Baskets pattern quilt made by Amish woman Sarah Stoltzfus (b. 6/17/1923), circa 1939 when she would have been about 16 years old. This pattern is very unusual among the Lancaster Amish.
Pieced wool top blocks on point. Pink baskets of crepe rayon(?) on a field of green alternate with turquoise-blue blocks. Wide border of green and a binding of turquoise blue, turned front to back. Back is a blue cotton print with white dots. Cotton batting.
Hand quilted in black running stitch. Border has vining flowers, tied with a bow in corners. Turquoise blocks have an unusual circle fringed with triangle points and a triple-line cross within dividing it into quadrants. Basket blocks have cable, shell and parallel lines as well as a basket "handle."
Made by Sarah Stoltzfus for herself to go to housekeeping. Her mother chose the pattern from her sister and neighbor Katie Smoker Glick (wife of "Red John" Glick) and also purchased the fabric in stores in Intercourse and New Holland. Sarah's parents were John P. Stoltzfus and Amanda L. Smoker Stoltzfus. Sarah did all the piecing and most of the quilting w/ perhaps some help from her sister.
Note: This quilt is very similar to two other quilts (owned by Trish Herr and Jay & Susan Leary).
RD#1 Millwood Rd., Gap, PA 17527, Salisbury Twp.
Provenance
Sold by maker in 1988 to Tom Wentzel of Lititz, a dealer, who sold to M. Finkel & Daughter, dealers on Pine St. in Phila. (all transactions occurred in the same year). See 2004 fieldwork notes of Rachel Pellman.
Dovetail construction, wire nails used on interior. Inside is a till and a sliding drawer; shoe molding on all bottom inside corners. Below mid-line molding are two thumbnail-molded, side-by-side drawers with nailed joints and fitted with locks, escutcheons and bail-type brasses in batwing style.
Lid is two joined boards with ends tenoned into end boards and pegged, cutting board fashion. Edge molding is intrinsic, not applied, except for light molding attached to underside to create lip. Lid has strap hinges with fishtail terminals and is fitted with a lock and brass batwing-type escutcheon. Medallion is relief-carved into center of lid top with "18 SF 40." The meaning of this 1840 date is a mystery.
Molding at the base of chest; four ogee bracket feet.
Provenance
Provenance: One of twelve pieces of furniture transferred to this museum from the Lancaster County Historical Society. These pieces were part of the estate of Sarah Ann Stauffer (1913-1996) whose property, Lime Kiln Farm, was bequeathed to LCHS upon her death in 1996.
Clarke Hess had suggested the chest may have been made for Sarah Ann Frantz and the 1840 date may be her birth year. Often, he says, pieces of furniture were made for a child or heir at the time of the settling of an estate.
Research: Sarah Ann Frantz (sister of Sarah A. Stauffer's gr-grandfather Henry L. Frantz) was born 1835, Grandfather Samuel O. Frantz was born 1861, so this theory is incorrect. (The East Hempfield Twp. farm of Sarah A. Frantz is located on both the 1875 and 1899 Atlases, SW of Rohrerstown and S.O. Frantz is shown nearby on 1899 Atlas.)
Top has large crack through center and many dents, scratches and score marks. Loss at right end of mid--line molding of front. Multiple cracks in sides. Repairs done to feet. Refinished with heavy stain and varnish on lid and all interior surfaces. Original finish on front is heavily alligatored; finish on sides is crackled. Interior surfaces have had paper and textiles adhere to wet varnish. Sliding drawer has crack in bottom.
Object ID
G.99.41.9
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Transferred from Lancaster Co. Historical Soc., Heritage Center Collection
Stoltzfus family record on wove paper mounted in a thin, molded modern frame of tiger maple. Hand done family record of Lancaster Amish family attributed to David C. Hoke (active c. 1909-1935). Bold and colorful title is "Family Record" done with wide lettering of red and black with metallic gold highlights accompanied by green-leafed scrolling vines. Title continues on 2nd line with "...of Henry U. and Annie M. Stoltzfus." followed by the father's birth date & death date, then birth date of mother. Her death date is added later on same line with pencil. All lettering is black except for large, ornately illuminated upper case letters.
