Framed fraktur birth & baptismal certificate (taufschein/B&BC) for Elisabetha Elser, drawn, lettered and colored by hand on laid paper. Symmetrical, horizontal design is attributed to the "Ehre Vater" artist. Fraktur is mounted on thick paperboard with beveled edges, and is float-mounted on a buff-colored matboard within a modern black frame.
At center is a large circle painted red and green. Inside the circle, set onto yellow ground, is a heart with blue border and pinkish interior. Interior text states Elisabetha Elser was born in Warwick Twp, Lancaster Co. on 19th Nov 1803. Her parents were Peter Elser and wife Elisabetha, born a Wachter. Baptism was held by Pastor Schulz and the sponsors were Georg Wachter and his wife Margaretha (believed to be a sister of Peter Elser). Below circle are two lines of religious verse, translated by Weiser as "A heart that loves Jesus knows no worries -- much cross, need and pain are his days of joy."
At lower right and lower left are two large compass-drawn spheres colored with green, yellow, red, blue and pink. Out of each sphere is a flowering plant on which large parrot-like birds perch, similarly colored.
Attributed to the "Ehre Vater Artist" (active c. 1782-1828).
Some surface soil. Good color retention. Needs to be removed from backing board and conserved.
Object ID
2017.999.1
Notes
Appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, 2 Sept 1988. He attributes fraktur to the Ehre Vater artist, a prolific artist who travelled far and wide producing fraktur for many years. This fraktur likely related to Johannes Schnierer B&BC, 2004.718, due to Johannes Schnierer (b. 1786) later marrying an Elser (Catharine).
Papers for Birth Dayes notes on page 227 that this fraktur was exhibited as #38 in the , Allentown Art Museum show in Allentown, PA, "Pennsylvania Folk Art," October 20-Dec. 1, 1974.
The Elser, Weidman/Weydmann, and Wachter families were intermarried.
Pressed redware plate commemorating 175th anniversary of Mountville. Features incised jubilee emblem and floral decorations. Made by the mayor, Victor Lenox, for celebration.
Lancaster Amish Bars quilt, circa 1920. Deep colors such as these are usually found in early quilts.
Top: Twill-weave wools. Seven-inch wide bars of blue and green with red inner border and blue outer border with green blocks.
Back: Black & white and blue & white chambray, machine joined in four widths. Just one narrow strip is in blue.
Quilting: Although the quilting of fine even stitches is excellent, the patterns are hard to see in dark colors. Outer border has baskets containing a tulip and tiny paired loops a the side of each basket handle. Baskets alternate with 6-point stars. A row of scallops along inner edge. The inside border has a double cable with 6-point star in corners. Centerfield is waffle.
Binding is red, machine sewn to the back, turned and machine sewn to front with black cotton thread.
North of White Horse, Lancaster County (Esprit Book, plate 43)
Provenance
Purchased by Esprit from the Holsteins for $10,000 on 6/12/1986.
Some fading of blue fabric. Some small holes and one tear, now darned, at back of binding in one corner caused by a heavy nylon strap sleeve, removed by conservator Linnea Davis. Other hole repairs made by Davis in binding (see file).
Quaker-made quilt, Star Block pattern of cottons by Ann Mather Ambler. Made before her Jan. 1861 marriage to Quaker farmer Aquilla Bolton Lamborn, after which they settled on a farm near Liberty Square in Drumore Twp.
Made of 16 hand-pieced blocks, each 17" sq., set straight in rows 4 x 4. Each block is a broken star design of red cotton prints and off-white muslin, pieced with diamonds and squares. Red print sashing 3" wide with diamond-in-square cornerstones. Outer border is a red print 5" wide and inner border is white, 3" wide.
Back is a tan and blue cotton print, brought forward to front to create binding. Batting is a very thin-weight cotton. Handquilted in white; outer border has diagonal lines, inner border and sashing have a double-line twisted cable and pieced star blocks have outlined components.
Appraiser notes two names for this quilt: "Carpenter's Wheel" and "Eight-point Broken Star" (Barbara Brackman's book #3810).
Provenance
Maker to daughter Alice Lamborn Long (she and husband James Long moved to Chester Co. in 1915), then to Alice's granddaughter Ruth W. Long (of Toms River, NJ) for safekeeping until finally given to nephew/donor Mitchell K. Long.
Ruth W. Long lived in Toms River, NJ. and recopied the handwritten family history, now laminated. Additional old paper note reads: "Quilt made by Ann M. Lamborn before 1861."
