Fraktur is a Vorschrift made for Eva Kauffman & attributed to schoolmaster Christian Alsdorff. Horizontal design is hand drawn, lettered and colored on wove paper. Alsdorff uses black iron gall ink with red and black watercolors. Very busy design has lettering surrounded by multiple flowers and leaves.
First 3 lines of text are oversize, esp. the first. Appears to be "Ihr Kinder Send / Bedenck Deinen Schopfer in deiner Ill / Gehorsam Luren Eltern Dann das ist hillis Ehre Vatter." Nine lines of German script follow, and finally a last line of numbers. An area in the bottom right corner is boxed off by a red line border. Several lines written there are "Diese Vorschrifft Gehoret / Eva Kauffman in / ??????? Schullerin 2 Merz 1793."
This design is similar to that of the Vorschift belonging to Clarke Hess pictured in Papers for Birth Dayes, p. 51.
Formerly known as the "Earl Township Artist", Alsdorff was a schoolmaster at the Hempfield School and the Earl School in Lancaster County. Kauffman families did live in the area between Marietta Pike and Rt. 283. The 1869 Directory of Lancaster Co. has 18 Kauffmans listed in East Hempfield Twp and 15 in West Hempfield Twp. None were listed in the Earl townships. On the same day (March 2nd) Eva Kauffman received hers, Alsdorff presented a similar Vorschrift to Jacob Brubacher, noting he was a student at the Hempfield School. Eva most certainly was too.
Mounted in a dark wood frame with beveled face, white window mat. Significant pieces of the fraktur are hidden behind the matboard.
Hempfield School (in area of the Hempfield Townships), Lancaster County
Christian Alsdorf (c. 1760-1838, active c.1789-1821), attributed by Weiser.
Breaking and broken at fold lines; the vertical center line appears to be completely separated. It has two 1.5" long pieces of cellophane tape at top and bottom. Large ragged hole centered on fold line. Lots of brown stains cover much of surface. Iron gall ink has bled outward from motifs have strong concentrations of the ink. Watercolors are alligatored and individual pieces are cupping and lifting. In need of conservation.
Object ID
2002.160
Notes
Pastor Fred Weiser inventoried the fraktur collection in 1988; see forms in file. Weiser refers to the article on Alsdorff by David Johnson in Der Reggeboge (copy in object file).
See pages 51-53 in Russ and Corinne Earnest's "Papers for Birth Dayes" for article on Christian Alsdorff. He was prolific in creating his fraktur; over 50 are known.
Fraktur presentation piece on wove paper, horizontal orientation. Green and brown designs and lettering. Has a foliate border w/ flowers at top center and corners. Large heart dominates design with 5 lines of religious text, and signed at the bottom stating fraktur was made for Anna Funck on 15 Dec 1824 by J. Eberman, schoolmaster. Acanthus like leaves surround heart with several flowers. Five baskets with flowers complete design.
Text: "Jesus ist der schonste nam / Aller, die von himmel kommen, / Huldereich, prachtig, tugendsam, den Gott / Selber angenommen, seiner grossen / lieblichkeit, gleicht kein name weit und breit. / Gemacht von Anna Funck, den 15ten December 1824. J. Eberman / Schul Meister".
Translation: "Jesus is the most beautiful name of all who which came from heaven full of protection, glittering, virtuous, whom God himself, except; His great loveliness is equalled by no name far and wide. Made for Anna Funck 15 December, 1824 (J. Eberman, Schoolmaster)"
Very light age coloring. Two large brown stains / burns at lower left corner. Smaller stains elsewhere. Dog-eared corners. Mounted in a white window mat hinged at top.
Religious text by Christian Strenge on wove paper, pasted on Kraft type brown paper and mounted in a hinged window mat. Horizontal orientation.
Within heavy black borders with red corner blocks are multiple lines of text, each separated by several motifs resembling a sideways ampersand. Top line is "Preiset mit mur den herren und lasset uns" done with large open letters and decorative infill. Followed by 3 lines of fraktur red lettering, ending with the reference Psalm 34 verses 4, 5 and 6. Remaining text is script, ending with "April 1788."
Dominating fraktur design are two very large distinctive, colorful flowers drawn with a compass. Main stem with drooping tulips & other flowers at sides and is rooted in a heart containing verse. A bold red predominates
First line translation is "Praise with me the Lord and let us...". On fraktur back is printed "property of Lancaster County Historical Society."
Extensive damage. Very dark with overall acid burn. Multiple losses, especially at left side and upper left corner with very ragged edges and holes. Additional heavy paper losses at bottom, right of center and significant holes extend across area above "Preiset". Paint is chipped, abraded and missing, especially black. Thin wrinkle extends across bottom about 1 inch from bottom. Pasted to acidic Kraft type paper.
"Needs restoring" according to Pastor F. Weiser (appraisal of 1988)
Object ID
2003.077
Notes
Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. He suggests looking at article by David Johnson in Reggeboge for early examples of Strenge.