"Children" is the colorful bold heading for the remaining 3//4 of page listing 10 children with birth dates. The death date for 2-yr-old Levi is also recorded. Title has black and white letters, some red as well as metallic gold highlights. Surrounded by the same leafy scrolling vines and three upside down stalks of wheat at each side.
Remaining side borders have a vertical undulating vine with green leaves and blue clusters of grapes. Bottom is filled with a large cluster of three stalks of wheat.
Very minor stain spots, esp. at corners. Strongly creased horizontal fold line across center.
Object ID
P.96.01.1
Notes
Compare with large Esbenshade family record P.99.16.1. Hoke made Bible entries, bookplates and many large family registers in northern Lancaster County and southern Lebanon County. Large, ornate family registers made for the Amish seem to be a specialty of Hoke. He signed and dated much of his work, oftern including his home location of Quentin and later Lititz.
See file for:
1) Stoltzfus genealogy from "Fisher Family History."
2) Information sheet on David C. Hoke by Russ and Corinne Earnest "Papers for Birth Dayes."
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
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.
One of two identical white china high-heeled 19th century woman's shoes, with molded floral decoration around entire shoe. Raised flowers trim front of shoe with a tied bow centered above. Lavishly painted with heavy lustrous gold paint around back and sides of shoe as well as the bow and centers of raised flowers. Printed on top of the shoe front is: "Souvenir/ of /Lancaster/ Pa."
The number "59" is handpainted on bottom of heel. Impressed underneath instep is: "A" over "1924"
One of two identical white china high-heeled 19th century woman's shoes, with molded floral decoration around entire shoe. Raised flowers trim front of shoe with a tied bow centered above. Lavishly painted with heavy lustrous gold paint around back and sides of shoe as well as the bow and centers of raised flowers. Printed on top of the shoe front is: "Souvenir/ of /Lancaster/ Pa."
The number "59" is handpainted on bottom of heel. Impressed underneath instep is: "A" over "1924"
Flat tin 6-pointed star pattern or template with1/2" diameter hole at center. Used for creating raised, sculpted plushwork (see Amish Arts by Patricia Herr, pp. 44-55).
Finely crafted miniature copper teakettle with tinned interior. Classic late 18th-early 19th c. kettle shape with round body, goose neck spout, hinged arched handle and fitted domed lid with globular knop.
Keyed/dovetail joint at back side. Handle attached to riveted tabs with elongated tomahawk bases. Fits in oval tin box G.00.03.2.
Lancaster County or region
Provenance
Ownership by donor's father, William A. Heitshu. Donor believes she was told teakettle was a salesman's sample.
Oval tin box (A) with fitted, domed lid (B). Box has two raised bands on sides. Flat bottom of box is soldered to sides. Lid created by soldering a hammered, rounded oval top onto a 1/2" oval band. Interior of both A and B is tinned.
Used as a container for the miniature tea kettle G.00.03.1.
Lancaster County or region
Provenance
Ownership by donor's father, William A. Heitshu. Donor believes oval box was original container for teakettle.
Exterior surface has vestiges of an original finish, now oxidized with areas of corrosion. Abrasions over much of surface. Interior moderately rusted and corroded.
Object ID
G.00.03.2a-b
Credit
Gift of Martha Munster, Heritage Center Collection
Quilt is white cotton, top and back, with appliques of potted floral design done in solid red and a green with lesser yellow highlights. Pattern is often called "Pot of Flowers." Center is divided into quadrants with an identical large flowering & fruiting potted plant supporting 4 birds in each, creating a symmetrical design.Ornate pot has handles and the branches have leaves of stylized oak, tulip and cucumber. Border has a pair of wide-spreading flowering & fruiting plants on each side and a bird perched on a smaller sprig at each corner.
