Dressing table w/ mirror has Sheraton and Empire features, is made of solid mahogany and veneers with secondary woods of poplar and pine. This is a rare form.
Top has veneered half-column mirror frame supported by turned stiles which are set into top with a double tenon set at a backward cant. Mirror corners are blocks with turned bulls-eyes. Inner cove-molded fillet has vestiges of gilding.
Oblong table top comprised of solid 3/8" thick mahogany laminated onto 1/2" thick poplar, and secured to carcase with screws. A rounded molding is applied to front and ends.
Veneered carcase contains five dovetailed drawers faced with mahogany veneers: one long flanked by two short, over two long. The top drawers have a rounded profile while the two bottom drawers are cockbeaded. All drawers have replacement pulls of hollow, rounded brass knobs with a pierced floliate design. The two bottom drawers are fitted with locks; keyholes have brass insets but dark ghosting indicates missing escutcheons.
Baluster-turned legs extend from table top to floor. They support a low shelf 11 1/2" from floor. Shelf is shaped with recessed cutouts at front and ends.
Inscription: Interior of top central drawer has "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINET MAKER/ Locust St./ COLUMBIA." stamped within an oval laurel wreath.
Also in collections is a J. F. Markley Empire chest of drawers (P77.02).
Provenance
Provenance: This dressing table was previously owned by an acquaintance of John J. Snyder, Michael Stinchcomb of ???, who recently changed his mind about using this piece in his bathroom when he realized the veneers would suffer. He consequently consigned it to sale at Pook and Pook.
Cracking in veneer on mirror. Numerous spots of corrosion on mirror. Moderate cracking in veneer on front and sides. Minor chips and scratches overall. Top has two cracks, one is 2" long at left and one is 6 1/2" long at right side. Bottom shelf has 6 1/2" crack at right side. Nails have been added to secure top to carcase; back of top is not secure due to stripped screws. Top left drawer has significant wood removed with rasp at front of sides.
Empire style chest of drawers, mahogany veneer on pine or poplar. Four drawers, each with two pressed glass pulls & keyhole and each with bookmatched veneer of highly figured mahogany. The top drawer overhangs lower drawers and has a curved front (top-to-bottom), while the three lower drawers have flat fronts. Freestanding ionic columns flank drawers with carved plinths. Sunken panel construction at sides. Two extensively carved paw feet in front; two ball feet in back.
In April 1982, the entire case was disassembled and discovered to be signed and dated by Markley, behind the left front stile above the column. (Not seen in 2011. Inscription appears on top of thick drawer divider supporting top drawer.) Also stamped by maker within oval on upper surface of top drawer bottom: "J.F. MARKLEY/ CABINETMAKER/ Locust Street/ COLUMBIA."
According to file, the 1830-1846 Columbia Borough tax records list Markley variously as a doctor, cabinetmaker, contractor or gent.
See also a gentleman's dressing table with mirror, P00.39.01.
Piece of veneer 1.5" x 0.5" is missing from top right above drawer. Small spots and scratches overall, and two large cracks on top: one near front right corner, and one at rear center, partially filled in. The left pull on the second drawer up from the bottom is split in half; held in place with string windings.
Two toes on the right front foot were pieced and recarved by Joseph Molz of Lancaster City. Some veneer was also pieced.
Object ID
P.77.02
Notes
More info in file. There was a discrepancy in the research with two different Jacob Markleys. It appears that the maker of this chest of drawers was Jacob Fry Markley (1800-1854), born in boro of Strasburg to parents Jacob Markley, Sr. (1765-1829) and Barbara Fry Markley. Jacob Sr. was also a cabinetmaker.
Son Jacob is listed with different occupations over the years. He was living in Columbia in 1830 and possibly as late as 1841. He moved to Spring Grove, Philadelphia County by 1850 and is listed as a druggist in the 1850 Census with wife Ann & 5 children. "JACOB F. MARKLEY M.D." is on his tombstone in the Hatboro Cemetery. Thus Jacob Markley claimed to be a cabinetmaker, druggist and doctor (Doctor is perhaps what he called a pharmacist).
Place of Origin
Columbia
Role
Cabinetmaker
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Coll
Tin candle mold with 2 rows of 4, mounted on a raised rectangular base. The 8 molds incline toward each other at their tips and are soldered together for strength. Wire finger ring attached to one side of base and large looped strap handle at other side.
Provenance
Provenance before donor is unknown. Transferred from Heritage Center, December 2012.
Copper pail, cylindrical body, collared neck fitted with a copper wire bail-type handle hooked through side holes. Rolled lip edge. Dove-tailed bottom. Made for holding the glue while inset into larger water-filled gluepot and heated. Inner vessel of the double boiler gluepot.
This gluepot insert was obtained by donor to replace missing original inner component of gluepot P.77.61.
Provenance
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman from unknown source. Transferred from Heritage Center 12/2013
Copper sculpting/modeling tool hand fashioned to create a flattened, spoon-like handle leading to a rounded shank ending in another flattened end bent at the tip to create a short 1/2" extension bent to nearly a right angle for working in clay or plaster. End is squared off. Crude but effective tool for sculpting bears marks of hammering, especially underside of flattened handle. Used by Lloyd Mifflin. Tool presumed to have been fashioned by Lloyd Mifflin himself from a length of copper. Provenance: Mifflin to the Minnich sisters to the groundskeeper at Norwood to donors.
