Pressed redware plate commemorating 175th anniversary of Mountville. Features incised jubilee emblem and floral decorations. Made by the mayor, Victor Lenox, for celebration.
Friendship quilt, Variable Star pattern, made for and/or by Sarah Jane Taylor and signed by her friends, family and relatives. Made of pieced, mostly small-scale cotton prints, front and back, except for 3-inch-square white signature patches.
Quilt consists of seven columns of eight large blocks (8.75" square) in each (total of 56). Each block has various printed cottons with a variant star at the center and a white signature patch at the center of each star. Some signatures signed by hand in ink and some stamped. Most are Lancaster County, some are other counties and several are states such as Indiana and New Jersey. Dates range from 1843 to 1850. Sarah Jane Taylor patch is a bird-heart-flower oval stamp in 5th column, 3rd from bottom.
Blocks separated by inner sash of green print with black stripes. A wider portion of this print forms left border. Batting is wool. Hand-quilted in white w/ undetermined floral/foliate design. Wide left border has a 3-line cable pattern. Backing is a cotton print of black "T" shapes on white ground.
Quilt cut at top and right side, probably with a loss of the entire column of eight squares (as suggested by Amy Finkel appraisal). Edge is then finished with front bound to back. Bottom and left edges have original 1/4" binding of printed cotton, backing brought forward.
Provenance
Descent from Sarah Jane Taylor Slemmer (June 15, 1834 -- Jan. 26, 1869) to sister Kate's daughter, niece Helen Haskell (born 1890) who married Charles F. Bowman, Sr.. Quilt given by their three children.
See file for: Correspondence and supporting info., retired photo loan file of Karen Weaver of Denver, CO, and copy of Amy Finkel's one-page appraisal.
Quilt has been cut along right side and top, with the front folded back. Possibly an entire column of 8 blocks was removed. Multiple brown stains and soiling overall. Wear to fabrics with discoloration; binding esp. worn with many areas of exposed batting along bottom and esp. left side. Backing has strong wear.
Object ID
G.91.09
Notes
Sarah Jane Taylor (1834-1869) married Washington Slemmer 25 Nov. 1862 in Rosemont Twp. in Delaware County, PA in Radnor Methodist Church (located on Main Line between Bryn Mawr and Villanova).
Place of Origin
Leacock Twp.
Credit
Given in memory of Helen Haskell Bowman by her children Helen Bowman Jermyn, Marian Bowman Weaver and Charles Franklin Bowman, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, circa 1920. Deep colors such as these are usually found in early quilts.
Top: Twill-weave wools. Seven-inch wide bars of blue and green with red inner border and blue outer border with green blocks.
Back: Black & white and blue & white chambray, machine joined in four widths. Just one narrow strip is in blue.
Quilting: Although the quilting of fine even stitches is excellent, the patterns are hard to see in dark colors. Outer border has baskets containing a tulip and tiny paired loops a the side of each basket handle. Baskets alternate with 6-point stars. A row of scallops along inner edge. The inside border has a double cable with 6-point star in corners. Centerfield is waffle.
Binding is red, machine sewn to the back, turned and machine sewn to front with black cotton thread.
North of White Horse, Lancaster County (Esprit Book, plate 43)
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from the Holsteins for $10,000 on 6/12/1986.
Some fading of blue fabric. Some small holes and one tear, now darned, at back of binding in one corner caused by a heavy nylon strap sleeve, removed by conservator Linnea Davis. Other hole repairs made by Davis in binding (see file).
Quaker-made quilt, Star Block pattern of cottons by Ann Mather Ambler. Made before her Jan. 1861 marriage to Quaker farmer Aquilla Bolton Lamborn, after which they settled on a farm near Liberty Square in Drumore Twp.
Made of 16 hand-pieced blocks, each 17" sq., set straight in rows 4 x 4. Each block is a broken star design of red cotton prints and off-white muslin, pieced with diamonds and squares. Red print sashing 3" wide with diamond-in-square cornerstones. Outer border is a red print 5" wide and inner border is white, 3" wide.
Back is a tan and blue cotton print, brought forward to front to create binding. Batting is a very thin-weight cotton. Handquilted in white; outer border has diagonal lines, inner border and sashing have a double-line twisted cable and pieced star blocks have outlined components.
Appraiser notes two names for this quilt: "Carpenter's Wheel" and "Eight-point Broken Star" (Barbara Brackman's book #3810).
Provenance
Maker to daughter Alice Lamborn Long (she and husband James Long moved to Chester Co. in 1915), then to Alice's granddaughter Ruth W. Long (of Toms River, NJ) for safekeeping until finally given to nephew/donor Mitchell K. Long.
