Bookplate on a page from a Martyrs Mirror, done in the style of Ephrata Cloister with a flowing hand using strong, bold letters. Letters are black with green and orange infill. Bookplate simply reads: "Carl/ Christo/ phel." One flower is at top right and a stylized pot with plant having 3 flowers is at lower left. Page is float-mounted in a window mat with a handmade cherry frame.
Ephrata Cloister, Lancaster Co.
Removed from Martyrs Mirror by a previous owner (Evelyn Good) due to water damage to the book which was then discarded. The opposing page was also saved and is mounted in Mylar on reverse side of frame. It carries a ghost image of the bookplate; string from binding is visible.
Acquired with typewritten inscription mounted on back of frame states: "BOOKPLATE MADE FOR CARL CHRISTOPHEL FOR/ HIS COPY OF THE EPHRATA MARTYR'S MIRROR-1748./ WORK OF SISTER ANASTASIA THE PEN-ARTIST OF THE CLOISTER ABC PATTERN BOOK OF LETTERS."
According to Clarke Hess, the penwork is by an unknown Ephrata Cloister artist. Clarke notes that Carl Christophel was a deacon at New Danville Mennonite Church in Conestoga Twp.(now Pequea Twp.) He died in 1767.
In Masonic Lodge Fraktur exhibit for several years. Removed circa 2008.
On short-term exhibit at Historical Society of Cocalico Valley, 2010.
Unknown Ephrata Cloister artist
Provenance
Dr. Robbins purchased framed pages from Evelyn Yingst Good's sale, Sat., May 11, 1991, lot #152, for $3,800. Evelyn Good was an Ephrata librarian. Valued at $5000, Robbins sold to museum for $2,500, donating the other half. Irene Walsh then reimbursed museum for the $2,500.
Acid burned edges are brown; soiled along outside edges; stains and foxing. Moisture stain at top left. Remains of binding still attached at left. Moisture staining at upper left corner. Two minor tears at top center, with ragged edges overall. Paper losses within black ink.
Conserved by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila.
Object ID
P.98.52.1
Place of Origin
Ephrata
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Irene Walsh and Dr. Warren Robbins, Heritage Center Collection
Chest is red-painted poplar. Lid has molding pegged to 3 sides, supported by plain iron strap hinges. Brass escutcheon at keyhole. Wrought iron bail handles on a heart-shaped plate, on each end. A till is at left end of interior.
White-painted platter-shaped panels at each end, two on lid and two on front. Above the painted front panels is a thin, long, white-painted cartouche containing a painted inscription along with geometric floral/star motifs. The inscription reads: "17 BARBARA POTZERIN 95."
On the underside of the lid, left side, is pasted a fraktur measuring 6.5" x 8" showing a woman in a red dress and a man in a pink coat and black pants flanking a text block, with red and blue flowers above.
The fraktur is a "baptismal sponsor's letter form" done with ink and watercolor on laid paper for "Maria Barbarra" Potzer, born March 11, 1768 in Warwick Township, Lancaster County. The central text block expresses good wishes for the child (translation in file)and in the upper left and lower right corners are the names of baptismal sponsors, Maria Barbara Fockt [?] and Jakob Zook [?]. This unusual form was used in the Alsace/Palatine areas, according to Pastor Fred Weiser.
Barbara Potzer was original owner. Maker of the chest is unknown. The fraktur is by the Sussel-Washington artist.
Provenance
Chest was purchased at a sale in Harrisburg in approximately June, 1979, by seller, H. William Koch. It
Multiple large marks and stains on lid, including two blotches of a varnish-stain. Edges are worn, and bits of wood are missing in several areas. Base is separating from the front and sides. The iron hinges are rusted. Top has a long split along grain.
A condition report and treatment proposal for the fraktur were done by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts in Philadelphia in May 1986, but no treatment was done.
Object ID
G.79.103.1
Notes
This is a twin of the "Anna Nislesin" chest (G.95.29.1) except for paint color and feet.
There is a group of several other similar chests (see file).
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
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.
