Communion altar from Brickerville United Lutheran Church (originally Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church). Rectangular altar of painted softwood, panelled construction all four sides with pegged mortise and tenon joints. Small panels over large. Door in the back with a recessed panel and knob handle. Molding around base, the edge of the top, and framing the recessed panels.
Modification to altar in 1947 by Bob Helman (signature underneath when removed 10-17-00) was a long platform shelf covering the back 2/5 of the top, with holes at the back, including an electrical outlet. Entire altar has been given a new coat of paint, a light chocolate brown on top and white on the sides. The unpainted interior has one shelf with a vertical divider.
Altar has been used since circa 1800 to serve communion, using the Brickerville United Lutheran Church's ten-piece pewter communion service which is also in collections (P97.08.01-10).
Perhaps made by Emanuel Dyer of Manheim or Mr. Zartman of Brickerville.
Large crack on top, approx. 4" from front, running halfway across top. Recently painted. Some separation at moldings. Large hole bored in altar top (for electric wire) underneath the added platform, now removed. The modern base molding also removed. Repainted top with brown and attached molding at ends of top to secure plexi top. Paint removed on door.
Object ID
P.00.34.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, acquired through generosity of James Hale Steinman Foundation and V. Ronald Smith
Mennonite apron of bleached, plain-weave cotton and black two-ply silk embroidery. Apron is gathered at the top and sewn onto a waist band with a commercial tape string at each end.
At top center is a dark brown cross-stitched design of a central star flower on triangle base, surrounded by seven stars or crosses. The separated initials "M S" flank this design and large crosses flank initials. Three different embroidered borders of black silk combine with drawnwork at bottom above a one-inch self-fringe secured with black stitches.
Provenance
Purchased by donor from the Rev. Fred Weiser in 1997. Weiser notes there are about 15 aprons known; see article in Der Regebogge written "some years ago."
Staining around embroidered design and initials from bleeding embroidery, near top. Age discoloration with small stains overall. Stains along sides. Several thread "pulls". Areas of missing embroidery on three crosses at bottom. Small hole at lower right of design.
Conserved Nov. 1997 by Dorothy McCoach of Bethlehem, PA
Object ID
G.97.39.9
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Hampton Randolph, Sr., Heritage Center Collection
Chest is red-painted poplar. Lid has molding pegged to 3 sides, supported by plain iron strap hinges. Brass escutcheon at keyhole. Wrought iron bail handles on a heart-shaped plate, on each end. A till is at left end of interior.
White-painted platter-shaped panels at each end, two on lid and two on front. Above the painted front panels is a thin, long, white-painted cartouche containing a painted inscription along with geometric floral/star motifs. The inscription reads: "17 BARBARA POTZERIN 95."
On the underside of the lid, left side, is pasted a fraktur measuring 6.5" x 8" showing a woman in a red dress and a man in a pink coat and black pants flanking a text block, with red and blue flowers above.
The fraktur is a "baptismal sponsor's letter form" done with ink and watercolor on laid paper for "Maria Barbarra" Potzer, born March 11, 1768 in Warwick Township, Lancaster County. The central text block expresses good wishes for the child (translation in file)and in the upper left and lower right corners are the names of baptismal sponsors, Maria Barbara Fockt [?] and Jakob Zook [?]. This unusual form was used in the Alsace/Palatine areas, according to Pastor Fred Weiser.
Barbara Potzer was original owner. Maker of the chest is unknown. The fraktur is by the Sussel-Washington artist.
Provenance
Chest was purchased at a sale in Harrisburg in approximately June, 1979, by seller, H. William Koch. It
Multiple large marks and stains on lid, including two blotches of a varnish-stain. Edges are worn, and bits of wood are missing in several areas. Base is separating from the front and sides. The iron hinges are rusted. Top has a long split along grain.
A condition report and treatment proposal for the fraktur were done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in May 1986, but no treatment was done.
Object ID
G.79.103.1
Notes
This is a twin of the "Anna Nislesin" chest (G.95.29.1) except for paint color and feet.
There is a group of several other similar chests (see file).
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Chest, red-painted poplar on four straight bracket feet. Lid with molding pegged to 3 sides, supported by strap hinges. Brass escutcheon at keyhole. Wrought iron bail handles on a heart-shaped plate at each end. Till at left end of interior.
White-painted platter-shaped panels at each end, two on lid and two on front. Above the painted front panels is a very thin, long, white-painted cartouche containing a painted inscription with geometric floral/star motifs. Inscription: "17 BARBARA POTZERIN 95."