Ruth W. Long lived in Toms River, NJ. and recopied the handwritten family history, now laminated. Additional old paper note reads: "Quilt made by Ann M. Lamborn before 1861."
Framed fraktur birth & baptismal certificate (taufschein/B&BC) for Elisabetha Elser, drawn, lettered and colored by hand on laid paper. Symmetrical, horizontal design is attributed to the "Ehre Vater" artist. Fraktur is mounted on thick paperboard with beveled edges, and is float-mounted on a buff-colored matboard within a modern black frame.
At center is a large circle painted red and green. Inside the circle, set onto yellow ground, is a heart with blue border and pinkish interior. Interior text states Elisabetha Elser was born in Warwick Twp, Lancaster Co. on 19th Nov 1803. Her parents were Peter Elser and wife Elisabetha, born a Wachter. Baptism was held by Pastor Schulz and the sponsors were Georg Wachter and his wife Margaretha (believed to be a sister of Peter Elser). Below circle are two lines of religious verse, translated by Weiser as "A heart that loves Jesus knows no worries -- much cross, need and pain are his days of joy."
At lower right and lower left are two large compass-drawn spheres colored with green, yellow, red, blue and pink. Out of each sphere is a flowering plant on which large parrot-like birds perch, similarly colored.
Attributed to the "Ehre Vater Artist" (active c. 1782-1828).
Some surface soil. Good color retention. Needs to be removed from backing board and conserved.
Object ID
2017.999.1
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, 2 Sept 1988. He attributes fraktur to the Ehre Vater artist, a prolific artist who travelled far and wide producing fraktur for many years. This fraktur likely related to Johannes Schnierer B&BC, 2004.718, due to Johannes Schnierer (b. 1786) later marrying an Elser (Catharine).
Papers for Birth Dayes notes on page 227 that this fraktur was exhibited as #38 in the , Allentown Art Museum show in Allentown, PA, "Pennsylvania Folk Art," October 20-Dec. 1, 1974.
The Elser, Weidman/Weydmann, and Wachter families were intermarried.
Watercolor on paper of the Hardwicke mansion; beige coloring with gray/white roof and columns, green shutters on windows. The main section of the house has a grand elliptical facade with four monumental columns. The section adjacent to this has arched windows. The house continues in several smaller sections to the viewer's right; one of these sections is a greenhouse. The surrounding area is filled with grass and trees. NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
The painting has a caption at the bottom which reads '"HARDWICKE" NEAR LANCASTER PA'. The painting is dated "Nov. 1881" in the lower right corner.
Hardwicke was the country seat of the attorney and judge Charles Smith who married Jasper Yeates' daughter; it was built east of Lancaster, overlooking the Conestoga River, in about 1804. It may have been designed by Stephen Hills, who also designed the Old Capital Building in Harrisburg. John J. Snyder states the house was "the most sophisticated and most elegant Federal mansion in Lancaster County." He says the Smiths moved to Baltimore in the 1820s, after which a son of ironmaster Robert Coleman owned the building.
Hardwicke later became the summer home of the Cassatt family where artist Mary Cassatt was born (1844). Apparently a Colonel Wiley owned it when the railroad demolished it in Nov. 1881.
J.W.W. Loose, The Heritage of Lancaster, pp.74-75.
Height (cm)
10.16
Height (ft)
0.3333333333
Height (in)
4
Width (cm)
20.6375
Width (ft)
0.6770833333
Width (in)
8.125
Dimension Details
Hinged within a window mat..
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2017-06-28
Condition Notes
The front of the painting is in almost perfect condition, except for a few small brown dots; the reverse has several glue stains in the corners and along the sides where the paper was apparently attached to a previous backing.
Mounted in a hinged window mat.
Object ID
P.77.31.10
Place of Origin
Manheim Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Printed fraktur taufschein (B&BC in German) for Michael Ruthisill, born Aug. 17, 1808 and baptized Aug. 30, 1808 by Pastor (Gotthilf Henry Ernestus) Muhlenberg at the Lutheran Church in Manheim Township, Lancaster County. Parents were Philip and Susanna (Schreiner) Ruthisill and the sponsors were Michael and Catharina Ruthisill (grandparents?).
Certificate printed by Lancaster printer Benjamin Grimler in 1803. Penwork & decoration attributed to the "Ruffled Tulip Artist" by the Earnests (9-14-98). See object file for info.
Printed on laid paper, fraktur has a large central heart and two smaller hearts at bottom with verses in German in each. Large heart has main text, with blanks filled in by scrivener/artist in red ink. 1/4-inch-wide yellow border around perimeter. Hand-drawn floral motifs surround the large heart: large tulip-like flowers at top and bottom center, flowering vine at sides and smaller flowers above small hearts and within large heart. Colored in red, green and yellow.