Blue is used only on the tail of the four corner birds. Red cherries cluster around branches on each plant; yellow ones at branch tips only. Cherries are cotton-stuffed balls stitched to quilt top only. Chain-stitch embroidered stems done in white thread.
Quilting is done in a fine grid (about 1/2") of blue contrasting thread over entire surface. Binding is red and batting is sparse or nonexistent..
Attributed to Sarah Annie Maisey Marker Smith (22 February 1883 - 22 December 1965). Married twice, she had 7 children & made quilts for many if not all. The family called them "cherry quilts." See Notes.
Provenance
Donor reports quilt was acquired by his wife's parents, Lynn and Lois Langdon, who lived in Idaho and were antiques collectors. At an auction in Oregon state (c.1987-88), the quilt was described as a "Pennsylvania wedding quilt." The Langdons purchased it, thinking it would be appropriate for the Lancaster bed & breakfast "The Patchwork Inn" run by donor and his late wife. (Donor's wife, Joanne, died some time ago. He remarried and they continued the B&B for another 10 years.) The Martins had a collection of over 100 quilts in this B&B. Now retired, donor is finding homes for many of the quilts.
Bio. info on maker Sarah Annie was obtained by Trish Herr from Morgan Anderson (see file). Quiltmaker lived on Easterday Rd, north of Myersville, MD.
Red binding and many stuffed cherries heavily worn. Loss of 2 cherries on one of the large quadrant plants. Minor soiling with some liquid stains, mostly around edges. Reverse has light acid burn at some fold lines. Along one quilt edge are spaced eleven minor holes, probably where tacked up for display in B&B.
Object ID
G.02.47.01
Notes
Applique quilts such as this cherry type "Pot of Flowers" design with its color palette of red and green were being made circa 1850s-1870. Red and green applique quilts were popular in the East, then spread westward where they remained popular during this time, then faded. Two more Pot of Flowers are dated 1902 and 1904, but really had a significant resurgence in the1920s and 1930s. See Connie Nordstroms, "One Pot of Flowers Quilt Pattern -- Blossoming through Centuries", Vol. 23 of the Research Papers of the AQSG, 2002 in file.
Place of Origin
Myersville, Frederick County, Maryland
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Given by the W. Lee Martin family in memory of Joanne M. Martin, Heritage Center Collection
All-white quilt made with unusual arrangement of pieced cotton panels, both machine and hand stitched.
Quilt top and quilt back are essentially identical; all plain-weave cotton except for two 8" wide side panels of ribbed weave and bottom 4.5" wide panel of ribbed basket weave. Centerfield has variously joined panels: at center is 13.5" wide panel flanked by two 9" wide panels and all surrounded by a 9" wide border. Very unusual piecing throughout: overlapping seams, hemmed seams and corners that do not align in conventional manner.
Quilting designs: center panel has 3 feather wreaths on a grid field, and the remaining plain-weave panels each have an undulating feather design on a field of diagonal lines. Cotton batting is deteriorated into clumps from laundering and cotton seeds scattered throughout.
Provenance
Inherited by donor from unknown Mueller family member.
Moderate wear; minor scattered stains, esp. at periphery. Most notable are two tiny blood stains, now faded. Minor separation at several seams, esp. middle panel.
Object ID
G.03.26.01
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Redwork Quilt, all-white cotton top and back, with red wool-embroidered pictorial designs inspired by nursery rhymes and literature. Made for donor Paul A. Mueller, Jr. after his birth in Dec. 1930, by his grandmother Anna Stump Mueller.
There are 96 different designs (8 columns of 12), of mostly animals, children and sometimes both. Each design is executed on a 5.25" square of white cotton, pieced vertically into columns. Each column of 12 is separated by a 2.25" wide vertical strip. Border at outside is 4" wide except for a 6.5" wide border at the bottom. The quilt back wraps around to top to create the binding.
