Upholstered wingback commode chair has four turned Sheraton legs. Has replacement of original soiled handsewn homespun linen (remnants in this file), now an orange fabric with potted and vining flower design. Solid pinewood seat under cushion has center hole with fitted removable wooden disc.
This chair was from the Pownall home at Gap, where it was used by Dickinson Gorsuch, Maryland slaveholder, during his recovery from wounds sustained during the Christiana Riot of Sept. 11, 1851. His father and two others were killed during the skirmish at the home of freedman William Parker, and Dickinson was transported to the Pownall home for recovery. William Parker later published his story in the "Atlantic Monthly" in 1866, making it highly publicized.
This incident "is an important example of the struggle over the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and the escalating tension between the North and the South. This act gave slave owners broad powers to recapture runaway slaves". (ExplorePAhistory.com)
Polaroid photos of chair before re-upholstery, in file.
Likely Lancaster or Chester Co.
Provenance
Provenance: Chair owned by the Pownall family & given in 1973 to the Lancaster County Historical Society by Mrs. Levi Pownall of Lancashire Hall (569-7279).
It was initially loaned to the Heritage Center (# L.77.9 and # 161.64.80) but soon donated to HCLC. Board minutes of Dec. 8, 1975 include Richard F. Smith's Museum Committee report noting a donation of a "Sheraton armed wing chair commode, used by the Pownall home in nursing Dickinson Gorsuch following Christiana Riot in 1851." Later unsigned note (Bruce Shoemaker?) states John Aungst of LCHS was consulted & chair was removed 11/9/84 from list on LCHS loan form, settling an apparent question of ownership.
Bookplate is done on wove paper that is adhered to the detached front cover of a leatherbound New Testament and framed in a modern red and black frame. Unusual borders, motifs and strong primary colors of red, blue and yellow. Borders are bands of red and blue-painted rectangles at sides and red hears on a band of yellow at top and bottom. Additional red hearts flank side borders at top. Top 1/3 of bookplate has a compass-drawn motif of overlapping circles. The middle 1/3 of page is the text in German "Dieses Neue Testament/ Gerhort/ Henrich Scherch/ Ihm zur Lehr and Gott zur/ Ehr, Geshrieben im Yahr, 1823." Bottom of page has a large design of red and yellow fruit hanging from blue leaves dotted with red. (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Paper is generally good; colors have been smeared. lifted and muddled, esp. along top edge and bottom 1/3 of bookplate, probably due to moisture damage. Tear of 1 1/2" extends from left edged ( 1 1/2" up from bottom) into center of page. BP is adhered to detached front cover of NT that is deteriorated brown leather with metal hooks for clasps still intact; residue to glue at four corners.
Bookplate done on page removed from a book (and also attached to a blank succeeding page). Vertically-oriented design fills page, done in the style of Joseph H. McGlaughlin with his 'ribbon candy' border. Top and bottom have this band of ribbon candy border done in pink, red and blue. Remnant of side border is apparent only at right edge.
Lettering fills the central space. It reads, from top: "Property of/ John B. Zook/ Talmage/ Lanc. Co./ Pa." Zook's name is written on a banner/ribbon. At bottom, above the lower border is written: "Mar. 4, 1899." Within the lower border is the name of the scrivener: "E.B.Zook Leola, Pa." (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Generally good, but age darkened with minor soiling/staning, especially along right side. Edges of pate are torn and folded under. One inch-long vertical tear at bottom right. Breaking paper along right edge.
Bookplate on white paper reads: "Dieses Buch/ gehoret Mir/ John B Stolzfus/ geschrieben April 19/ 1910". Lettering is one in blue ink, except for name which is in pink. Above and below text, in the style of Josephy McGlaughlin, is a band of 'ribbon candy' decoration done in light blue, blue and pink and gold stripes. (Written by Wendell Zercher.)
Paper has some darkening especially around edges. Some acid burn overall. Small tears on top and right edges and loss on bottom right corner. Left edge is moderately worn. Small worn area with paint loss in center of lower border.
Late 19th century framed bookplate for Cyrus Singer. Water color on ruled paper.
In center of page "Cyrus Singer" is written in thin red fraktur lettering with gold highlights. There are groups of four red flowers above and below the name. They have green, brown, and gold leaves and pink stems that radiate from center points. (Written by Nicole Bangert.)
Provenance
Purchased from the New Oxford Antique Center, New Oxford, PA, for $350.00. Received on 10 December 2000.