Birth & baptismal certificate on laid paper. Printed form with central textblock in German within a multiple line border. Infilled and decorated around textblock by Speyer; cross-legged angel at top, pelicans feeding young at sides and flowers at sides and bottom. Watercolors are red, blue, yellow, green and brown.
Infilled for Johannes, son of Valiendein (Valentine) and Eliesabetha (Elisabetha) Bohmer of Brecknock Township in Lancaster Co., born Dec. 13, 1788.
Georg Friederich Speyer (active 1774-1801) used this printed form produced c. 1789 by Barton & Johnson of Reading. See Notes.
General wear with numerous creases and wrinkles; one pronounced vertical centerline crease. Repaired tears, esp at left edge. All edges are ragged and uneven, esp. at right.
Conserved by CCAHA in 1989 (see report in file). Hinged into window mat & back mat. Relaced in its original frame using UF-3 Plexiglas and acid-free cardboard on reverse with a taped mylar dust shield.
Object ID
G.77.50.1
Notes
Printed form by Reading printers Thomas Barton and Benjamin Johnson, circa 1789 (see Klaus Stopp, The Printed Birth & Baptismal Certificates of the Pa. Germans, v. 4, p. 84). Speyer used this printed form for Johannes Bohmer who was born the previous year in1788.
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Richard Flanders Smith, Heritage Center Collection
Birth certificate is hand done by artist using design elements from printed fraktur. Multicolor text is enclosed in a central arched arbor w/ flame finials. Text names Christian, a son of Jacob and Barbara (KIndig) Bachman, born 1827 in Lampeter Twp. Two confronting angels flank arbor and 2 additional text blocks of religious verse support arbor. A pavilion at bottom is flanked by blue trees & large colorful pinwheel flowers.
Border at sides and top have colorful, repeating floral/foliate motifs; top is arched. Hearts and flowers fill top corners. Above arbor is a large 4-point stylized star flanked by reclining trees.
Artist uses red, blue, light blue, black, yellow, white, green, orange and brown.
Inscribed on reverse in black ink is "No 4 made by Eli Haverstick 1834."
Provenance
Descent in Bachman family to donor. Two nearly identical birth certificates are known, for older sister Anne, b. 1823 (private owner-Barbara Ann Mable) and younger brother John, b. 1832 (G.96.9.1). Similarity suggests all were made at the same time in 1834.
Bachman family genealogy in file. See info on Christian Bachman in Mennonite Arts, 2002, pp. 56-57.
Conserved by Susan Duhl in 2001. Generally worn and discolored. Repair to edge tears & corner loss. Abrasions & paper fill in top right corner were in-painted with watercolor. Tape at back of top edge is now removed w/ remaining stain. See report in file.
Object ID
G.00.23.1
Notes
Haverstick is believed to be a teacher due to being absent on tax rolls for Conestoga Twp.
Christian Bachman (1827-1901) became a prominent cabinetmaker in eastern Lancaster County, just like his father Jacob Bachman (1798-1867). He married Barbara Buckwalter in 1855. After marriage, he moved to Strasburg where he set up his own shop.
Place of Origin
Conestoga Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
In memory of Charles Bachman, grandson of Christian Bachman, by his son Charles Bachman, Jr. and family.
Family register for Metzger family, hand-drawn, lettered and watercolored, horizontal orientation on wove paper, attributed to Karl Seybold (arctive c. 1813-1846). Format is the English style of register rather than Pa. German. Framed in molded softwood frame with very dark brown finish.
Within an inked double-line border is a grouping at top of rectangles with text re: parents. Father George Metzger born in Conestoga Twp.(1799-1845) and mother Maria Huber Metzger born in Boro of Strasburg (1804-1890), married 1821. Polychrome flowers surround text blocks. Father was Lutheran, mother (daughter of Abraham and Maria Longenecker Huber), apparently Mennonite (unbaptized as a child).
Below text blocks are 8 circles bordered w/ polychrome stylized flowers. Each circle records birth of a child. Birthplaces indicate pattern of residence:1st child born Lancaster Boro (1824), 2nd & 3rd Lancaster Twp (1827-1829), 4th & 5th in Manheim Twp (1831-1833) and last three in Warwick Twp (1836-1841).
