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
Stoltzfus family record on wove paper mounted in a thin, molded modern frame of tiger maple. Hand done family record of Lancaster Amish family attributed to David C. Hoke (active c. 1909-1935). Bold and colorful title is "Family Record" done with wide lettering of red and black with metallic gold highlights accompanied by green-leafed scrolling vines. Title continues on 2nd line with "...of Henry U. and Annie M. Stoltzfus." followed by the father's birth date & death date, then birth date of mother. Her death date is added later on same line with pencil. All lettering is black except for large, ornately illuminated upper case letters.
"Children" is the colorful bold heading for the remaining 3//4 of page listing 10 children with birth dates. The death date for 2-yr-old Levi is also recorded. Title has black and white letters, some red as well as metallic gold highlights. Surrounded by the same leafy scrolling vines and three upside down stalks of wheat at each side.
Remaining side borders have a vertical undulating vine with green leaves and blue clusters of grapes. Bottom is filled with a large cluster of three stalks of wheat.
Very minor stain spots, esp. at corners. Strongly creased horizontal fold line across center.
Object ID
P.96.01.1
Notes
Compare with large Esbenshade family record P.99.16.1. Hoke made Bible entries, bookplates and many large family registers in northern Lancaster County and southern Lebanon County. Large, ornate family registers made for the Amish seem to be a specialty of Hoke. He signed and dated much of his work, oftern including his home location of Quentin and later Lititz.
See file for:
1) Stoltzfus genealogy from "Fisher Family History."
2) Information sheet on David C. Hoke by Russ and Corinne Earnest "Papers for Birth Dayes."
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Coll
All cotton quilt of pieced blocks in pinwheel pattern, using early 19th c. dress fabrics. Within a wide border of yellow print -- three sides only -- is a field of blocks set on point. Pieced blocks have a pinwheel pattern composed of four solid white triangles and four red floral print triangles. Alternate blocks are a print of blue stripes alternating with stripes of brown & blue flowers with white ground. Half-blocks in large triangle form use the same striped print to surround the center field on three sides. The triangles at top are a plaid print of blue, tan and brown.
Quilting patterns are feathers in wide yellow border, waffle in striped blocks and clam shell in triangles. The bordering large triangles have repeating chevrons. An inscription in running stitch in upper right corner block is "Catharine/ Myers the rose/ is read (sic) the leaves/ green here is my/ name when I/ am dead in/ the year/ 1816."
Backing is a red foliate print on white ground. It is brought forward to create binding.
Provenance
Descent through family to Mary E. Walter Ziegler who believed it came from her mother's maternal line (Brubakers and Kempers). Mary Ziegler brought quilt to a Quilt Harvest for documentation in 1992 and considered donating to Heritage Center. In need of funds, she instead sold the family quilt in 1996 to dealer Frances Woods who then sold to Heritage Center.
Extensive research indicates descent from the Walter ancestors of Mary Ziegler's father, one of whom, Peter Walter, was married to a Kathryn Myers (although she was certainly born after the 1816 quilt date). Likely made by another Catherine Myers from the preceeding generation. (See file)
Very good for its age. Some minor wear at edges of binding. Soil visible especially on solid white fabric.
Object ID
P.96.05.1
Notes
Trish Herr notes in Quilting Traditions of Lancaster County, 2000, p. 27, that Catharine was the daughter of Henry (b. 1830) and Barbara Brenner Myers of East Donegal Twp. Catharine later married Peter Walter, also a farmer from the same neighborhood. This CANNOT BY CORRECT since this Catharine was born after the quilt was made. This Catharine Myers Walter is buried in the Cross Roads Church Cemetery.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Quiltmaker
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
