Sketch box made of brown alligator skin / leather over wood. Flat rectangular base w/ raised section at right end has two sunken containers. Top one is oval with ornate raised decoration on hinged silver(?) lid; beaded oval trim at base marked "PAT. March. 25.90." Oval well lined with suede. Lower container has alligator-covered round hinged lid leading to another hinged metal lid leading to a small ink jar within.
Place of origin is unknown.
Large part is a padded alligator-covered lid hinged at top. Underside of lid has pouches of light brown leather. Writing/sketching surface has a blue paper blotter secured by leather corners. Leather loop at hinge holds a metal pen decorated with raised beaded rings.
Inscription on underside is pencil script: "From Charles / Xmas 1890". Alongside is a sticker with name and address of donor.
Provenance
Donor acquired this and many other Mifflin pieces from the Mifflin estate and, then donated it to the Heritage Center in 1995.
The alligator skin and leather are cracked, especially along the spine and bottom of the folder. The box with the two compartments is uneven on the top. The lid of the oval shaped compartment is tarnished, and the snap is broken. The ink jar is staine
Object ID
G.95.36.2
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Lamar L. Libhart, Heritage Center Collection
Box of mourning pins. Paper matchbox covered in dark gray paper has top, fitted lid with a paper label. Label is priinted with scrolls at corners and a football shaped reserve at center has "80 MOURNING PINS / ASST / Germany." Black head pins with blue shafts within. Less than half this number remain.
Used for securing black clothing such as veils and hats during the time of mourning a death.
Provenance
Collected by Lillian Hollings Kiker, born to Scottish Americans who lived in New Jersey. Born (1912) and lived in New Jersey, last of Egg Harbor, she was active with quilting, sewing, knitting & crocheting. Collection inherited by donor when her mother passed away.
Trinket chest of dovetail construction, hinged lid, turned feet and polychrome decoration. Bottom secured with square nails. Keyhole at front; key missing. On a burnt orange ground are 5 large decals (4 of fruit and 1 of flowers) and one small decal at front center of spread eagle, shield and banner. Chest sides and top have centered line decoration of 3 concentric rectangles with hollow corners (black, ochre, white). Feet are black. Edge moldings of lid and base painted black with yellow-green double line decoration enclosing leafy scrolling vines. Interior and underside unfinished.
Inked # 00.43.1 on bottom. Two old stickers: "65603" on back and "65625" on bottom.
Attributed to Joseph Lehn (1798-1892). South of Clay, Elizabeth Township.
Provenance
Transferred from the James Buchanan Foundation where chest was "found in collection" with history/provenance.
Paint soiled and darkened. Large scar on left end of lid molding. Arc scored into top at right front of lid. Wear/abrasions overall, especially lid and base molding. Loose left front foot and paint loss of right back foot. Pristine interior. One hing screw missing.
Object ID
G.03.35.1
Place of Origin
Elizabeth Twp.
Credit
Gif ot James Buchanan Foundation, Heritage Center Collec
Tin container, oval body, with fitted lid and printed paper laberl wrapping entire body: "HERSHEY'S PURE CHOCOLATE EXTRACT? POWDERED COCOA...MADE BY HERSHEY CHOCOLATE CO./ LANCASTER, PA. U.S.A." Tin lid is embossed : "GINNA & CO./ NEW YORK."
This tin was donated nearly full of sulfur powder, indicating it had been reused for storage. The container company operated 1874-1901. Thus, the container likely dates from when Hershey established his chocolate company (1894) to when the Finna & Co. ceased operations (1901), even though Hershey did not open for business at his Derry St. location until 1905.
The chocolate business was started by Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945) in Lancaster City in 1894 for the purpose of coating caramel candies, is current business then. He got the idea for making chocolate from a visit to the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. He ordered German chocolate-making machinery at the fair and began making chocolate coatings the following year.
Product made in Lancaster; Tin made in New York, New York
Provenance
Donor states she purchased container at a sale in Lancaster City, perhaps 20-25 years ago (1980s). Donated to the Heritage Center .
Tin is hazed overall with light corrosion; base has slight distortion?dent. Paper darkened overall with dark brown speckles. Scattered paper losses, esp. at top and lower edges.
Container was emptied of the sulfur powder it contained when donated.
Object ID
G.08.6.1
Credit
Given in memory of John G. Sebelist by his daughter Susan Briggs. Heritage Center Collection
Crock w/ handle, redware, wheel-turned with applied strap handle.
Bulbous body is about 5" diameter at base and swells upward, curving back in to create a slight shoulder, capped with a thick, nearly vertical lip of about 3/4" high. Very dark brown manganese glaze on interior only.
Stamped "D.SWOPE & SON./ LANCASTER, PA." Father was Daniel (1812-1892) and son was George A. Swope.
"Lancaster Co. Pa. pottery," by Jeannette Lasansky, Magazine Antiques, Sept. 1982, pp. 538-547. Also her working list from 1982 Heritage Center Museum exhibit. 1869 and 1886 Directories. "The Makers of Pottery in Lancaster Co." by M. Luther Heisey, LCH
Height (in)
5.5
Width (in)
8
Diameter (in)
6.75
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-05-16
Condition Notes
Generally sound, but three hairline cracks extend across interior of bottom, two of which extend up the sides for no more than one inch. Several old chips on lip, one is larger and recent (about 2" from handle). Body is very good. Interior glaze has some spalling or chipping, esp. at bottom.
Object ID
P.01.33.1
Notes
Nice example of D. Swope letterhead in D.B. Landis Archive (P.04.14.1) in Metal Cabinet. Copy in this file.
Saltglazed stoneware jug has beehive shape, thick lips at mouth and applied handle attached to neck and shoulder. Cobalt decoration is a horizontal flower on side under the impressed name "COWDEN & WILCOX/ HARRISBURG." Daubs of cobalt decorate both terminals of handle. Tan body has dark blotches created in firing. Glazed overall except for underside, which is scored with comb-like marks. Pencil inscription on bottom is perhaps "Daniel Hartman."