Karl F. T. Seybold came to America in 1806, becoming a school teacher in Northampton Co. by 1813. His desire to join the Harmony Society in Ambridge, Pa. was unfulfilled, so he moved with his wife to Lancaster Co. in the 1830s, reportedly at the urging of his mother-in-law. He taught school and apparently lived in a Menno. community, doing mostly birth records and family registers for them (names like Funk, Hostetter, Herr, Kauffman, Huber, Miller, etc.).
Provenance
Unknown provenance before acquisition from sellers. Earnests do list the source of this fraktur as "Der Kurier" 9/93 p. 4. This is the newsletter of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society, published quarterly in March, June, September, and December. It is indexed in the Periodical Source Index by the Allen County Public Library, Ft. Wayne, Indiana and the Genealogical Periodical Annual Index by Heritage Books Inc, Bowie, Maryland
Old cardboard back has mailing label from L.E. Waterman Co. in New York City to W.H. Corey, Jr. of Owego, N.Y. A 12-cent stamp affixed to corner dates from early 20th century.
Paper soiling, foxing and scattered stains overall; significant moisture stains along bottom right border and smaller ones near center as well as along paper edges. Paper has significant spidery, stained cracks extending inwards from both right and left edges, clustered at center. Each side is repaired on reverse with a 2.5" - 3"-wide vertical band of paper tape, causing the dark staining seen at cracks on front. Vertical paper cracks at fold lines extend in from top and bottom. Frame has been recut to current size and has nicks and moderate wear. Corrugated cardboard backing replaced with acid-free board, Dec. 2004..
Birth & Baptismal Certificate for Maria "Temi" (Demmy) printed in German language by "Johann Ritter und Comp." of Reading. Darkened golden oak frame.
Central text within boilerplate border; a putto above, angels standing on clouds at top sides and birds on branches at lower sides. Text infilled by unknown hand states Maria was born Oct. 26, 1806 in Manheim Twp. to Christoph Temi and his wife Catarina, nee Etienne. Maria was baptized May 10, 1807 by Rev. August Miehlenberg and the witnesses were Mathis Wolff and his wife Maria. Infill in printed fraktur hand includes interesting line extensions drawn to fill in gaps
Heavily watercolored with dense reds, blue and green on all images and borders. This version of Ritter's print is one of many variations printed in the early 1820s (see Klaus Stopp, pp. 182-186).
Inscribed "Mary" twice at top of reverse side; once in pencil and once in brown ink with decorative scrolling line surrounding name.
Note: See hand towel (P.04.26.1) done by "Maria Macdallna Damy" in 1836 (Younger sister of Maria). Another nearly identical towel (Plate 14 in This is the Way I Pass My Time) was done by sister Elizabeth Damy in the same year. Both sisters married the following year in 1837, Maria to Henry Fenstermacher, whose initials are on her towel in a central heart. Also included on towel are parents' names "Christopher and Catharine Damy."
Printed by Johann Ritter in Reading, PA; Lancaster County infill by unknown scrivener.
Age darkening & soil overall w/ darkest staining/soiling in upper area. Several small breaks; holes caused by green paint (branch at lower right, upper cornucopia and stalks opposite cornucopia).
Very unusual German edition of a Birth & Baptismal Certificate (B&BC) printed on wove paper by Lancaster printer Herman William Villee. Infilled in red ink by an unknown, unskilled, illiterate hand for William Craus/Crause of Cocalico Township. Glued onto a mid-20th century printed certificate on thin cardboard & mounted in a modern thin, black frame.
Entitled "Geburts und Tauf Schein." at top. Entire frame around main text consists of one single cut (printing block) with the baptism of Christ at top and Christ blessing the children below. Central text block in German has blanks infilled in English with red ink. William Crouse was born August 10, 1828 to parents William and Sarah Craus(e?). He was baptized by Rev. Frederick Harman and the sponsor was John Koch(?). The birth year is scrawled above text three times and below is written "whas Ritten May 21. 1833." Villee's name and location printed at bottom.
