Water color portrait of a young man on wove paper. The subject depicted in full-length profile, facing to the viewer's left, with right foot in front of left. He has short black hair and is wearing a dark blue coat, white shirt with high collar, blue and white checked vest, dark gray pants and black boots. He is holding a top hat upside-down in his right hand.
The background is dominated by a blue sky with a few clouds, an orange or light brown horizon, blue-green hills and bushes (probably faded green) and brown ground.
According to the sellers, the subject is one of the Reitz (or Ritz) brothers. Catherine Reitz was the great-great grandmother of the seller, Guiles Erisman Costolo. For more info on the provenance see the file.
Artist Jacob Maentel (1763-1863) was an important itinerant portrait painter in watercolor who worked extensively in northwest Lancaster County during the first quarter of the 19th century.
Some horizontal buckling on left side, vertical buckling along top edge, but otherwise in good condition.
Conservation treatment and matting done in Feb. 1989 by CCAHA in Phila. Mat must have later been removed, so this piece was matted and framed by conservator Brian Howard in 1996.
Framed theorem of stencil-painted fruit on light brown cotton velvet. Painting is a still life of variously colored fruits: melons, peaches, apricots, a half-eaten pear, grapes with leaves, plums and a pomegranate. Composed on a blue-colored base or table. An insect is depicted near bottom center below grapes.
There is no border signature or date. Frame is a flat-profiles with walnut veneer facing.
Provenance
Found in the Slaymaker attic among other framed objects, in very dirty conditions. Unknown maker, but possibly done at a Moravian school such as the one at Lititz. See Slaymakers at Linden Hall on page 147 of Slaymaker history.
Taken to Dottie McCoach for conservation June 1, 1998. Returned Sept. 17, 1998. See report in this file. After treatment the piece is still dark, stained and moisture damaged along the bottom.
3/4 profile bust portrait of "James Sproul of Octoraro . 1781 -1847 ." Subject's face towards viewer. See notes for additional information regarding date of gift and donor.
According to the "Papers Read Before the Lancaster County Historical Society, February 1, 1907, Minutes of the February meeting:
The following donations to the Society were announced by the Librarian: A large frame photograph of James Sproul, once a prominent citizen and iron master on the Octoraro Creek, below Christiana, donated by his grandson, Hon. W. C. Sproul, of Chester Pa.
The presentation of the Sproul portrait was made by Dr. J. W. Houston, who accompanied it by an address of considerable length, in which the career of Dr. Sproul was sketched, showing him to have been a man of mark in the earlier period of the county's history.
William Cameron Sproul (September 16, 1870 – March 21, 1928) was the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1923. He also served as a state senator from 1896 until his election as governor in 1919.
Oil Painting on paper of General John Steele. Gen. Steele is seated with his right arm on the arm of a chair, left hand on his right wrist. He's attired in a black coat high with high back collar. A high white collar around his neck has a bow tied in the front with a ruffled front.
Adam Reigart Jr. (original catalog description was Capt. John Steele)
Description
Oil portrait on canvas of Adam Reigart, Jr. (1765-1844). (Original catalog description was: "Painted portrait of Captain John Steele by Jacob Eichholtz". This ID correction approved by Tom Ryan).
Half-length male figure, faces slightly to left, gray hair brushed forward over forehead in thin wisps, long sideburns, his left ear visible; white turned down collar, light color waistcoat and white stock and frill. Black double-breasted coat. Plain brown background.
Modern wood frame 1.75" wide, painted black with gold beaded inner edge.
See G.86.09.2 for an identical oil on canvas portrait of Reigart by Eichholtz. (On art racks)
Painting has strong tears and needs cleaning. This is the condition in which it was received. Large irregular tear 7.5" x 4/5" across his left chest & shoulder. Small 1" x 1/2" tear above shoulder. Another irregular tear 2" x 1" on right shoulder. Straight line dent w/ some tearing below this. Another straight line dent 3.5" to left of head.and a 1"-long dent with tear above head. Extensive craquelure, esp. in upper 2/3.
Modern wood frame 1.75" wide is painted black with gold beading on inner edge. Round, blue sticker at top back of stretcher reads: "(W)alnut Lan(e) / Art Shop / German(town) / Philad(elphia).
Painting of Kepler Lodge, by Mary Susan Herr Weirsham,
Written in pen on back: "At my death, this is to go to my cousin, Susan Raub. (Ditty's daughter) Signed June 4, 1993 by Elizabeth Caruthers.
Typewritten and attached to back:
Artist: Mary Susan Herr Weirsham painted this picture in the 1950's & made her living selling her paintings. The artist who was six feet tall and hated it, crouched to seem less tall & gave this painting to her cousin Betty (Elizabeth Gerhardt Gipe Caruthers) as both loved their summer Girl's camp, Kepler Lodge, located 4 mi from Pequea, Pa. on Rt. 324 which was built in the 1700's (period of Hans Herr House) as the Master's mansion of an iron foundry.
Mary Sue paints herself on the left and Betty, with red hair, on the right. The girls, whose mothers were first cousins, joyously attended this camp from about age 9-16. Mary Sue, who went to Europe as a child as her parents did well, had great stories to tell Betty like pouring water on passengers as they went down the aisle of a train.
One year at camp, Betty came running down the hill, leaping over the clasped outstretched arms of two standing friends who were at the pool's edge. This time Betty hit the sloped side of the cement pool & broke her nose. While a hospital in Lancaster put one stitch in the nose, she hope her mother wouldn't find out.
Another later year, working as a "kitchen police" ( which "consisted of washing dishes & doing all the thing you do in the kitchen for 60-80 girls") on late eveing (sic) when "we weren't too tired, we went "skinny dipping" in the same infamous pool. Someone noticed the nearby farmer and all his sons sitting on their porch watching us in the bright moonlight." We all fled and were thoroughly embarrassed. The put a crimp in our skinny dipping."
Betty Gipe Caruthers was born 11/17/(19)14. Betty was a couple of years older than Mary Sue, although Mary Sue was 'bigger."--These notes taken down by a friend in June 1993. Although the families of the two girls were at odds, the two girls were fast friends.
Oil on wood panel of woman in profile seated on red chair facing left. She wears a white head covering tied under her chin. A white triangular kerchief over her shoulders comes to a point at her waist. Her dress is black.
On back: Sally Franciscus 1/18/60
"The small family portrait that you own, painted on a poplar panel by Jacob Eichholtz, was painted approximately in 1811 as the few dated examples of this type are all of about that period." Sall Francis-cus
Joe K. Kendig III, Antiques, 325 W. Market St., York, Pennsylvania
The frame is one and five eighths inches, beveled toward portrait. it is painted gold with bumpers on lower corners. Present -day clamps (2) hold painted panel in frame.
