Woman's cotton lawn headcovering. Crown is two separate pieces of fabric, with additional small pieces at the lower front corners. Plain ruffle around front and bottom. Two hemmed cotton ribbons attached at lower front corners; narrow where they attach, widening at the bottom. (Written by Scott Sager.)
Provenance
This pieces was owned and worn by Elizabeth Schneider Mann (1780-1870), the wife of Johannes Mann (1774-1843). She was the great-great grandmother of the donor'ssabalo husband, Rich Hess Mann. Elizabeth Schneider Mann's son, George Snyder Mann, gave the piece to his granddaughter-in-law, Anna Huber Hess, who gave it to her daughter-in-law, the donor Mary Jane Mann.
Year Range From
1820
Year Range To
1840
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Storage Container
Box 0059
Object Name
Bonnet
Height (cm)
22.86
Height (ft)
0.75
Height (in)
9
Width (cm)
24.13
Width (ft)
0.7916666667
Width (in)
9.5
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2001-05-23
Condition Notes
Roughly rectangular outline of brown stains at the back; several lighter brown marks on public right side.
Woman's headcovering with a 'dotted Swiss' pattern. Netted ruffle around front and bottom. Black silk ribbons attached at bottom front with metal hooks.
This piece was owned and worn by Elizabeth Schneider Mann (1780-1870), the wife of Johannes Mann (1774-1843). She was the great-great-grandmother of the donor's husband, Richard Hess Mann. Elizabeth Schneider Mann's son, George Snyder Mann, gave the piece to his grand-daughter-in-law, Ann Huber Hess, who gave it to her daughter-in-law, the donor, Mary Jane Mann.
(Written by Wendell Zercher)
Provenance
Donor, Mrs. Richard (Mary Jane) H. Mann. Given in memory of Dr. Richard H. Mann.
Year Range From
1820
Year Range To
1840
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 3
Storage Container
Box 0059
Object Name
Bonnet
Height (cm)
25.4
Height (ft)
0.8333333333
Height (in)
10
Width (cm)
22.86
Width (ft)
0.75
Width (in)
9
Condition
Fair
Condition Date
2001-05-23
Condition Notes
Brown stains on both sides and around ruffle. Black silk ribbons are very worn and frayed, especially the one on the proper left side.
Chinese export bowl of high fired porcelain, polychrome decoration under glaze. Thin walled in nearly hemispherical form sitting on a 3/4" raised foot. Gold-painted rim with red edging. Two goldfish inside bottom. Continuous landscape on exterior is the same repeating Roman or Greek scene of a seated half-robed seated man with dog facing three nude women and seated baby. All set against distant mountains and one tree in foreground.
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Welsh sugar bowl (A) with lid (B). Handpainted inverted tulips of red and yellow are interspersed with 3 large, dominating deep blue scalloped motifs decorated with copper lustre painted floral decoration. Squat pot-bellied body sits on a low squarish pedestal with scalloped edging. Two molded angular applied handles. Top has round mouth with flared collar extends outward. Domed lid has squarish molded knob finial. Darkened remnant of paper sticker with blurred writing, perhaps "-caster/ --ea set/ --1825."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Roughly fashioned polychromed softwood miniature trinket box of rectangular form. Domed lid hollowed out underneath and ends fitted with conforming caps. Wire hinges and wire loop at front with missing tin hasp. Corresponding wire loop for hasp on box front. Box sides constructed of rabbet joints secured by two wood pegs at front and two at back. Beveled bottom board attached with two pegs and extends beyond box sides. Top and four sides each have a floral motif of dark green, cream, ochre and red all on a tan ground. Glossy varnish overall except for bottom and interior. Indecipherable initials painted on bottom.
Probably Lancaster County
Provenance
Purchased by donor at Lancaster County sale. At least four other examples known. See example in collection #1973.003.2
Possible maker is Peter Brubacher (1816-1898), shoemaker and woodworker in Clay Township.
Trinket box of softwood constuction covered by German newsprint outside and a coarse blue-green paper inside. Glued over the newsprint are strips of straw of various tones arranged in geometrical designs on domed lid and sides in a technique very similar to marquetry. Newsprint visible on underside as well as where straw pieces are missing. Lid has hinge of coarse linen under laminate. Bent wire hook on lid fits into wire loop on box front.
Provenance
Collected by donor in Lancaster Co. According authority Clarke Hess, these boxes are plentiful, but not usually with newspaper lining. Clarke owns two of these boxes, both with Lancaster German language newsprint, and believes these boxes were made 1820-1840 in PA.
