Stiletto or awl of steel with wood handle and handmade protective tip.
Tool has a shaft of rounded steel coming to a sharp point. Mounted on a black-painted, turned wood handle, largest at end and tapering toward steel shaft where it terminates with two turned rings.
A chromed metal slide glides along tool shaft and is clamped in place with a knurled screw. Stamped on this slide is "PATD' APR-6-09" (or 00) and nearby is a symbol with the words "TRADE/ MARK."
Stiletto is fitted with a protective tip made of a bottle cork with crocheted cover and crocheted top ring.
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.
Pewter beaker or handleless cup. Part of the Warwick Congregation's (now known as the Brickerville United Lutheran Church) communion service.
Cylinder form flares out slightly at bottom as well as top. Banded at base.
Engraved on the exterior, near top, are the small initials "M.W."
Provenance
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.
Diameter of bottom is listed. Diameter of top is 2.5".
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2014-08-28
Condition Notes
Overall abrasions, pitting, small dents and staining. Rim has multiple small dents and abrasions. Bottom interior is pitted. Wear underneath with some areas slightly cracked. Dent at base.
Object ID
P.97.08.5
Place of Origin
Hartford, Connecticut
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation and Friends of the Heritage Center Museum, Heritage Center Collection
Stiletto or bodkin of turned bone, fitted in a conical basket-weave holder or sheath.
Stiletto (A) has ball-shaped head with hole in it, then narrowing to a neck with additional swells and narrowing until it tapers from midsection down to a sharp point.
Holder (B) is an elongated cone made with a brown reed-like material woven onto ribs like a basket. Handle is a twisted form of the same material, shaped in a double loop configuration.
It is assumed that this pair of otems were originally dwsigned for each other.
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.
Bodkin of bone is a flattened needle with one rounded end and one end with a blunt point. Slot of 5/8" in length is cut into body near rounded end. This tool is used for threading ribbons, etc. through casings, fabric tubes or loops.
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.
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.
Needle and pin case in sun bonnet form with off-white finely woven sheer cotton or silk. Rigid visor of light cardboard is covered with fabric and folds at top. Cap section is gathered at neck. Trimmed with four pink satin bows and a strawberry of emory covered with silk and embroidery on short string at crown. Metal snap closure inside visor.
Interior of visor has attached strip of twill wool with sawtooth edge. Pins and needles are inserted and stored in this fabric.
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.
Needle book made of printed heavy paper, folded to resemble a book. Advertising item lists coal business on inside.
Blue printed cover has the words "The/HOME NEEDLE/CASE" below an image of little girl with bonnet, holding roses against a floral background. Back cover has a scene of tree, pond, and house in distance. At bottom is "PRINTED IN U.S.A."
Inside at front is an affixed paper packet of needles "SHARP & SON." Five needles remaining. Right side of book interior has printed advertising message with a cartoon image of man driving an early coal truck vehicle. The business is called "UPPER LEHIGH COAL" above image and below image is "SEAMAN & MARTENS" of Atlantic City, NJ.
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.
Needle book of printed heavy paper containing 32 needles, folded to resemble a book. Advertising item lists coal business on inside.
White printed covers have four children in 19th c. clothing on the front and four on the back. They are all involved sewing activities. Front cover at top reads "SEWING SOCIETY/ NEEDLE BOOK" and at bottom is "Egg shaped eyes/ -And swelled centre."
Verse on back cover reads "In Your Time Of Need-/ It is Needless to look for Any Thing/ BETTER THAN ME." At the bottom is "OUR NEEDLES/ ARE THE BEST." Donor's sticker with "Kiker" is at bottom corner.
Inside covers printed in red on brown-colored paper. Paper packet of 3/9 needles affixed to left side; pasted to right side is a swatch of dark loose-weave fabric displaying an arrangement of seven variously sized needles.
Near bottom is printed "Manufactured to Order by J.A. COATES & SONS, Limited." and below this is "ORRIN O. WARE./ GENERAL MERCHANDISE."
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.
Needle book of printed heavy paper containing needles, folded to resemble a book. Advertising item lists coal business on inside.
White printed covers have four children in 19th c. clothing on the front and four on the back. They are all involved in sewing activities. Front cover at top reads "SEWING SOCIETY/ NEEDLE BOOK" and at bottom is "Egg shaped eyes/ -And swelled centre."