Certificate is H: 16.25" x W: 13" It is heavily colored with dark red, black and yellow throughout.
J.J. Strine records the marriage of a William M. Crouse Esq. of W. Cocalico and Nancy Eberly of Reamstown, 12 Oct. 1858. (If the same Crouse, he was age 30.) 1869 Directory lists both Wm. Crouse Sr. & Jr., combmaking in Reinholdsville, while the Business Directory (p. 408) only lists Wm. Jr. as one of two comb manufacturers in Lanc. Co. William M. Crouse & son were manufacturing combs in Reinhold's Station in W. Cocalico Twp. in 1890 Directory. In 1909, only George W. Crouse continued.
Atlas of 1864 has Wm. Crouse Jr. w/ two bldgs. between Reinholdsville & Berks Co. line. The 1875 Atlas shows W.M. Crouse listed only with the bldg. nearest Berks Co. while the other bldg. is gone. The 1899 Atlas shows property labeled "COMB FACTORY".
Ellis & Evans lists William M. Crouse as a Justice of the Peace in 1855-1860 in W. Cocalico Twp. (p. 722).
Printed N. Queen Street; likely infilled in W. Cocalico Twp.
Provenance
Provenance unknown.
See P.01.60.1 for Heaven & Hell broadside by Villee.
See Klaus Stopp, The Printed B&BC of the German Americans, Vol. III, pp. 136-137.
Heavy damage with moderate staining. Extensive tears, wrinkles and holes, esp. at center. Largest losses are scene of Crist blessing the disciples. Many areas mended with tape. Glue & tape apparently used to mount document. Old cardboard backing. NEEDS CONSERVATION.
Printed taufschein (B&BC) on wove paper by Herman William Villee of North Queen St. in Lancaster, infilled by unknown hand for the Hirsch family and carefully hand-colored. It is one of two German-language editions printed by Villee.
Taufschein has outer border of a stylized floral motif except at bottom which is an entwined, spiraling leaf and flower design. Large text block at center within a border with heading, "Geburts und-Tauf-Schein." Two smaller text blocks at upper corners have religious verse. Two very small blocks with verse are at bottom center. The three Virtues are personified by classically robed females arranged at sides and top of central block. At top is Love holding a heart; at left side is Faith adorned with a cross; at right is Hope leaning on a large anchor. (These 3 images were used by other printers in Reading, Orwigsburg and Pottsville -- see p. 133 in Vol. III of Klaus Stopp). Immediately below central text block is an image of 2 babies reading a book.
At bottom is: "Gedruckt und zu haben bey/ H. W. VILLEE,/ In der Nordlichen Quien Strasse in Lancaster, (Pa.) Allwo alle Arten/ von Dructer Arbeit verfertigt werden." Mounted in a molded softwood frame with an outside bead and slanting face. Painted black with green-painted face.
Certificate made for birth of Anna Hirsch, daughter of Joseph and Magdalena Metz Hirsch, born Dec. 14, 1821 in Rapho Twp. Reverse has two lines of 19th c. script in black ink: "Amey Hersh Died March the 10/ In the year of our Lord 1844."
Printed by Herman William Villee (b. 1789 in France, d. 1842 in Northumberland Co.), North Queen St. Likely the infill by unknown scrivener in Rapho Twp.
Provenance
See this file and P04.48.1(Adam & Eve broadside) for info about Villee. Additional broadside is P01.60.1.
See Klaus Stopp, "The Printed B & BC of the German Americans", Vol. III, pp. 133-134.
Strong horizontal fold line at center with additional creases. Two 1/2 inch tears at top extending downwards. Top edge very ragged and folded back.
Some overall yellowing, small area of foxing at top right, small liquid stains along top. Corrugated cardboard backing replaced with acid-free matboard back within an old molded wood frame, painted green on face and dark brown at sides. Paint has moderate wear.
Object ID
P.04.48.02
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of Irene N. Walsh, Heritage Center Collection
