c. 1843-44. Stopp uses the number 695 for this variant of the form. Papers for Birth Dayes give Levan's working dates as c. 1826-50.
Amish family record for John and Elizabeth Lapp family done in inks on heavy tan paper, mounted in an oak frame. Attributed to Benjamin L. Stoltzfus.
Center text is written in red, gold and black. The heading, "Family Record," is written in green and completely covered in glitter. Sprouting out of the heading are two sheaves of wheat painted in gold with a butterfly painted in brown, green and red between them in the center. Around the perimeter of the text is a border done in a "ribbon candy" design. The sides are painted in black and gold, and the top and bottom are painted in red and gold. Within each of the four corners of the border is a diecut, roses at the top and fruit at the bottom. (Written by Nicole Bangert)
(Find complete family record/list of names in the file.)
Provenance
Sold to Heritage Center Museum by Greg K.Kramer & Co., American Antiques and Decorative Objects, Robesonia, PA on Dec. 12, 2000, for $475.00.
Paper is darkened from acid burn; reverse is 'imprinted' with grain pattern of wood veneer backing. There are dark stains at the top and on the left side below center. Paper is 'surface'torn' at the center between Jacob and Mary 's entries (appears like a tear). There is a puncture tear at the 'was' in Jacob's entry. There is a 1 1/4"-long tear at the top, 4 1/4' from the left corner. There are numerous losses of ink, especially at the border. Speckled dirt/ink is scattered at top and bottom edges. Some foxing and soiling evident and paper is slightly buckled.
Amish fraktur done on off-white, wove, square paper by Elisabeth Beiler for Sahra Esch. Central text is framed by leafy branches; two encircling the bottom half of page and two more rising from middle at sides and completing a circle at top. Each of the four main branches has two flowers: one is a tulip and the other like a daisy. Leaves are colored blue and the flowers have yellow, blue and red.
Text written in German, with black in, fills central space. There is a "ghosting" on the letters of the title and many other upper case letters, and elsewhere. Several periods seem to be added to text in pencil, perhaps at a later time.
Title at top reads, "Ein Denk Zeichen" (a remembrance)...A rough translations is: "Sarah Esch, her picture written/drawn March 19, 1848. This gift, a remembrance of me, is done by my hand, made by Elisabeth Beiler." The remainder is a religious exhortation.
(Written by Wendell Zercher)
Provenance
Given by Clarke E. Hess in memory of Irene Walsh. Price/value: $1,450.00.
Many condition problems: major losses tears and soiling. Large losses along right edge along lower 13 as well as top corner. Smaller losses at left side at middle at top corner. Torn at middle of both sides, extending inward about one inch. Pinholes at corners. Paper is darkened and soiled overall with strong areas of stain, e.g., several near center of text. Moisture stains at middle of both sides at or near edges, also middle of bottom. Colors have bled at flowers and leaves at bottom right corner. Colors are deteriorated and crackled, especially on flowers and leaves.
Fraktur-style birth certificate for Heinrich F. Eshbach done on white, rectangular paper with a vertical orientation. Drawn in pen and ink and decorated with polychrome paints in a nearly symmetrical design. From and layout suggest influence of Samuel Bentz and other fraktur artists.
Framing the text block at the sides are two columns decorated w/ vining plant with berries growing out of plinths and rising to the top where six ball shapes are arranged in horizontal design. Below the text block is a large central flower flanked by a pair of smaller flowers. Below these is a very unusual butterfly with hairy wings and feet and a face. The painting is handled inexpertly in a sloppy fashion and unevenly applied. Color are blue, red, green and a brownish yellow.
The text block is in German and state that Heinrich F. Eschbach was born the 29th of September, 1854, in Lancaster Twp., Lancaster County, to his parents Christian and Anna Eschbach. The last three lines appear to be a religious blessing or Bible verse....
The text is done in iron gall ink in a somewhat uneven hand. To nearly every downstroke of each letter, the penman has a a diagonal tail of double pen strokes giving the effect of shading or shadowing.
Original wood back on revers has the signature "Benjamin C. Eshbach" written in ink of adhesive tape.
Provenance
Acquired by Bd. of Trustees for HCLC in memory of Gladys Jane Swift Seibert. From Steven F. Still Antiques, Elizabethtown, PA, for $2000.00. Received July 1, 2001.
Paper is buckled (especially at top) and somewhat embrittled. Significant soiling at top in vertical streaks. Multiple stains/foxing overall, darkest stains at perimeter, including a moisture stain at bottom right corner. Accretions from frame attached to top edge and left edge. Original wood back board replaced with common matboard (acid-free tissue used as buffer). Frame has original finish which is nicked and scratched in many places, most significantly at center of right member and a large scratch to right of center on bottom member.