Verse on back cover reads "In Your Time Of Need-/ It is Needless to look for Any Thing/ BETTER THAN ME." At the bottom is "OUR NEEDLES/ ARE THE BEST."
Inside covers printed in red on brown-colored paper. Paper packet of 1/6 needles affixed to left side; pasted to right side is a swatch of dark loose-weave fabric displaying an arrangement of six variously sized needles (large center on is missing and the 3rd from left is broken).
Near bottom is printed "Manufactured to Order by J.A. COATES & SONS, Limited." and below this is "ORRIN O. WARE./ GENERAL MERCHANDISE."
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.
Paper slightly buckled with darkening along bottom section or interior. Slight wear at edges with minor dogear damage at bottom corners. Short tear at bottom fold of book. Short fold line extends near top at fold of book. Small dent at middle of right edge of back cover. Center needle missing, one at left of center is broken.
Object ID
G.05.15.12
Credit
Gift of Susan Garofola in memory of Lillian Kiker (mother), Heritage Center Collection
Needle case of turned hardwood (maple?). Cylindrical body was turned in two pieces and strong chamfers at each blunt ends. Center band of glossy black with three scored lines at midpoint. Ends also painted black with a score line on each. Additional daubs of black paint on unpainted body.
Cylinder is hollow for holding needles. One third of body pulls off like a cap, sliding off a male extension of the 2/3 section. No contents.
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.
Needle case of cast silver is a square-bodied long container that tapers from one end to the other. Made of 2 pieces, the thickest end is the cap that fits on a male extension of the main body. The length of each side of case is constructed of identical cast pieces of silver with a soldered seam still visible.
Decorated with low-relief roses on cap; grapevine and football shape are on main body. Small panels on narrower sides have a slogan in German: "ZUM / ANDENKEN / KEINE ROSEN / OHNE DORNEN" which translates as a warning to not prick one's self with the needle. Literally, it states "Remember (there are) no roses without thorns."
Possibly Germany
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.
Needle case with needle threader, two pieces, a long metal tubular case of bronzed metal. Most of the object is the hollow tubular handle, 2.75" in length, with one rounded end and male-shaped "cap" fitting into opposite end. Handle has bery fine ribs running lengthwise on exterior. Cap end is very short with a smooth exterior. It has one rounded end while opposite end - that fits into handle - is fitted with a fine wire loop used to thread needles. The loop is mounted into red-painted wood which is in turn set into cap's hollow end. To use tool, cap is removed, reversed end for end, and reinserted into hollow handle.
On side of cap is stamped "GERMANY."
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.
Sewing kit, rectangular box shape consists of folding exterior of black-brown leather that wraps around an inner box of rigid leather covered sides that has a flap lid with snap closure. Inner box and outer wrap both covered with the same pliable black-brown leather with pink satin lining. Wrap has stitched compartments inside as well as three graduated size rectangular flaps of fabric for holding pins & needles. Top flap embroidered with pink floral design.
Box inside has empty interior except for a corner loop for holding a 1) thimble of non-ferrous, darkened metal (long oblique crack on side continues along nearly-flat top; flattened shape) and 2) an inexpensive ferrous metal scissors having stamped scrolls on handles.
Inscriptions: Paper label found in case w/ leather residue on reverse says "Shaker Chrome Leather." This was likely the name of the leather finish of this case.
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.
Needle and thread case, heart shape. Folded paper form creating six flat sections appears to be a geometric heart when closed with top strap fitted with snap closure. Exterior covered with dark blue silk with white polka dots. Interior lined with dark blue silk. Efge embroidered with button hole stitch in red.
Interior fitted with six straps of white elastic for holding small cards of thread or pieces of fabric pierced with needles and pins. Currently holds three small color-printed cards of white, blue-green and blue thread as well as one swatch of fabric with needles and pins.
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.
Miniature cruet set of four bottles and caddy, clear glass and non-ferrous base metal.
Four tall vial-like, clear glass bottles, one with its metal cap. Bottles appear to be mold-blown, cylindrical and have a pronounced ring extending outward at mid point, a long narrowing neck and flared lip. Bottles fit into a rotating metal carrying ring at midpoint of caddy, suspended by their glass protruding ring. An oval ring handle on stem with threaded end fits into female-threaded pedestal base which flares out toward bottom.
A raised letter "W" appears twice underneath base.
