Fraktur is a Vorschrift, drawn, lettered and colored by schoolmaster Christian Strenge. Mounted in a window mat of off-white, with a modern frame of dark-stained softwood. Within an outside border dark blue is a floral vine border with mostly tulips and some 4-petal flowers is the text. It begins "Ich will den herrn / loben mein lebenlang und mit meinem Gott uber die Mauren springen." (I want to praise the lord all my life long and jump over the walls with my God.). Lettering is intricately decorated and colored. The initial "I" of text is oversized. At left of this "I" is "den 1ten may / anno 1787" in the same letter style, but half size.
Following the main text are six words written in script, followed by the alphabet with both fraktur and script letters. At the end are what appears to be "A.O.U." Final line is "maria millerin." in large letters. Reverse side has "Weiser #25" in pencil.
See David R. Johnson, Christian Strenge's Fraktur, East Petersburg Historical Society, 1995.
Height (cm)
19.4945
Height (ft)
0.6395833333
Height (in)
7.675
Width (cm)
31.4325
Width (ft)
1.03125
Width (in)
12.375
Dimension Details
Frame is H: 12.5" W: 17.5".
Condition
Fair to Poor
Condition Date
2017-05-30
Condition Notes
Paper is embrittled, buckling and darkened from acid burn with extensive foxing. Some losses at edges. Large area of loss about 2.5" - 4.5" from bottom left corner. These holes/losses extend 2" up from bottom, with edges appearing to have been burned. Colors and ink have faded.
Object ID
2017.999.4
Notes
Appraisal conducted by Pastor Fred Weiser, Sept. 2, 1988. Weiser writes "The owner Strenge's first wife or a relative of her." Strenge's 2nd wife was Mary Eve Miller of Lancaster. This fraktur is an almost identical vorschrift done for Christian Miller on the same date, in the collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. The Millers were apparently siblings.
Also in LHO collections is a religious text for Maria Miller done the following year in 1788. Another religious text was done for William Miller on the same date (also from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin).
Printed angel form B & BC in German for daughter Maria Miller born 16 Sept1798 in Lebanon Twp., Dauphin County. Infill is in German script. Father is Johann Miller and mother is Sara, nee Williams. Baptism on 26 Oct 1798 by Rev. Lochman. Sponsors are Johann Dutweiler and wife.
A variant of the standing angel form has angels flanking center text block titled "Geburts- und Taufschein". At top is Putti on a cloud Angels flank a long text block; perching birds at bottom corners. Small box at bottom reads: "Reading: / Gedruckt und zu haben / bey / Carl A. Bruckman." Colored with red, yellow and blue. A "B" is written at top left.
Infill Dauphin Co.; printed Reading by Karl Augustus Bruckman
Soil, heavy foxing and fly specks. Ragged edges with tears; 4"-long tear at bottom edge has cellophane tape mend, an adjacent short tear with tape residue, and a 2"-long tear at top center with tape residue.
Object ID
2004.750
Notes
Found in the list of the Fraktur Collection appraised by Rev. Fred Weiser, Sept. 1988. Listed as #50. It is related to #7,9 and 49.
This imprint by Carl A. Bruckmann of Reading is a variant of the angel form numbered 764 in Klaus Stopp's "The Printed BBCs of the German Americans", vol. IV, page 289.
This B&BC for Maria Miller is related to the several Kupper family fraktur. Maria Miller married Johannes Kupper and was the mother of Sara (2004.749) and Johannes (2004.7
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