Strainer of glazed redware, but with a lighter brown color than most redware. Resting on three tapered 1-1/8 " long feet. The flat-bottomed dish has straight sides that flare out to a molded, high lip. Applied handles at sides. Large holes in bottom and three rows of smaller holes at sides.
Lead glaze overall with some streaks/runs of a darker brown.
Numerous chips on body overall; some large ones on underside and a large chip on the side; handle edges have suffered the most significant chipping loss. Glaze is crackled overall and has some staining, particularly on the interior. Feet are moderately worn.
Object ID
G.98.12.17
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Mrs. S.R. Slaymaker II, Heritage Center Collection
Redware vessel stands on a beaded base with sides that undulate upward as they flare slightly outward to a shoulder where the diameter is greatest. Neck curves in slightly and flares back out to form a moderately thin out-turned lip. Small strap handle applied to side.
Black glaze on interior and most of exterior where it drips toward bottom. Number "6.60" written in chalk on bottom.
Redware canning jar, ovoid shape with no handle. Pronounced foot ring and rounded flaring lip with recessed interior to receive a fitted lid (missing). Dark brown manganese decoration with some mottling, streaks and dark spatters. Lead glaze overall except for underside.
Very strong wear with losses. Lip has very large chip and one very small chip at outside edge. Strong losses of glaze at lip. Very strong abrasions at salient point of side, with considerable scattered scratches. Foot ring has three large chips and one very large chip. Soil on inside and underside.
Object ID
G.99.22.1
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Drs. Irwin and M. Susan Richman, Heritage Center Collection
Figure of a woman with brown hair wearing an ochre broad-rimmed hat, long-sleeved, full-skirted dress painted blue-green with ochre trim on bodice only, and unpainted pantaloons with black shoes. She is also holding a hankerchief in her right hand and flowers in her left hand. Square plinth with clipped corners is lightly dabbed with tannish-brown. Back side is inpainted.
Inscription inside base is pencilled "PRC".
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during their visits back East from CA. Donation to the Heritage Center.
Moderate soiling and paint loss. Small chips throughout; large loss on back right corner of base. Mended break in the left skirt. Several paint splatters on skirt front.
Object ID
G.98.51.75
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Large hollow chalkware bird bank has a dove perched on top of a naturalistic base resembling a large block of wood with branch molded in relief at front, painted orange-brown with 2 red berries. This base serves as a coin bank and a large slot if positioned at front between the bird's legs and the branch with berries. Bird and bank base are unpainted except bird has a red and orange beak, red and orange eyes, orange feet and black claws and pupils.
Paper sticker remnant has price written in pencil: "$5.00."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Large hollow chalkware deer with antlers is in semi reclining position on a base resembling a grassy area. Painted brown overall, now darkened with age and soil. Eye and eyebrow painted black.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Moderate soil overall with numerous signs of wear due to scratches and abrasions and chips, such as along base, Back of base has large chip with crack. Antlers appear to have some losses at tips. Multiple areas of paint loss with white or grey showing through.
Object ID
G.98.51.41
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Large hollow chalkware Spaniel in a seated position on an 8 sided base. Painted tan overall with black spots over fur. Brows, dog tag, pupils and nails are all black. Collar, mouth and nostrils are red. Eyes are ochre. This form is the poor man's equivalent of the exprensive Staffordshire spaniels.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Large hollow chalkware Poodle dog in a standing position on a rectangular base. Unpainted except for black ears, tail, brow and front nails. Also yellow eyes with black pupils and a fed mouth and nostrils. Base painted ochre.
Inscribed inside in pencil is: "$10.00."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Large hollow chalkware Poodle dog in a standing position on a high, stepped, rectangular base. Poodle's left ear is flattened. Largely unpainted except for brown and tail, yellow eyes, red mouth and nostrils, black pupils, collar of red/orange, blue and yellow as well as dot pattern on shoulder and chest. Base painted green.
Inscribed inside in pencil is: "7.50."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Heavy soiling, wear and paint loss. Heavy chips and scratches. Small chips along bottom edge of base and two large chipped areas at both front corners and left hind one.
Object ID
G.98.51.62
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Given in memory of Harpo by Susan Marx, Heritage Center Collection
Hollow chalkware Spaniel in a seated position on an irregularly shaped base. Head lacks sharp detail and distinct features. Painted black ears, daubed-on spots, brows, nails, and pupils. Brown base.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Partially painted recumbent stag of hollow chalkware. Resting on a grass-molded oval base, stag's body is unpainted white. Red collar, ears, mouth and nostrils; eyes outlined in brown. Front of antlers striped with red and green. Base front is painted green with red along top edge. Inscribed inside with indecipherable pencil markings.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Painted recumbent stag of hollow chalkware. Resting on a grass-molded oval base, stag's body is painted brown overall, with black wavy stripes across back. Eyes are daubed yellow. Antlers are yellow/green with black and red markings on the front.
Paper sticker on back of base is: "20467C." Written on bottom of base is "PR = (?)".
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Chalkware cat figurine seated on a low platform incised with band of sawtooth decoration. Hollow-molded figurine is inexpertly painted yellow-brown wih black, spotted markings; red ears, mouth and collar; ochre eyes with black pupils; and brown whiskers.
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx in Pennsylvania during their visits back East from CA. Donation to the Heritage Center.
