Log cabin quilt of wools, composed of 30 blocks five wide and six long. There are two borders: a 4 1/4"-wide outer border of four 1"- wide strips and an inner sawtooth 3"- wide border of red and blue. The 30 log cabin blocks are also made of 1" wide strips. All strips have a slight "overhang" along edges which hides the butted seams.
All individual pieces of this quilt are sewn directly to the quilt backing, which is a calico print of tiny green holly-like leaves on black. Consequently, the backing is is also pieced in the shapes of each section of quilt top (squares and two borders). There is no batting and no decorative quilting. The binding is a narrow woven wool tape with a braided appearance.
A small piece of paper stitched to bottom left corner of quilt front, now removed, has an old handwritten note in ink: "(Ade)line W. Kreider/ Cassel/ made this about/ the yr. 1867." The writer of the note was obviously indicating that the quilt was made in preparation for her marriage, while living at her East Hempfield Twp. home. According to the records of Rev. J.J. Strine, Addie W. Kreider, dau. of Jacob G. Kreider of East Hempfield, married John H. Cassel of Penn Twp. on Dec. 19, 1867.
Provenance
Provenance: Descent from Adeline Kreider Cassel
to daughter Fannie K. Cassel (Mrs. Hiram G. Kauffman)
to daughter Adeline Dora Kauffman (Mrs. J. Wayne Aungst, Sr.)
to son John W. Aungst, Jr., (great-grandson of maker).
Quilt descended in family homes all located within a few miles of each other, (south of Manheim (Lancaster Junction) to Landisville area).
Once-vibrant colors of the wool are now strongly faded and are thin, fragile fabric. There are strong holes, esp. in outer border; several areas of liquid staining. Binding is deteriorating and detaching with multiple holes. Unfaded area near corner where paper tag removed.
Backing has some holes/tears at corner and numerous slits/holes along edges.
Object ID
G.08.03.02
Place of Origin
East Hempfield Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Margaret C. Aungst, Heritage Center Collection
Quilt, star pattern, made of pieced cottons. Diamond shapes of pink, white, green, red and blue create 9 large stars on a field of small scale print of red foliate motif on white. Finally a narrow inner border of off-white and a wide outer border of red. Corners are mitered. Narrow binding of green cotton sewn to back, wrapped and stitched to front.
Backing is a cotton print of red flowers on a cream-colored ground. Batting is cotton.
Hand-quilted patterns in white and beige are waffle in outer border, foliate in inner border, and diamonds of stars have conforming lines. The diamond shapes of the calico print field are have 12-petal flowers and squares have wedding ring design.
Made by Mennonite mother Susan Gamber Brubaker(1883-1940) as a gift for her daughter Mary Gamber Brubaker (27 May 1888 - 15 Oct 1984) in anticipation of her marriage (14 Nov 1909) to Wallace Metzler Hottenstein (14 April1888 - 12 Sep 1966). Wallace and Mary grew up on adjoining farms east of Landisville. Susan was the wife of Isaac L. Brubaker (1862-1954).
McGovernville/Landisville area,
Provenance
Descent from quilt recipient Mary Gamber Brubaker Hottenstein to daughter Mrs. Melvin Lauver (Mary Brubaker Hottenstein Lauver) circa 1944. Then gifted by husband to Heritage Center.
Documented in Quilt Harvest, #29D See G.92.09.2 for studio wedding photo of recipient Mary Gamber Brubaker & her husband Wallace M. Hottenstein. Published in J. Lasansky's "Bits & Pieces" in article by Pat Keller, 1991.
Several minor stains on top. Binding has some areas of separation at front where stitching was faulty. Small hole at binding edge about 3" from one corner. Binding is frayed/tearing at middle of one side, about 3" long.
Object ID
G.92.09.1
Place of Origin
East Hempfield Twp.
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Given in memory of Mary Brubaker Hottenstein Lauver, daughter of Wallace M. and Mary Gamber Brubaker Hottenstein, Heritage Center Collection
Hand towel, plain-weave linen, elaborately decorated with blue and red cotton cross stitch as well as drawn thread panels. Hanging tabs are plain-weave linen tape, 3/8" wide and very long.
Panel #1 has "MARIA" at the top flanked by large floral trees growing out of hearts. Second line reads: "MACDALLNA DAMY" and 3rd line is: "MY HAND AND NWEDLE." Below are 5 large tree motifs grounded on a horizontal embroidered line, followed by 8 small grounded trees.
Panel #2 is a drawn thread panel w/ cotton darn-stitched designs. Drawn threads stop short of sides -- unusual.
Panel # 3 has five blue and red motifs: star at center flanked by crowned peacocks, in turn flanked by geometric motifs.
Panel # 4 is a tripartite design: center has "HF" within an ornately embroidered red and blue heart, flanked by drawn thread panels w/ cotton darn-stitched trees surmounted by birds. (Initials stand for future husband Henry Fenstermacher, married the following year,1837.)
Panel #5 is very similar to panel #3.
Panel #6 is another drawn thread panel stopping short of sides, decorated w/ cotton darn-stitched geometric designs.
Panel #7 has upper case alphabet ending with the date 1836.
Panel #8 has three lines: "CHRISTOPHER/ DAMY CATHARINE/ DAMY A D 1836." (parents)
Plain self fringe at bottom has an applied short panel of linen with an elaborate knotted self fringe.
Made by Maria/Mary Magdalena Demmy (1811-1884).
Seller pinned on a note stating the mate to this towel (made by sister Elizabeth) was sold in the Rich and Joan Smith sale for $2400, inventory # CB29. Both towels illustrated in This is the Way I Pass My Time, p. 31.
Note: Older sister Maria/Mary Demmy's taufschein is P.06.15.1.