Quilting in white thread is a diamond grid on embroidered blocks, a rope pattern on vertical strips and diagonal lines on outside borders.
See NOTES.
230 N. Mary St., Lancaster
Provenance
Anna Mueller made the quilt for her grandson Paul A. Mueller, Jr. at the time of his birth. He donated it in 2003.
There are block letter initials on binding at both bottom corners of quilt top. They appear to be "AM6," likely indicating this was the 6th quilt made by Anna Mueller.
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Quilt
Material
Fabric
Height (in)
76
Width (in)
67
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2015-07-13
Condition Notes
Good overall condition. Acid burn along one vertical fold line as well as an upper left section of quilt. Faded streak of red stain 5.5" long near embroidery of pig & boy. Quarter-inch cut hole below the "Scratch My Back" design extends through to back. Several light brown stains along upper right column of designs. Red wool in many of the designs is worn, with multiple losses.
Object ID
G.03.26.03
Notes
Redwork quilting of a deep red on white was popular from 1890s thru the 1st quarter of 20th c., but continued to be done throughout the century, eventually having a resurgence of popularity in the 1990s. Usually made for children, the embroidery theme was pictorial, inspired by nursery rhymes and literature. (Elise S. Roberts, The Quilt: A History & Celebration of an Amer. Art Form, p.238)
According to donor, grandmother Anna Catherine Stump (1861-1932) was raised in Marietta where her father, MIchael Stump, was a senior partner in the hardware firm of Stump & Mueller. She married George Phillip Mueller (1852-1900) who came to America at two years of age with his father. He was seminary-trained and became a minister. After her husband's death, Anna S. Mueller lived with her son Paul A. Mueller, Sr. and his family in Lancaster. It was while living in their home that she made the quilt for her grandson, Paul A. Mueller, Jr., born Dec. 20,1930.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Nine-Patch Quilt with 4" square blocks set on point. Pieced cotton blocks composed of many multicolored prints and 2 solids (cheddar and tan). Alternate blocks are a pink print.
Nine-patch blocks arranged in 12 rows of 12 each. Top and bottom have floral print border on a dark gray ground; one is 3.5" wide and one 4.5" wide. Same print used as a binding, machine stitched to front, wrapped and hand stitched to back. Back is a cotton print of alternating floral and plain stripes.
Quilting is not carefully executed and uses sometimes white and sometimes tan thread. Parallel lines run through corners in both directions. Pink print blocks have added quilting around edges. Two borders have a repeating chevron design.
Quilt of pieced silk hexagons, creating what is known as a Flower Garden pattern. Made by Jacob F. Trexler, M.D. a surgeon and physician on staff at St. Joseph (and also coroner, according to donor).
Quilt is made of a plethora of multicolored silks, pieced with the English template method. Each small hexagon was stitched over a cardboard template (still present). Plain, patterned and textured fabrics were used, and even some pompoms as "flower centers." Large "T" for Trexler is satin-stitched in gold on a dark blue velvet ground at center. Multiple letters, initials and monograms are embroidered on individual hexagons. These apparently represent family members since many end in "T," such as EMT (wife Ella Moore Trexler?), AFT, ENT, MAT (mother Mary A. Trexler?), MLT, MLW and MWT. Several symbols are also embroidered (sunburst w/ face, wheel, etc.)
Backing is a mustard colored quilted silk fabric.
According to donor, Dr. Trexler had his quilting frame set up on the 3rd floor of his residence at 134 N. Prince St. His office was on first floor. Donor owns three other quilts made by Trexler (he made many after retirement). These are a log cabin (silks with a polished cotton back), a star and an unfinished hexagon.
Provenance: Donor inherited the quilts from the Trexler family. In addition to other quilts, she possesses a 1920 photograph of Dr. Trexler.
Very good condition, minor soiling and fabric deterioration at some fabrics along edges.
See in file, pages from "Uncoverings 2003" Vol. 24 for article with comments on hexagonal quilts done with the "English paper-piecing" construction technique and their resurgence in popularity in the 1920 and 1930.