The "Ruffled Tulip Artist" was working circa 1799-1813. He drew distinctive ruffles around large and folky tulips and infilled in German on printed three-heart forms, of which seven are known - all birth & baptismal certificates.
Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans, Vol. III, p. 128.
Ellis and Evans, History of Lancaster County, p. 498.
Earnests, Papers for Birth Dayes, Vol.II, pp. 659-60.
Provenance
Donor reports his wife has Rudisill ancestors. He and his wife received this fraktur with instructions to sell the piece upon their demise in order to pay for funeral expenses. The fraktur was never sold, even now that his own wife has died. See genealogy of Rudisill family in file, given by Lisa Garrett, cousin of donor's wife. Lisa says donor died in 1998.
Condition when received: Entire piece buckled, pasted onto brown Kraft paper. Multiple tears and losses, especially at center of right and left sides; tears and small hole at center. Some foxing, general soiling, and water damage to colors in vining at sides. Color smears and fingerprints, esp. at top and bottom floral device. Small tears and curling at most edges.
At present: Conserved, matted and placed in sealed package by Marilyn Kemp Weidner in 1999 for $1,553. Framed by Lancaster Galleries.
Object ID
G.98.27.1
Notes
Four other copies of Grimler's printed certificate known, according to Klaus Stopp (The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans Vol. III, p. 128). Three of these were filled out for Warwick Twp. residents;the other for a Manheim Twp. resident. This 1803 print preceded Grimler's partnership with brother Henry which opened in 1804. From 1799-1812, when Lancaster was the seat of State government, the two brothers were employed by the Legislature to do the State printing. Benjamin was elected to the Lower House of the Assembly in 1824 and died in 1832.
See Rudisill genealogy in file, given by Lisa Garrett. It states John Michael Rudisill was born 17 Aug 1808 and died 8 Nov 1843. He married Maria Magdalena Kurtz on 17 May 1829, daughter of Conrad Kurtz and his wife Susanna Barbara Erb.
Large 8" x 10" color transparency in object file.
Place of Origin
Manheim Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Daniel S. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
Miniature Empire chest of drawers. Cherry case with mahogany veneer on drawer fronts and edges of top and bottom. Large top drawer overhangs three graduated drawers, all with cock beaded molding. Pressed glass pulls. Overhang of top is supported by S-scrolls at sides. Turned bulbous feet. Small nails with oblong heads used throughout.
Inscriptions in pencilled script: Under bottom drawer is "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz, Lancaster, Pa." On back of 2nd bottom drawer is "Mrs. Kurtz Lancaster, Pa." Chest back has: "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz" and chest bottom has "Flora Kurtz got 1889 from Grandmam when I was 13 years".
A business card, now in file, reads "DANIEL KURTZ./NO. 130 CHARLOTTE STREET,/LANCASTER, PA." On reverse side is written: "Made by Daniel Kurtz in the/ midsumer [sic] of 1845 and/ presented to Miss Lizzy Stoner/ as a token of respect/ Lizzie Stoner who in the/ same year 1845 became his/ wife, later the mother of/ E.S. Kurtz."
Daniel Kurtz, son of Conrad, was raised in the Golden Triangle area. In 1847 he renovated the "Overlook" house on Fruitville Pike and lived there until listed in 1860 Census in the SE Ward of the City
Provenance
File states donor (Mary Herr Glenn) acquired this piece from her neighbor Florence Kurtz, later Mrs. Daniel Musselman Groff.
Maker Daniel Kurtz was a carpenter/builder. Son Emanuel S. Kurtz became a job printer, resided on Church St. and Florence (Flora) was his daughter. She, at age 13, was the recipient of the chest from her "grandmam" (Lizzie Kurtz) in 1889. How and when donor acquired this chest from her neighbor Florence is unknown.
Under bottom drawer is "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz, Lancaster, Pa." On back of 2nd bottom drawer is "Mrs. Kurtz Lancaster, Pa." On chest back is: "Made in 1845 by Daniel Kurtz" and chest bottom: "Flora Kurtz got 1889 from Grandmam when I was 13 years".
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Chest of Drawers
Oither Names
Miniature Chest Of Drawers
Material
Wood, Glass
Height (in)
11.25
Width (in)
8.75
Depth (in)
5
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-05-12
Condition Notes
Multiple blemishes overall. Top has 2 losses of veneer at right and 1 at left end. Bottom has veneer at back left edge, as well as a repaired break of this corner with leg. Long crack along grain at back.
Left to right: Gabriel Biemesderfer, Mr. Brallier, Charles Biemesderfer, D. L. Biemesderfer and Horace N. Biemesderfer. Picture taken in front yard of home at Kissel Hill, c. 1910.
