Watercolor of a dove on a flowering branch on ruled cream colored paper which has been closely trimmed, then pasted onto another sheet of paper. Penciled outline around portions of dove. Painted in green, bright orange, purple and black, then over-varnished. Appears to have been done by an Amish hand, according to the Earnest, due to the palette used.
Re-framed in a sample black wood frame by Lancaster Galleries. (2001)
Provenance
Purchased for $475.00 from Russell and Corinne Earnest, Feb. 28,2000.
See Earnests' book, Fraktur, Folk Art and Family, 1999, pp. 74-75.
Minor acid burn. Received from seller in a pink paper mat in a dark pink wooden frame with a metal ring on top. Removed from acidic mount and reframed by Lancaster Galleries for exhibition.
Sampler on linen in painted yellow frame with brown felt liner. Worked in silk thread of colors: brown, tan, beige, lt. and dk.blue, lt. and dk. green and yellow.
5 sections divided by 4 horizontal borders. Description from top to bottom: Upper case alphabet in brown, tan, beige and dk. blue
Brown border- upper case alphabet in lt blue, tan, dk. green, dk. blue and beige, internally separated by lt. blue border
Beige border- in brown lettering is:"Emily Wilson Hopkin(s)/ Worked this sampler in/ the 8th year of her age"
Beige and blue border- "1826" in brown followed by embroidered figures: ? (in queen stitch), strawberry fruit plant, ?(in queen stitch), peacock, tree, and ?(possible animal). (all figures above a beige and tan "grass" border).
Entire sampler is surrounded by a lt. blue border.
(Written by Michael Middleton)
Provenance
Donor is granddaughter of Henry Slaymaker Magraw and Emily Hopkins Magraw, (married in Oct. or Nov. of 1840, according to "Marriages & Deaths...") Henry S. Magraw became an attorney in Lancaster in 1838 (Ellis & Evans, p. 245). By 1840, H.S. Magraw was listed as living in Pittsburgh.
Framed silhouette of gentleman in profile, facing viewer's right. He is perhaps early-to-middle-age years, dressed in high collar and coat. Below is the name "Amos Ellmaker" handwritten in cursive in faded black ink.
Image is cut out of a rectangle of white wove paper, superimposed on a matching piece of black silk and secured with stitches at periphery. There is a window mat of faded marbelized paper, frame is molded walnut.
Same marbelized paper also covers back of frame. Clipping from printed biographical article is pasted to back.
Moderate wear and aging overall. Wove paper is darkened with fold lines and pin holes. Frame is worn with loose joints. Frame backing paper shows wear at corners and was cut to remove artwork, replaced and secured with cellophane tape, now removed except for bottom strip, leaving adhesive residue.
Object ID
P.03.11.01
Notes
According to the Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, Amos Ellmaker (b. 2-2-1787 and d. 11-28-1851) was a man of intellect and attainment. He was grandson of immigrant Leonard Ellmaker (Germany to Earl Twp in 1726) and son of Nathaniel Ellmaker. He attended Princeton College, then law school in Litchfield, Conn. He began practice in Hbg., served as an officer in the War of 1812, later was appointed prosecuting attorney for Dauphin Co., elected to the State House of Representatives, appointed Presiding Judge for the district composed of Dauphin, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties, was later appointed Attorney General of Pa., but resigned in 1821 to move back to Lancaster. Judge Ellmaker was in 1832 a candidate of the anti-Masonic party for Vice-President of the U.S. In 1816, he had married Mary Rachel Elder of Harrisburg. They had six children.
