Photo album with marbelized cover and 40 plastic sleeves. 12 contain photos and notes related to Lancaster's Bicentennial celebration. Handwritten on card on first page: "June 10, 1992/ These documents from the City Safe were taken to The Conservation Centre for Art, Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia for restoration and preservation. Here are before and after pictures of
a. The Lancaster Corporation Book, 1742
b. The Charter of the City of Lancaster, 1742
c. The Plot Plan of the City of Lancaster, (?)
...Jarvis "(signature)
On page 14, handwritten on a card: "This was the metal box in which the Charter was stored until someone framed it and exposed it to the light."
On page 19: "This is the Plot Plan which needs to be studied. It has the drawing of gentleman X on the reverse side. Who drew this?"
Dispatch case of Major John Hubley; walnut construction.
On top, inlay shell in an oval with green background, all within an 2 fine-line band border. Metal outlined key on front center. 2 movable metal handles, one on each end. Entire wood panel in lid folds out to reveal a mirror secured by a swivel tab. A metal ring for pulling panel down/ Circular inlay designs on green background in center of closed lid portion. Intricate spiral adorn edges of all 8 sections and green felt-lined tray. 2 narrow divisions hold slide-in tops with metal pull rings fit into compartment. Portion that holds 2 small drawers can be lifted out to reveal .5" storage area. The entire lower portion can be lifted out. Bottom covered with black felt.
Coin of dull gray nonferrous cast metal in an irregular shape, replicating a Spanish piece of eight. One side has a central cross dividing the space into quadrants, two filled with a rampant lion and two with a stylized castle. Opposite side has a pirate ship with skull and crossbones prominently emblazoned on one sail, while top sail has "PIRATES / LANCASTER / PA" in raised letters.
Produced under the auspices of the Pirates Club of Lancaster as an emblem of their men's club, likely a later rendition of the original produced c. 1948. See Notes.
Some wear and flattening on coin edge. Faces have some wear at salient points.
Object ID
2009.003.7
Notes
This coin is perhaps the one described below, or perhaps a later incarnation. The following is lifted from the history given on their website:
"A beautiful emblem of membership was suggested and adopted at a dinner meeting October 21, 1948, following a cruise to the United States Naval Base in Philadelphia. It is a sterling pocket piece – the piece-of-eight - and insures the distribution of plenty of booty. The reserve of this fine coin carries the H.S. Williamson in full sail. Her flag shows, “Pirates of Lancaster, PA.” the coin is an exact replica of a piece-of-eight “the last one left of 4,623 picked up off the Azores some years ago.” The emblems: skull and cross bones, crows nest compass, treasure map, cutlass, tri-cornered hat, Pirate chest and a bottle of rum."