Quilt, Drunkard's Path pattern, cottons. Pieced by donor's grandmother, Amanda Castle Sharpe and quilted by unknown woman in Landisville.
Top is white cotton ground and pattern is executed with a floral print of red and yellow flowers on a blue ground. Edges are all scalloped. Quilting patterns are
Drunkard's Path quilts were particularly popular in the late 19th century and again in the 1930s when a revival in quiltmaking swept across America. Quilts with this pattern are quite common.
Donor's maternal grandparents were Phares C.H. Sharpe and Amanda Castle Sharpe. Phares was a butcher and the couple lived at 30 N. Plum St. in Lancaster later in life after moving around quite a bit. They had four children: Kathryne (donor's mother), Henry, Herbert and Esther. In their last years, Phares and Amanda moved to a house on Martha Ave in Grandview Heights. Phares died circa 1936, after which their daughter Esther lived with Amanda. Donor recalls her grandmother making hooked rugs. The Sharpes were Lutheran, although Amanda's sister was a Mennonite.
Amanda pieced this quilt specifically for her granddaughter's (donor's) bed, about 1930. Donor believes the quilt was then quilted by a woman who lived across from the Mennonite Church in Landisville. Donor's parents were Albert Wohlsen (1894-1971)and Kathryne Sharpe Wohlsen (1895-1964) and the family lived at 452 Race Ave. Father worked in Wohlsen construction business. Mother graduated in 1912 from Lancaster General Nursing School.
Provenance
Given by grandmother, maker Amanda Sharpe, to her granddaughter Carolyn Wohlsen (donor)
From grandmother Amanda Sharpe to granddaughter, child of her own daughter Kathryne (Mrs. Albert Wohlsen) who was born 1895 and died 1964. Photo of Amanda in file (c. 1938) and photo of Phares & Amanda Sharpe, their daughter Kathryne S. Wohlsen and granddaughter Carolyn Wohlsen (baby), circa 1923.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Gift of Carolyn W. Ripple, Heritage Center Collection
Quilt with Broken Star pattern, cottons with colors indicating Ohio Amish origin (appraiser suggests PA due to greens & pinks). Machine pieced and hand quilted. All solid colors, some polished.
Central large star of yellow, pink, green and lavender on a navy ground. Enclosed by a thin 1.5" wide pieced border of pink and green as well as on outer border of navy, about 7.5" wide. Boldly finished with a sawtooth applique binding of yellow.
Backing is two different lavender solid cottons. Printing on a selvage edge has "LANCASTER KALBURNIE" visible in several areas. Batting is a thin cotton.
Dense quilting is finely done in a contrasting color. Star has parallel lines with feather wreaths in between. Undulating feather motif and grid on both outer border and corners of the large square of navy ground.
Other examples of Broken Star: p. 115 in Eve Granick, The Amish Quilt; p. 52 ff. in Pellman & Pellman, The World of Amish Quilts
Made by an unknown Amish quiltmaker in Ohio or Pennsylvania.
Amish Sunshine and Shadow quilt with small 1 1/2" blocks composing center field pattern within a purple wool border 10 1/4" wide and a purple cotton binding 1 1/4" wide. Multi-colored small squares (including black) in center field are a mix of wools and cottons.
Hand-quilted in black. Center field has diagonal grid; border has floral undulating vine with ends tied in a bow at each corner. Leaves similar to rose leaves, but flowers have six rounded petals.
Backing is a medium-scale print of polychrome military medals with a dangling Maltese Cross, all on a field of grayish blue.
Several small, light stains/soil. Two small frayed holes of 1/8", each in border but opposite sides of quilt. One larger repaired hole in small black square. Significant fade pattern resembling tic-tac-toe grid, but with 3 lines each direction.
Object ID
G.08.17.04
Credit
Gift of Joanna S. Rose, Heritage Center Collection