John Tannehill, expert in iron, reports someone told him these boxes were made in prisons.
Within a twisted foliate border is a central block depicting Adam & Eve flanking a tree with a serpent wound around the trunk offering Eve an apple. This is an engraving executed by Gabriel Miesse of Reading; his name appears at lower right followed by "sc" for "sculpsit", indicating the engraver. Two columns of verse flank the central block, telling the story of "the Fall" in conversational form. At top of broadside is the title in German: "Adam und Eva im Paradies." A subtitle reads: "Mel. Herzlich thut mich Verlangen, etc."
At bottom is: "Gedruckt in der Druckerey des Adlers von H.W. Villee, Lancaster, Pa. allwo alle Sorten Bilder, Bucher,/ Schriebmaterialien und Arzneyen zu haben find." This indicates the broadside was printed in the Lancaster Eagle's printshop (a newspaper started by Villee and Jacob Baab on Oct. 26, 1826). Villee was also selling pictures, books, stationery and even medicines out of his shop on N. Queen St.
See biographical info about Villee from Klaus Stopp's book in this file. He was born in France, served as a captain under Napolean, had to leave France in 1815 and ended up in America in 1820. Villee entered the printing business by working at "the Eagle," a newspaper in Reading. Villee was not successful as a printer in Lancaster, and he left sometime in 1832 or soon after, going to places like Lewisburg, Sunbury and Milton. After moving to Northumberland Co. and becoming a teacher, he finally died in 1842.
The Earnests note that Adam & Eve were popular fraktur subjects, especially among German-language printers of SE PA. They note that there are only about a half dozen Adam & Eve broadsides by Villee known.
Exhibited in Fraktur Exhibit in Masonic Lodge circa 2004 through 2007 (removed spring 2008).
See also P.01.60.1 and P04.48 for examples of a Heaven & Hell broadside by Villee.
North Queen St., Lancaster (printer); Reading, PA (engraver). Villee, Herman W., printer; Gabriel Miesse, engraver; unknown colorist
Paper darkened and soiled overall, wrinkled with fold lines and rough-edged with minor tears and folds. Stains scattered over surface with darkest stains within right text above center. Small hole at center of top foliate border.
Frame is homemade of stained and varnished tiger maple. Acidic cardboard backboard replaced with acid free matboard.
Object ID
P.04.48.1
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Irene N. Walsh, Heritage Center Collection
Profile of man in a high collar uniform, believed to be Napoleon Bonaparte, cast in chalkware as a framed representation under glass. Rectangular frame has conforming recessed area with cast profile in relief. Old glazing on frame covers image. Chalkware frame is painted dark green with a wire hanging ring imbedded at top center. Profile has black-painted, forward-swept hair with sideburns and pink-rouged cheek. Uniform is of red and black with high red collar and gold epaulette. Created as a memento and sold likely via peddler.
Inscriptions on back in pencil are faint. It appears to be "John M. Snavely/ picked April the 19/ A.D. 1863/ John S(nave)ly." Research reveals a John M. Snavely born 12/17/1843 and died 9/22/1883. 1880 census records him living at home with his farmer parents, Michael and Fannie, and working as a laborer. Obit notes funeral held at Denlinger's Mennonite Meeting House.
Interior profile appears in good condition due to glazing. Outside frame suffers the most with extensive paint loss and significant wear to frame corners. Strong soil on back and other unpainted area.
Object ID
G.04.23.16
Place of Origin
Eastern US
Credit
Gift of Sarah Muench, Heritage Center Collection, LancasterHistory.org
Pewter chalice, part of the Warwick Congregation's (now known as the Brickerville United Lutheran Church) communion service.
High straight-sided flaring cup on a stem wih knop created by joining two pewter salt stems. A tankard lid is used for the base. Both the knop and edge of base are beaded. Attributed to William Will (working 1764-1798) .
Engraved on the side of the cup are the initials "HIA/ MWM" within a decorative wreath with bow. Engraved on the bottom of the base is "1799", likely indicating the year the chalice was presented to the church for ceremonial use. Segments of wrigglework are also found nearby.