Provenance
Descent to Sarah Muench from family, perhaps her Aunt Alice Potter Fordney, an antiques dealer.
Darning egg, classic shape, hardwood, painted black. No handle.
No inscriptions or other markings.
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.
Diminutive hammer has elongated steel head; tapered cylinder end and thin flattened opposite end. Long hardwood handle mortised into head is wide and flat at head end and swelled to a rounded oval shape before tapering to blunt point at terminal.
Provenance
Donor was given hammer mid 1970s by an acquaintance, Frances Geiger, a "maiden lady from Quarryville." Attribution to Gorgas was stated by Ms. Geiger at that time. (Research indicates Frances was a teacher living in Millersville.)
Handmade sticker on hammer, now removed, had "Circa 1763-1798". These dates relate to Gorgas Sr. rather than Jr. The father appeared on Cocalico tax records by 1763 and died 1798.
Head has some dark tarnish. Handle is smooth and polished with some dark stains. Two small nails driven into handle end as it protrudes at top of head.
Object ID
G.08.19.1
Usage
Gorgas, Jacob, Jr. (b. circa 1763-1828)
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diminutive hammer has elongated steel or iron head; tapered cylinder end and a tapering, flattened, thin end. Long hardwood handle is square-mortised into head and has a swell near opposite end with a blunt tip.
Provenance
Donor states the hammer was used by clockmaker Martin Shreiner (1769-1866), his great, great, great grandfather. Donor donated a signed statement by Edward D. Glass (1881-1962) that the hammer was purchased by him from the Shreiner estate sale at 136 E. Walnut St. in Lancaster, apparently around 1895 or 1896. (see file) Glass was a paperboy in that district of town and lived with his parents Daniel & Mary at 556 N. Shippen St. He would have been 14 or 15 yrs. old when he bought the hammer.
Head has some considerable corrosion. Moderate wear and soil on handle with some minor loss of wood near terminal. Head is loose on handle and small nail has been driven into handle end as it protrudes at top of head.
Object ID
G.96.31.2
Usage
Shreiner, Martin
Credit
Gift of Paul A. Mueller, Jr., Heritage Center Collection
Redware canning jar, ovoid shape with no handle. Pronounced foot ring and rounded flaring lip with recessed interior to receive a fitted lid (missing). Dark brown manganese decoration with some mottling, streaks and dark spatters. Lead glaze overall except for underside.
Very strong wear with losses. Lip has very large chip and one very small chip at outside edge. Strong losses of glaze at lip. Very strong abrasions at salient point of side, with considerable scattered scratches. Foot ring has three large chips and one very large chip. Soil on inside and underside.
Object ID
G.99.22.1
Place of Origin
Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Drs. Irwin and M. Susan Richman, Heritage Center Collection
Six-piece sewing kit, composed of a clam-shell-type, blue leather case with stamped gold trim. Case has eight sides and lid is hinged with spring activated clasp. Interior has ivory-colored velvet in bottom section and satin on lid. Bottom section has recessed cavities that conform to the shape of each of the following sewing equipment:
1. Scissors, polished steel blades, gold-plated non-ferrous metal handles, marked "NOGENT" and "34" on blades. Gold finish is worn. Length: 4" Perhaps made by Nogent in France
2. Thimble, gold finish, bottom 1/3 of sides has diamond shapes on a ground of wavy lines. Unmarked.
3. Awl or stiletto, round steel shaft set onto handle of gold-plated non-ferrous metal. Gold finish worn. Length: 3.75"
4. Crochet-type hook, round steel shaft w/ minute hook at end, set onto handle as above. Gold finish worn. Length: 3.875"
5. Flat needle/bodkin for threading ribbon, etc.; slot and adjacent hole at one end and near point at other. Gold finish worn on non-ferrous metal. Fits into elastic loop in case. Length: 2.25"
6. Needle case of gold-plated non-ferrous metal, conventional shape. Main body has 0.5"-long fitted cap. The flattened sides are stamped with a pattern of wavy lines. Length: 2" Width: 0.25" Thickness: 0.125"
Inscriptions: No marking noted on anything except for scissors, "NOGENT." Internet search reveals Nogent as a cutlery factory near the village of Nogent in NW France. Although this factory seems to have begun in 1923, the area around Nogent has been a "cradle of cutlery making" for three centuries.
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.