Moderate foxing and soiling overall. Slight buckling. Small water stain to left of bottom right flower. Some darkening especially around edges. Diagonal crease across lower left side of page. Tear on right side near center and small tear further down on right side. Losses at corners. Small stains and acid burns around edges.
Bookplate for Peter T.(?) Stauffer penned in purple lettering by Thomas H. Wall (active circa 1876-1898) on a detached end page of a book. Wove paper is light brown. The name arches at top of page with "1876" directly underneath. Embellished with filligree and other decorative flourishes.
Bound German New Testament with fraktur bookplate pasted inside front cover. The NT has a reddish-brown leather cover with two small leather and metal clasps attached to back cover.
Bookplate fills entire page of inside front cover, albeit sideways. Infill attributed to Cocalico Twp schoolmaster & fraktur artist/scrivener Samuel Bentz, it reads "Margaret Weidman/ her/ Testament." These words are intertwined with red and green vining tulips growing from a red base across the bottom.
The name "Andrew Weidman" is written on the last page of the NT.
Attributed to Samuel Bentz (2-26-1792 to 3-21-1850, active c. 1810-1848).
Provenance
The donors acquired this NT with bookplate at a farm sale in Cocalico Township, along with G.77.50.8 (Weydman fraktur). Given to LCHS with the understanding that it would become part of the Heritage Center Collection.
Bookplate has several tears around the edges and brown marks around the black and red areas of the design. The lettering has bled through the first two pages of the book.
A condition assessment and proposal for storage was made by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in 1986.
Numerous scratches and marks on the NT cover; significant crackling on the spine. The metal latches are rusted where they connect to the leather.
Object ID
G.77.50.5
Notes
See G.77.50.8 for Birth Certificate of brother Jacob Weydmann, born 1762.
See also Paul Flack Sale of Oct 2012 by Pook & Pook for Birth Certificate of sister Catharina, born 1768.
See Bentz entry in Papers for Birth Dayes, p. 90.
Place of Origin
Cocalico Twp.
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Bookplate done in German for Anna Herr by the Manor Township Artist (active 1782-1804) on a page detached from a "Leider Buch" (song book).
Fraktur is hand-drawn, lettered and colored with red and brown on laid paper. It is in the style of this artist who had a "small, neat fraktur hand," triangular flowers composed of six dots, and birds with spread tails. At top is a large heart surmounted by a crown, flanked by crowned cherubs/angels with head and wings only. Flowering vine below heart has triangular dot flowers with two birds sucking nectar from flowers. Other vines serve as horizontal borders to separate text below. Flanking the name "Anna Herrin" at center are leafless apple trees with serpents ascending. German text under name is "Geschrieben den 19ten Novem:/ Anno 1788." Branching out of a large inverted tulip at bottom center are two vines with triangular dot flowers. Religious text is interspersed within vining borders.
Attribution to Manor Twp. Artist who was most likely a schoolmaster working among Mennonites in northern Lancaster County, according to Fred Weiser. The Earnests list five known pieces by this artist, from 1768-1788.
Considerable loss around edges, esp. top right and bottom 1/3 of left edge. Ragged where detached from book. Darkened overall. Liquid stains over much of surface, esp. along bottom, top and left edge as well as under date. Paper "eaten through" by iron gall ink at various places, e.g. outline of heart and letters of "Herrin."
Object ID
P.04.51.4
Notes
Earnests, Papers for Birth Dayes, p. 534.
Weiser and Heaney, FLP, #277.
Dr. Donald Herr says he owns four fraktur by this artist (May 14, 2015).
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.
Cassette Tape of Roy Zimmerman and Raymond Burhleu
Description
Cassette tape in clear plastic case. TDK D60 tape. On sleeve in ink: "Roy Zimmerman Fiddler /Raymond Burhleu Guitar." List of music on back sleeve.
A Side:
1. Wheels, 2. St. Ann Reels, 3. Whistling Rufus, 4. Ragtime Anne, 5. Silver and Gold, 6. Silver Bell, 7. Peek-a-Boo-Waltz, 8. Miss Browns Reel, 9. Soldiers Joy, 10. Repaz-Band March, 11. Cowboys Waltz, 12. Blue Moon, 13. Sioux City Sue.
B Side:
1. Love Letters in the Sand, 2. Soldiers Joy, 3. Smash the Window, 4. Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight, 5. Silver Bell, 6. Buffalo Gals, 7. Wabash Cannonball, 8. Red River Valley, 9. Great Speckled Bird, 10. Bill Bailey, 11. Royal Princess, 12. Kentucky Waltz.