On underside of the lid, left side, is a pasted-on fraktur (6.5" x 8"), hand-drawn, hand-colored, hand-lettered, on laid paper. Text within a rectangular frame at center of document, flanked by two people: at left is a woman wearing a red gown and bonnet, and on right is a man wearing a red coat, knee breeches and tricorn hat. Red and blue flowers above.
Fraktur has a "sponsor's letter" text done for "Maria Barbarra" Potzer, born March 11, 1768 in Warwick Township, Lancaster Co. Document was given to Barbara by the godparents / sponsors, whose names appear at upper left and lower right corners: Maria Barbara Fockt [?] and Jakob Zook [?]. Central text block expresses good wishes for the child (translation in file). This form was used in the Alsace/Palatine areas according to Pastor Weiser.
The maker of the chest is unknown. The fraktur was done by Sussel-Washington artist (active c.1760-1779).
Provenance
Chest was purchased by seller, H. William Koch, in approximately June, 1979, at a sale near Harrisburg. It is a twin of the "Anna Nislesin" chest (G.95.29.1) except for paint color and feet. Several other similar chests (see file).
Multiple large marks and stains on lid, including two blotches of a varnish-stain. The edges are worn, and bits of wood are missing in several areas. Base is separating from the front and sides. The iron hinges are rusted. Top has a long split along grain.
A condition report and treatment proposal for the fraktur were done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in May 1986, but no treatment was done.
Object ID
P.79.103.1
Notes
Pictured on p. 180 of Corinne & Russell Earnests' Fraktur: Folk Art & Family, 1999.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Bonnet-top high chest, walnut w/ yellow pine and poplar secondary wood. Pegged frame and panel construction. A bonnet top broken arch pediment surrounds the tympanum with a central round, concave shell carving. Large orb finial on plinth centered within broken arch. Upper section has five graduated drawer sections consisting of three small drawers over two drawers over three long single drawers, all cock-beaded with bail brasses and escutcheons. Pulls not original; ghosting visible of original brasses. Quarter columns have wide chamfers with double fluting.
Upper chest rests on stepped-out lower chest having one long drawer flanked by two small ones and two more small drawers below these. Cutout apron at bottom. Very wide chamfered & fluted quarter columns. Cabriole legs with trifid feet and stocking detail.
Make is unknown.
Lancaster County, probably Churchtown area
Provenance
Chest originally belonged to the Old family, prominent ironmasters of Lancaster and Berks Co. It may have been owned first by James Old (1730-1809) or one of his children. The chest later passed from Miss Harriet Old to the Hopkins family at Conowingo Furnace, Drumore Twp., Lancaster County.
Overall abrasions, scars and small losses of wood. 4" crack in pediment, left of finial. Significant grouping of gashes 4"x 3" spanning 2nd & 3rd level drawers, at left. Entire front of top chest detaching from sides. Piece at top of left stile, under cornice, is broken & poorly repaired. Deep horizontal 7" crack on left side of base unit. Vertical crack entire length of right side of top. 1 12" long gouge on stile of right front leg. White flecks on right front leg. Brasses tarnished with some rust.
Object ID
P.78.76
Notes
Exhibit label information:
John J. Snyder, Jr. suggests many points of similarity with a Q.A Phila. highboy owned by diarist Christopher Marshall who brought chest along with him when he moved to Lancaster Co. "on the eve of the Revolutionary War." (Winterthur collections). This chest may have inspired the design of the Old chest.
Wide fluted chamfered corners similar to a Q.A. secretary (G.03.1.1) formerly owned by the Jenkins family of Churchtown. Similar to a case of Geo. Hoff clock w/ brass face, and similar to casework by some Phila. and Maryland cabinetmakers.
Snyder notes that cockbeaded edges on drawers suggest a later date than expected (c. 1770-1790). This type in Phila. was being made c. 1740-1760.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Old family
Credit
Gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Birth & baptismal certificate on laid paper. Printed form with central textblock in German within a multiple line border. Infilled and decorated around textblock by Speyer; cross-legged angel at top, pelicans feeding young at sides and flowers at sides and bottom. Watercolors are red, blue, yellow, green and brown.
Infilled for Johannes, son of Valiendein (Valentine) and Eliesabetha (Elisabetha) Bohmer of Brecknock Township in Lancaster Co., born Dec. 13, 1788.
Georg Friederich Speyer (active 1774-1801) used this printed form produced c. 1789 by Barton & Johnson of Reading. See Notes.
