Red fancy painted child's size rocking chair. Foliate painted design with bright green leaves, peaches, and white flowers. Thick black lines and thin gold lines on edges and in depressions of turnings.
Large round redware revival dish or charger, shaped on a mold with coggled edge. Top is painted with a dirty yellow slip with sgraffito decoration and clear glaze. Around edges are large scallop-like swags bordering a central scene of a bird perched on a vining branch with tulip ends. Leaves and swags are daubed with manganese.
Unglazed bottom is signed with a monogram at top, over "Robesonia, Pa", over a keystone shape flanked by "1972", over "L & B Breininger". Lester Breininger and his wife Barbara ran a thriving pottery at their Robesonia home in Berks Co., producing reproductions of 18th c. redware.
Redware revival sgraffito-decorated charger. Deep molded dish has gently curving bowl rising to a broad, flat rim of 1.5". Bowl covered in yellow with sgraffito design of a large eagle with spread wings and heart-shaped body. Below eagle is "1970". Rim unpainted except for inner border having painted black dots. Entire top daubed with manganese and a clear glaze overall except for underside. Incised initials "JCS" on bottom near rim.
J.C. Seagraves began experimenting with pottery in 1948 and set up a shop on Rte. 222 at Breiningsville in 1951. His preference was for making bowls and plates. He produced colorful glazes through the use of copper oxide. He combined the clean-cut modern 1950s style of pottery with the more traditional type to create his own unique style. (Richard L.T. Orth)
Modern "revivalist" fraktur created by Professor H. J. Kauffman's caretaker/nurse, Arlene Harnish. Mounted in handmade wood frame with corner blocks.
Marriage and birth certificate done on tinted laid paper with various colors. Within a border are three panels, the larger central panel has the text: "Henry Ka/uffman/Son of David and Anna/Kauffman was born on/November 14, 1908 in Yo/ork County, Pa. Married/ Elizabeth Zoe Tomer/July 20, 1938." Signed at the bottom "A Harnish" The two side panels are nearly symmetrical, featuring flowering plants growing out of a colorful pitcher resting on a stepped pedestal. A large colorful bird is perched in each of the plants.
Frame was made by HJK in earlier years.
1704 Millersville Pike, Lancaster
Provenance
Made by Arlene Harnish (b. 13 March 1946), caretaker of Henry J. Kauffman. She stated on 30 May 2000, that she learned to make fraktur by taking a class at Landis Valley Museum taught by Jere Kickerman. This piece was only the second fraktur she made, the first being the project for the class, done for her granddaughter.
Harnish made this fraktur for HJK during working hours at his residence when another was pressing. She copied motifs from a book. When completed, HJK told her to look for a frame in the basement. The one she found turned out to be one made by Kauffman himself. Harnish expressed shock and embarrassment upon learning that Kauffman had donated her fraktur to a museum. Arlene is Mrs. R. Edwin Harnish, 1586 Georgetown Rd. Christiana, PA phone: 5292712.
Modern fraktur and frame in excellent condition. The handmade from has small crack in top left corner block where nailed. Wood stain shows brush marks. Brown paper backing.
Object ID
G.96.37.9
Notes
This fraktur is featured in Irwin Richman's book "Pa. German Arts," 2001, page 14.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Usage
Kauffman's home
Credit
Gift of Henry J. Kauffman, Heritage Center Collection