Provenance
The engraved date of 1799 likely signifies the year the chalice was presented to the church. The two sets of initials on the cup are certainly the individuals who presented it. The entire communion service remained in use over the years until the congregation decided in 1997 to find a safe place for this valuable communion set. Purchased by the Heritage Center of Lancaster County
Chippendale high chest, mahogany, ornately carved, Phila-inspired Rococo style. Top section has scrolled broken arch pediment with central cartouche (attrib. to Phila carver, Martin Jugiez) and fully relief-carved vine tympanum, leading down to large central drawer w/ large carved shell & surrounding vines. Two small drawers flank center drawer, under which are 4 full-length, graduated drawers with original Chinoiserie brasses. Fluted corner columns on upper case; vine & leaf-carved corner columns on lower case.
Lower chest has top full-length drawer over 3 small drawers that mirror the 3 drawers at top. Again, the center drawer is fully carved. Below drawers is a fully vine-carved skirt w/ shaped bottom. Has 4 carved fully articulated cabriole legs w/ acanthus knees and ball and claw feet and original brass casters.
Original owner Matthias Slough was a colonel in the Rev. War, a superintendent of the Philadelphia to Lancaster Turnpike, a county coroner and treasurer, and tavernkeeper of the White Swan. Buried in St. James Episcopal Cemetery.
Made by unknown Lancaster Borough workshop.
Provenance
Original owner believed to be Mathias Slough, based on a 1934 letter from Ethel Torrington Davis to Mr.(James?) McCormick. Ms. Davis states her mother received story from her mother Mrs. Beatty. Mathias Slough married Mary Gibson and had three daughters. The oral tradition is that each daughter was given a high chest. These chests then descended in the family, one of which descended through the mother of Ethel T. Davis to James McCormick (in payment of an outstanding debt). This info researched by John J. Snyder.
From a July 1975 letter, donor George J. Finney recalls the highboy in the home of James McCormick of Hbg, his grandfather. After his death in 1917, it stayed with the house & his son Donald McCormick until his death in 1945. It was then put up for sale at auction of household good but failed to sell due to price not meeting expectations of executors. Donor learned of this, and in 1946 he offered to buy it for $2,500 and the estate accepted. Donor has owned highboy since 1946. Upon the death of the donor, it was bequeathed from his estate.
Multiple repairs (e.g. pieced out around drawers); refinished; some losses, most noticeable in some cartouche elements and leaves of rosettes. Finials missing the ball at mid section. Cosmetic conservation done by Cory Berrett April 1992.
Repairs made 12-2-09 by Winterthur conservator in consultation with curator Wendy Cooper (see conservation report in file). Major changes: broken off rosette leaf tips replaced; missing finial balls and top plates of plinths replaced.
Object ID
G.92.06
Notes
John Snyder states that mahogany is unusual for Lancaster Co. high-style pieces. Secondary woods are poplar and pine.
He notes six or fewer high chests of this Lancaster County Chippendale design are known to exist, and that of these six, "this piece is unquestionably the finest example." (Based on artistic evaluation, condition and provenance. Of these other chests, 2 are in private collections, one is in the State Department collection at Yale University, and the others' whereabouts are currently unknown.
Snyder says this high chest is closely related structurally to the famous Chippendale desk and bookcase acquired by the Winterthur Museum from the Withers family, living near Strasburg, Lancaster Co.
OBITUARY
May 14, 2009 FRANCES DAVIS HASSINGER EVERHART, of Lower Allen Township, Mechanicsburg, PA, passed away Thursday, May 14, 2009, in Bethany Village, Mechanicsburg. Frances was born March 1, 1916, in Harrisburg, PA, the daughter of CARL W. AND ETHEL TORRINGTON DAVIS. She was a 1938 graduate of Vassar Co...
Matthias Slough (1733-1812) was the tavernkeeper of the White Swan. The high chest was made at an unknown Lancaster Boro workshop, except for the carved cartouche of Philadelphia.
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, bequest of George J. Finney Estate
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
8-day musical clockworks by Mennonite Christian Eby (c.1768-1803) of Manheim. Housed in a large, inlaid cherry case attributed to Emanuel Dyer. Case is transitional from Chippendale to Federal, although strongly Federal due to inlay of eagle and floral motifs on tympanum, quarter fan inlays and another floral inlay on waist section, and a patera centered on the base within a cartouche of line inlay.
Notes: Weight, key, and various parts located in box on Unit 52, Bottom Shelf.
Hood has side lights, fluted colonettes at sides, swan's neck scrolls terminating in inlaid paterae, three ball and spire finials (spire missing on center finial). Waist and base have fluted quarter columns. French bracket feet.