General wear with numerous creases and wrinkles; one pronounced vertical centerline crease. Repaired tears, esp at left edge. All edges are ragged and uneven, esp. at right.
Conserved by CCAHA in 1989 (see report in file). Hinged into window mat & back mat. Relaced in its original frame using UF-3 Plexiglas and acid-free cardboard on reverse with a taped mylar dust shield.
Object ID
G.77.50.1
Notes
Printed form by Reading printers Thomas Barton and Benjamin Johnson, circa 1789 (see Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the Pa. Germans, v. 4, p. 84). Speyer used this printed form for Johannes Bohmer who was born the previous year in1788.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Birth and baptismal certificate for Jacob Weydmann, printed on laid paper at the Ephrata Cloister at the request of Henrich Otto (c.1733-99), who also decorated this fraktur. Infill attributed to Henrich Dulheuer (active c.1780-86);
Center text block with textile border below was printed with the date of 1784 (lower right). Klaus Stopp believes the bird-panels at top and sides were printed later (1785-87) (See Notes). Dulheuer later infilled the family information in red. Otto decorated with green, red, yellow, and blue.
B & BC is for Jacob Weydmann, born Oct. 28, 1762 in Cocalico Twp., a son of Jacob and Barbara (Huber) Weydmann. By the time the taufschein was completely printed and finally infilled and decorated, Jacob Weydmann would have been at least in his mid-20s.
Much of the edges is missing, esp. the top corners. Significant vertical crease down the center, various other creases and wrinkles. Large brown stains in lower half. The piece has been mounted on a brown backing, and missing areas of the design have been filled in.
A treatment proposal done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in 1986 mentioned filling in the design, but there is no record of when it was actually done. Matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard of Carlisle in 1996.
Object ID
G.77.50.8
Notes
Dulheuer was one of the first scriveners to fill out printed forms (Earnests). Pictured in Corinne & Russell Earnests' book, Fraktur: Folk Art & Family on p. 34.
See Bookplate in New Testament (G.77.50.5) of family member Margaret Weidman. See also Paul Flack Sale of Oct 2012 at Pook & Pook for nearly identical printed Birth Certificate of sister Catharina, born 1768 (in object file).
The Elser, Weidman/Weydmann, and Wachter families were intermarried.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Walnut Chippendale style bookcase on desk. Bookcase has broken arch pediment with carved scrolls terminating in12-petal rosettes, large flame finials at corners and a carved stylized shell at center. Scrollboard has graceful symmetrical vine carved in relief on nearly smooth ground (usually punched ground). Below are two flat-paneled doors with brass escutcheons; right door has keyhole. Interior shelves. Inset fluted quarter columns.
Lancaster County, certainly Lancaster Borough
Fall-front desk sits on 4 ogee-bracket feet. 4 graduated, thumbmolded drawers, each w/ replacement bail brasses and an oval brass keyhole escutcheon. Inset fluted quarter columns w/ unexpected small volutes carved above capitals. Two wooden slide supports flank top drawer. Replaced fall-front door fitted w/ a brass keyhole escutcheon with swiveling cover. Interior has a central prospect door with shell and leaf carving, opening to two pigeonholes over two drawers. Door is flanked by manuscript drawers faced with baseball bat-shaped carving. On each side are groups of four valanced pigeonholes over four drawers fitted with small bail-type brass pulls. Pencilled inscription on underside of top right interior drawer has "Adam Bare, sheriff," (also dated 1846?). Adam Bare (1784-1877) apparently owned the desk. He was a Mennonite tavernkeeper near New Holland who became sheriff of Lancaster County from 1831-1833. Perhaps his father, John "Bear", was the original owner (he was an innkeeper at a hotel in Bareville, Upper Leacock Twp.).
Provenance
Found in 1938 by S.E. Dyke in a home being demolished on New Holland Ave. S.E. Dyke owned it until 1943, when he sold it to C.W. Lyons of New York City for $4,500. By 1970, it was owned by H.R. Sandor, who sold it to Mrs. Margaret A. Lucas of New York City for $24,500. At some point, General L.W.T. Waller of Meadowbrook, PA, owned the piece and sold it to Ronald A. DeSilva, Inc. of NYC, who sold it to the Heritage Center.
Underside of drawer has: "Adam Bare, sheriff," (also dated 1846?).
