Communion altar from Brickerville United Lutheran Church (originally Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church). Rectangular altar of painted softwood, panelled construction all four sides with pegged mortise and tenon joints. Small panels over large. Door in the back with a recessed panel and knob handle. Molding around base, the edge of the top, and framing the recessed panels.
Modification to altar in 1947 by Bob Helman (signature underneath when removed 10-17-00) was a long platform shelf covering the back 2/5 of the top, with holes at the back, including an electrical outlet. Entire altar has been given a new coat of paint, a light chocolate brown on top and white on the sides. The unpainted interior has one shelf with a vertical divider.
Altar has been used since circa 1800 to serve communion, using the Brickerville United Lutheran Church's ten-piece pewter communion service which is also in collections (P97.08.01-10).
Perhaps made by Emanuel Dyer of Manheim or Mr. Zartman of Brickerville.
Large crack on top, approx. 4" from front, running halfway across top. Recently painted. Some separation at moldings. Large hole bored in altar top (for electric wire) underneath the added platform, now removed. The modern base molding also removed. Repainted top with brown and attached molding at ends of top to secure plexi top. Paint removed on door.
Object ID
P.00.34.1
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, acquired through generosity of James Hale Steinman Foundation and V. Ronald Smith
Mennonite apron of bleached, plain-weave cotton and black two-ply silk embroidery. Apron is gathered at the top and sewn onto a waist band with a commercial tape string at each end.
At top center is a dark brown cross-stitched design of a central star flower on triangle base, surrounded by seven stars or crosses. The separated initials "M S" flank this design and large crosses flank initials. Three different embroidered borders of black silk combine with drawnwork at bottom above a one-inch self-fringe secured with black stitches.
Provenance
Purchased by donor from the Rev. Fred Weiser in 1997. Weiser notes there are about 15 aprons known; see article in Der Regebogge written "some years ago."
Staining around embroidered design and initials from bleeding embroidery, near top. Age discoloration with small stains overall. Stains along sides. Several thread "pulls". Areas of missing embroidery on three crosses at bottom. Small hole at lower right of design.
Conserved Nov. 1997 by Dorothy McCoach of Bethlehem, PA
Object ID
G.97.39.9
Place of Origin
Lancaster County
Credit
Gift of Hampton Randolph, Sr., Heritage Center Collection
Pewter basin, part of the Warwick Congregation's (now known as the Brickerville United Lutheran Church) communion service.
High, rounded sides flare out to a flattened rim with rolled edge. Booge appears to be unhammered. Barns struck his large circular mark with an eagle on the inside of bottom. The left portion of the eagle as well as the letters "BAR" on the bottom are discernible, as well as the "HE" above the eagle.
Probably made in Middletown or Wallingford, Connecticut.
Provenance
The entire communion service remained in use over the years until the congregation decided in 1997 to find a safe place for this valuable communion set. Purchased by the Heritage Center of Lancaster County.
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
Chinese export bowl of high fired porcelain, polychrome decoration under glaze. Thin walled in nearly hemispherical form sitting on a 3/4" raised foot. Gold-painted rim with red edging. Two goldfish inside bottom. Continuous landscape on exterior is the same repeating Roman or Greek scene of a seated half-robed seated man with dog facing three nude women and seated baby. All set against distant mountains and one tree in foreground.
Glazed soft paste porcelain Gaudy Welsh sugar bowl (A) with lid (B). Handpainted inverted tulips of red and yellow are interspersed with 3 large, dominating deep blue scalloped motifs decorated with copper lustre painted floral decoration. Squat pot-bellied body sits on a low squarish pedestal with scalloped edging. Two molded angular applied handles. Top has round mouth with flared collar extends outward. Domed lid has squarish molded knob finial. Darkened remnant of paper sticker with blurred writing, perhaps "-caster/ --ea set/ --1825."
Provenance
Collected by Harpo and Susan Marx during visits back East from CA. Donated to Heritage Center.
Low rectangular softwood box with top and bottom boards extending beyond sides. Constructed with glued butt joints and square head nails. Painted black with large tulips of yellow, red, white and green decorated top and sides. Hinged lid attached with wire hinges and secured at front with handmade tin hasp. The initials "I R" are painted at upper center of lid. The unpainted bottom is inscribed in pencil, "Jacob H. Reist 1800." Interior unfinished.
Border of Lancaster and Berks counties.
Paper inside: "This box attributed to Heinrich Bucher 1770-1800/Reading, Berks Co."
Provenance
Unknown. Presumed to have been collected by donor at a sale in this region. Heinrich Bucher is now believed to have only been an early owner of this box type, not the maker.
Nov. 15, 2002 - Peter Seibert and Susan Kleckner compared about ten Bucher-type boxes & observed that this box is painted with larger flowers and also there is repetition in the use of flowers, unlike the other nine boxes. Perhaps this box was done later in the maker's career.
Chippendale cabinet on chest, walnut. Cabinet is set back on chest. It has a scroll-top broken arch pediment, carved rosettes, applied central carved shell and three urn finials on fluted plinths. Two arched doors have 10 lights each with exposed hinges. Interior has 3 shelves, each furnished with wood strips for supporting plates. Inset fluted quarter columns flank doors.
Base is a chest of drawers with three small ones over three long graduated drawers, thumb molded edges, bail type brasses and oval lock escutcheons. Flanked by inset fluted quarter columns. Four ogee bracket feet.
Provenance
Family states this piece made in Ono, Lebanon Co., what was then Lancaster County. There is also the family tradition that it was made by ancestor John Bachman II, which donor Herbert Bachman Weaver states he cannot confirm or deny. Early museum labels seem to support the Ono origin.
Multiple scrapes, gouges and small holes. Two scrapes halfway up right side of cabinet. Top right molding separating from cabinet. Cracks in glass: bottom row, 2nd pane from left; third row up, 2nd pane from right; and bottom right pane of fan. Crack at top center of cabinet (from doors through the shell carving). Key hole escutcheon missing on door. Damage around door hinges. Traces of red paint on top of chest, under cabinet. Dark drip-burn marks down center of chest. Wood losses at top corners of long drawers. Back is unfinished.
Object ID
G.79.102.1
Place of Origin
Ono, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Credit
Gift of Herbert B. Weaver in memory of his father Isaac Hoover Weaver, Heritage Center Collection
One of a pair of push-up candlesticks: G99.40.1&.2. Stepped, round base supports a hollow cylindrical shaft topped by a candle cup above a decorative ring. Candlestick shaft is fitted with an inner cylinder with attached knob that raises and lowers candle. Thumb screw knob slides via a slot on side of candlestick and screws tight to secure position.
Pair of English Queen Anne brass candlesticks (A & B).
Baluster shaft mounted on wide, square base with gadrooning and stepped edging. Vertical seams on shaft indicate cast parts. Metal pin inside candle cup anchors candle. Metal pin protrudes on underside of 4.625 inch square base.