White-painted iron dial w/ Roman numerals on chapter ring. Seconds use Arabic numerals. Floral spandrels, lunar dial and inscription "C EBY Manheim under XII. Above lunar dial are ten names of tunes played by the musical works. Dial attributed to Reading area due to a dark moon wheel and the 2 hemispheres for the moon phase are identical (per Gary Sullivan). He also notes that brass-clad weights are very unusual, and usually an English practice.
Provenance
Ex Renner (per Gary Sullivan, clock dealer). Later from estate sale of Pauline Heilman of York, PA by Sotheby's July 17, 1982. The buyer, a private client of Citibank, put clock in storage in Florida, then consigned it Christie's where HCLC purchased Jan. 1992.
John and Carol Pyfer paid $800 for Quentin Johnson to repair the clockworks and get it running in 2004. Clock hands have losses (pieces in a box stored in clock bottom), repaired by Johnson. Case refinished (see early photos in file). Scratch on side to left of pendulum door; nicks & scratches at left side vertical member of opening to pendulum. Marred overall. Split at left side of front section of molding under hood. Pieces of string inlay replaced. Proper left back foot loose; proper left front column loose. See Gary Sullivan condition report (loan to Willard House)
Object ID
P.92.02
Notes
Made by Christian Eby (c.1768-1803), working 1792-1803. Case attributed to Emanuel Deyer.
J.J. Snyder notes, "The clock is significant because it is the only known Lancaster Co. eagle-inlaid clock with a musical movement. Musical movements predating 1840 are quite rare, and fewer than eight Lancaster Co. musical clocks prior to 1840 are known to survive. The inlay is unique in the placement of the eagle in the center of the pediment rather than in an oval medallion above the pendulum door and in the use of floral inlay in addition to the eagle. In summary, the Christian Eby clock is a masterpiece of not only regional but also national importance."
Snyder also states "Unquestionably, this is one of the most elegant and sophisticated pieces of Lancaster County Federal furniture now known." He adds "Of all the known Lancaster County eagle-inlaid clock cases, this one alone has floral inlays. In view of the fact that this case must predate Christian Eby's death in 1803, it stands as the earliest known use of the eagle as a patriotic device in Lancaster County furniture."
Snyder also suggests Manheim cabinetmaker Emanuel Dyer (1760-1836) as the probable casemaker. Working for about a half century starting in the early 1780s, Dyer was the leading Manheim cabinetmaker.
Place of Origin
Manheim
Credit
Gift of members and friends of the Heritage Center, Heritage Center Collection
Document of Pennsylvania serving as a receipt, recording the fact that Andreas Schober (Andrew Shober) of Warwick Twp. furnished a horse to the State for the use of the U.S. Continental Army during the Rev. War.
Printed form, within a boilerplate border, done on laid paper with no watermark. Paper is nearly square with wavy-cut left edge. Heading on top is "Pensylvania" (sic). Nine printed lines have blank spaces filled out in a cursive hand in ink, noting that Schober supplied "one Bay horse branded Right hind side HD 14 years old 14 hands high..." It was appraised by two "Freeholders" for " the Sum of Eighteen pounds in specia(?) on the Exchange of sixty for one in Continental and for which the State is now justly indebted to him in that Sum, with interest." It is date August 21 (?), 1780 and signed by James Bayly and W.M.G. Le(?).
Later inked inscription at top, in cursive, records that Andreas Schober received the amount of 19 pounds., 1 shilling, 6 pence which was a total sum for the value of the horse with interest accrued for one year. Paid out by Jacob Morgan on August 29, 1781. Reverse side has a notation stating payment had been made on this date.
Woven coverlet. Red and green horizontal wool bands with floral pattern ("The Double Roses") of natural cotton threads. Red and green 3-inch loop fringes on three sides. Top edge is rolled and stitched with green yarn running stitch. Bands of red roses alternated with bands of green leaves. Side edge blocks alternate red birds and green rose bushes. Weaver's blocks on both bottom corners: "J.R. Gebhart/ Maytown/ Lancaster/ Co./1839" with "A. Musser" below. "A. Musser" also on both ends of top border.
Finely crafted woven coverlet. Full loom width, seamless. Red, navy blue and green horizontal wool bands with lengthwise blue cotton strands as background. Designs include roses, floral medallions and leaves.