Inscription Type
Inscription
Object Name
Secretary
Oither Names
Desk and Bookcase
Material
Wood, Brass
Height (in)
96
Width (in)
42
Depth (in)
23
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-08-27
Condition Notes
Extensive restoration (done by unknown person apparently when first obtained by Sam Dyke). Early photo shows damage/losses and restoration: replacement of left scroll and rosette and portion of right rosette; missing fall-front, 3 interior drawers and finials; both front feet damaged (bottom half of left foot missing and right foot cracked); missing right volute, damaged drawers, overall badly scarred with extensive loss of finish, etc.
Above repaired/replaced. There are two significant cracks on the writing surface: one 5" long at right and one 7 1/2" long at left. 1/4" gouge on right side of bookcase. Long horizontal crack across tympanum and one under shell "finial". Long vertical crack a both sides of desk. Repaired vertical crack in right door panel, repairs to both doors' top edges, both escutcheons replaced and holes plugged. Dark stains on inner writing surface.
Left diagonal edge of desk accidentally damaged while at museum in 1984 (see envelope w/ snapshots). Restored by Alan Miller.
Object ID
P.77.34
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Bunch of grapes, carved wood, gessoed and painted dark purple/blue with green leaves. Iron hanging ring attached at top; cluster hangs from a reproduction decorative hanger (see notes).
This bunch of grapes was said to have hung at the Grape Tavern (Sign of the Grapes) at 32-34 North Queen Street, Lancaster, most likely on the interior. This fragile object would not have stood up to outside weather. (Ellis & Evans, writing in 1883, state, "The wrought iron bunch of grapes now hanging in front of the hotel was made for, and used by, Adam Reigart.")
The Grape tavern was built in 1741 by John Harris, then sold at sherrif's sale to Adam Reigart, Sr. in 1769. He ran it from 1769 to March 3, 1794, when John Michael took over ownership. During his ownership, the tavern began its most opulent elegance as well as being called by various names including The Grape, Conestoga Waggon (sic) and Michael's Hotel. He ran it until May 5, 1821, when it was purchased by his son John Michael, Jr. who kept it until 1839, restoring the original name. According to Ellis & Evans, John Michael, Jr. moved the tavern, with the "old familiar sign" to the adjoining lot in 1839. It was then known by the original name as well as Michael House.
Provenance
Once owned by W.U. Hensel (1851-1911) who lived at the historic "Bleak House" near Kinzer, where it hung on the porch. He had a collection of early Lancaster signs.
Pictured on frontispiece of booklet of Hensel's address in 1912 on "Jacob Eichholtz, Painter." The grape sign was sold at the estate sale (March 1947?) of Hensel's daughter Elizabeth Hensel Nauman and purchased for $320 by William Lebzelter of Lancaster City, whose family owned the American House which was successor to the Grape Tavern (Groff and Wolf Dept. Store at time of sale).
No record in file later than this other than the name of seller, Marian L. Schaffner. She was the wife of physician Meade D. Schaffner, on Columbia Ave.
Paint chipping in some spots; some wood loss at tips of some individual grapes. Iron hanging ring has minor rust spots. Minor losses of gesso repaired, gesso loss between grapes at bottom. Nail repairs. Repainted at some date prior to 1984; painted at least once before. Wood at top shows deterioration.
Object ID
P.77.72
Notes
Ellis & Evans, pp. 363, 394 1/2 and 395.
Multiple references in this file including newspaper articles.
Booklet entitled "Jacob Eichholtz, Painter", an address given by W.U. Hensel Nov. 22, 1912 (eve of portrait exhibit at Woolworth's)
Hanger is a reproduction scrolling wrought iron bar with eight small swirls along the top, and is attached to a heart-shaped iron mounting plate. Made by Thomas C. Moore of Glen Rock in January 1978, based on a drawing and painting by David McNeely Stauffer (P77.31.57 and P77.31.22).
Maker is unknown.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Usage
Grape Tavern
Credit
Gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collecti
Strainer of glazed redware, but with a lighter brown color than most redware. Resting on three tapered 1-1/8 " long feet. The flat-bottomed dish has straight sides that flare out to a molded, high lip. Applied handles at sides. Large holes in bottom and three rows of smaller holes at sides.
Lead glaze overall with some streaks/runs of a darker brown.
Numerous chips on body overall; some large ones on underside and a large chip on the side; handle edges have suffered the most significant chipping loss. Glaze is crackled overall and has some staining, particularly on the interior. Feet are moderately worn.
Object ID
G.98.12.17
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Mrs. S.R. Slaymaker II, Heritage Center Collection
