Flat, brown, tooled leather case. Tooling has criss-cross, dot, and star patterns. Rounded on one end, open on the other. Small pointed flap at open end. Hard leather.
Baskets quilt, all cotton, has 16 pieced blocks on point alternating with white blocks. Pieced blocks center a basket of a yellow foliate print and a red print of small squares, all on a ground of the same red print. The yellow basket handle is appliqued. The 5"-wide outer border, the back, and the applied binding, are white cotton. Cotton batting.
Hand-stitched quilting designs, pencil lines still visible. The basket blocks have 2 strings of diamonds, a triangle, 3 hearts and a fleur-de-lis. Alternate white blocks have a large flower at center and a 3-leaf motif in each corner. Perimeter open triangles have a diamond grid. Border has running cable.
Provenance
Quilt was made by Elenora Brackbill, donor's aunt, who lived and died in Strasburg area. Donor believes the quilt was made for her own birth (Oct. 16, 1913). Elenora was a single woman and a "practical" nurse who assisted with births, nursing adult patients and cleaning. Elenora first lived in one half of the house on the family farm with her single sister Mary. The family farm was located near the Strasburg Mennonite cemetery just west of Strasburg.
Elenora and Mary then moved to 209 W. Main St. in Strasburg when donor was in her 20s (i.e., 1930s). Elenora died at age 95 and is buried in Strasburg Mennonite cemetery. Donor recalls the family all attending St. Michael's Lutheran Church on E. Main St. They were not Mennonite and did not dress plain. Maker's parents were Amos Brackbill (1840-1913) and Hannah Catherine Bair Brackbill (1849-1922).
Quilt was never used according to donor, however there are minor stains and soiling at various points on front and back, including some acid burn where likely exposed to wood. Pencil marks for quilting very evident.
Object ID
G.01.46.01
Place of Origin
Strasburg
Credit
Gift of Hannah C. Brackbill, Heritage Center Collection
Pictorial sampler by Elizabeth Martin, dated 1825, depicting Rock Ford plantation house. Silk embroidery on linen is 3 shades of blue, dark green, light green, white, black, grey, and at least 4 shades of brown (including tan). Original frame is likely walnut with reeded molding and corner blocks; lapped corner joints.
Strawberry vine border. Alphabet top is centered over 1825 date and flanked by 8-pointed star each side. Beneath date is brick residence, showing front and gable end, believed to be Rock Ford plantation house. The 3-bay dwelling has 2 arched doorways, 8 windows, and two chimneys. House is flanked by a near-symmetrical arrangement of 2 large flowering tree motifs at each side; outer one surmounted by a large bird. Small crown at each side next to border.
Three verses below house; main verse at center states: "Elizabeth Martin is my name / Lampeter is my Station / heaven is my dwelling Place / and christ is my salvation / When i am dead and in my Grave / and all my bones are rotton / When this you see remember me / Least i should be forgotton." Flanked by verse of wisdom at left and religious verse at right, each framed by a flowering vine. Under verses is a horizontal row of 9 sets of initials all ending in the letter "M", certainly indicating Martin family members.
Bottom third of sampler is a large, central flowering plant flanked on either side by confronting female figures, each holding a bird on raised hand toward the central floral motif. Each woman is standing in front of a large satin-stitch embroidered haystack(?), with a large bird atop each.
See NOTES.
Photos: Negative is "Samplers" #43c. Slides are 45-3-1 to 45-3-6 and 45-9-3 to 45-9-8
Provenance
Inherited by Winona Ressler, then passed on to sister Elizabeth Ressler (Findley) upon Winona's death. Maker was the great, great, great grandmother of donor's wife Elizabeth Ressler Findley (born July 31, 1918) and her sister Winona. Descent in family through their maternal grandmother. Family history states sampler was made when Elizabeth Martin was 10-12 years old.
Research: Parents of Ressler sisters were Jacob and Emma K. Mowrer Ressler. Maternal grandmother was likely Mrs. Mowrer?
Age darkened linen. Dark around edge to upper left, across top, above house and around upper right edge area. Slight fraying in some areas around edge.
Stain around stem of right flower in bottoom central flowering design motif. Two dark stains above the word "my" in right phrase, a 3rd stain to right at base of flowering plant.
Conserved and remounted in original frame by Dora Shotzberger of Winterthur in 1986.
Object ID
P.85.05
Notes
Sampler is possibly influenced by the Leah Galligher school of Lancaster Borough. See Betty Ring, "Girlhood Embroidery" Vol. II pp. 410 ff.
Place of Origin
Lampeter Twp.
Credit
Heritage Center Collection through the generosity of James Hale Steinman Foundation
A) Violin - Label on the interior reads, "MADE BY ROY ZIMMERMAN / STRASBURG, PA / 1984." Spruce front plate, cherry back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Complete with four strings, bridge, and chin rest.
B) Case - Inside of case is padded with black fuzzy padding, two small storage compartments with lift tabs. Black plastic handle, two metal locks and two rings for a strap on case.
Violin owned by William Conroy.
Provenance
This gift is given in memory of Roy Zimmerman.
Purchased by donor from Roy Zimmerman for $1000, circa 1999. Violins are commonly made from spruce,and maple. Maple is used for the back plate, rib, neck, and scroll. Spruce is used for the front plate of a violin.
This violin is very unusual in that it is constructed of cherry with a spruce front plate.
Referred to as a fiddle by donor who used it when playing "folk" music with various groups, including Stone Soup.