Weaver's blocks on all 4 corners: "Emanuel/ Grube/ Warwick/ T.L.A.C.P./ 1844/ P. Rudisill" (T: Township; LA: Lancaster; C:County; P: Pennsylvania)
Top and bottom edges folded over and stitched. A woven tape with wool fringes is stitched to the lower edge of the coverlet.
Woven coverlet. Two 40-inch panels/widths sewn together. Red, light blue and navy blue wool horizontal bands with lengthwise natural cotton fiber ground. 3-inch wool fringes on sides; 4-inch cotton fringes at foot. Hem at head of coverlet is rolled and hand-stitched. Design of large plume medallions atlernating with smaller designs. Side borders of buildings. Weaver's block, lower left corner: "Property of/ ???/ 1836/ woven.by./ I + Myer" Myer wove near Millersville, Lancaster Co., PA.
Date Range
1836
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 2
Storage Cabinet
Unit 13
Storage Shelf
Shelf 6
Storage Container
Box 1011
Object Name
Coverlet
Length (cm)
251.46
Length (ft)
8.25
Length (in)
99
Width (cm)
218.44
Width (ft)
7.1666666667
Width (in)
86
Dimension Details
Woven piece length is 95 inches plus 4-inch fringe
width is 80 inches plus 3-inch finges on both sides
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2020-01-30
Condition Notes
Name of owner unreadable; top of central seam restitches at head; .5-inch separation/opening along central seam at bottom/foot.
Object ID
G.03.23.3
Notes
Weaver I. Myer also cited in :
1. Heisey, John W., compiler. A Checklist of American Coverlet Weavers. Williamsburg, VA: The Colonial Wmsbrg. Foundation, 1978. pp. 91-92
2. Anderson, Clarita. American Coverlets and Their Weavers. Wmsburg, VA, 2002. p. 197
Woven coverlet. Two 40-inch panels hand stitched together. Red, blue and green wool horizontal bands with lengthwise natural cotton ground. Edge at head end of coverlet rolled and hand stitched. Side edges are self-fringes with a woven tape with fringe hand-sewn along foot edge. Weaver's blocks in corners at foot of coverlet: "Isaac/ Bruba/ +ker/ 1835/ C Bear".
Vivid colors in designs of eagles, trees, roses and various octagonal stars.
2 panels, each 40 inches wide plus 4-inch fringes on both sides = 88 ins. wide
90.5 inches long with 4-inch fringe on foot end = 94.5 ins. long
Condition
Very Good
Condition Date
2020-02-27
Condition Notes
Vivid colors. Edges and fringes in very good condition. A few stains. Some open spots in hand stitching along center seam.
Object ID
G.09.01.1
Notes
This coverlet was woven by Isaac Brubaker for C. Bear and date 1835. Issac Brubaker of New Holland, Lanc. Co., Pa. born circa 1806; d. 1887. Brubaker is cited in:
1. Heisey, John W., compiler. A Checklist of American Coverlet Weavers. Williamsburg, VA: The Colonial Wmsbrg. Foundation, 1978. p. 41
2. Anderson, Clarita. American Coverlets and Their Weavers. Wmsburg, VA, 2002. p. 139
Woven coverlet. Two 41.5-inch widths seamed in center. Red and blue wool horizontal bands with natural cotton ground. 3-inch wool fringes on sides. Band of wool fringes sewn onto foot end. Top edge rolled and hemmed. Bands of eagles and double rows of octagonal stars/flowers border 3 sides. Roses, leaves and large star patterns in center. Weaver's blocks in corners at foot: "John/ Bro/ sey/ Man/ heim/ 1836". John Brosey (probably Sr.)
Woven coverlet. Two 39-inch widths seamed in center. Red, blue and green wool horizontal bands with natural cotton ground. 5-inch wool fringes on sides and knotted cotton fringe on foot end. Top is rolled and stitched. Eagle and tree border on three sides. Center designs include 5-petaled flowers, leaves and star-burst patterns. Weaver's block on corners at foot: "Made by/ C. Yordy/ Lampeter/ Square/ for/ Fanny/ Myers/ 1837".
Woven coverlet of two 39-inch widths seamed together. Horizontal rows of red, gold and blue wool; lenghtwise, natural cotton. Bird/tree border on both sides and the foot. Roses and flower designs. Top is rolled and stitched. 5.5-inch wool fringes on sides. 1-inch woven cotton border at foot with 7-in. self-fringe.
Weaver's blocks at foot: "MADE BY/ J. WITMER/ MANOR/ TOWNSHIP/ FOR/ CATHERINE/ HERR/ 1838."