Watercolor on paper of the Hardwicke mansion; beige coloring with gray/white roof and columns, green shutters on windows. The main section of the house has a grand elliptical facade with four monumental columns. The section adjacent to this has arched windows. The house continues in several smaller sections to the viewer's right; one of these sections is a greenhouse. The surrounding area is filled with grass and trees. NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
The painting has a caption at the bottom which reads '"HARDWICKE" NEAR LANCASTER PA'. The painting is dated "Nov. 1881" in the lower right corner.
Hardwicke was the country seat of the attorney and judge Charles Smith who married Jasper Yeates' daughter; it was built east of Lancaster, overlooking the Conestoga River, in about 1804. It may have been designed by Stephen Hills, who also designed the Old Capital Building in Harrisburg. John J. Snyder states the house was "the most sophisticated and most elegant Federal mansion in Lancaster County." He says the Smiths moved to Baltimore in the 1820s, after which a son of ironmaster Robert Coleman owned the building.
Hardwicke later became the summer home of the Cassatt family where artist Mary Cassatt was born (1844). Apparently a Colonel Wiley owned it when the railroad demolished it in Nov. 1881.
J.W.W. Loose, The Heritage of Lancaster, pp.74-75.
Height (cm)
10.16
Height (ft)
0.3333333333
Height (in)
4
Width (cm)
20.6375
Width (ft)
0.6770833333
Width (in)
8.125
Dimension Details
Hinged within a window mat..
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2017-06-28
Condition Notes
The front of the painting is in almost perfect condition, except for a few small brown dots; the reverse has several glue stains in the corners and along the sides where the paper was apparently attached to a previous backing.
Mounted in a hinged window mat.
Object ID
P.77.31.10
Place of Origin
Manheim Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Watercolor on paper, showing a building called the Telescope House or the Steamboat House. It has a two-story octagonal center section, and two one-story wings; the center section has a cupola (also octagonal). The building has a frame construction, and is colored brown with ivory-white trim. A high fence extends across the front of the building. Various trees are visible behind the building. NOT FOUND IN BOX 0066, July 2023
The caption at the bottom reads "THE TELESCOPE HOUSE,--BUILT BY JOHN F. REMLEY. 1841-8/COLUMBIA AVN. & MARIETTA PIKE." The lower right corner has the date of the painting, "1881"
The building stood approximately where W. King and W. Orange Streets meet. The name "Telescope House" comes from the fact that the house used to have an observatory until the late 1800s, when the building was renovated and additional floors were added (prior to this painting).
J.W.W. Loose, The Heritage of Lancaster, pp.74-75.
Height (cm)
15.24
Height (ft)
0.5
Height (in)
6
Width (cm)
17.78
Width (ft)
0.5833333333
Width (in)
7
Dimension Details
Hinged within a window mat..
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2017-06-28
Condition Notes
There are numerous gray marks over the surface of the painting, and some areas of paint are faded. The reverse has glue stains on the corners, where the painting was apparently attached to a previous backing.
The piece is currently float-mounted in hinged window matting.
Object ID
P.77.31.11
Place of Origin
Lancaster
Role
Artist
Credit
Acquired through the generosity of the James Hale Steinman Foundation, Heritage Center Collection
Watercolor of flowers done on tiny rectangular piece of wove paper. Two large red blooms with large, hairy green leaves, two smaller detached leaves and two flower buds. Detailing lines of black ink on three largest leaves.
Signed on reverse in black ink is "E Haverstick" beside a large smudged area of ink. Piece was perhaps made for a student as a reward of merit or simply a remembrance. Haverstick is believed to be a schoolmaster and was active in the 1830s.
Fold lines across paper. Faded with minor soiling. One corner has been clipped.
Object ID
P.04.34.7
Notes
Other Haverstick pieces in collections are Birth Certificates for brothers John Bachman (G.96.09.1) and Christian Bachman (G.00.23.1). Substantial research was done over the years to find evidence of Eli Haverstick, to no avail. Research and images of related Haverstick work is in Heritage Center's vertical file.
Painted landscape on hardwood block appears to be a study for an etching Mifflin used in his 1872 book of poems "Aldonere: A Pennsylvanian Idyll." Donor has mounted the block with wire into a modern brown frame (H: 8 3/8 W: 6 1/2") w/ gold window mat.
Painted within an oval is a bucolic scene with cows standing in a large stream or pond bordered by trees and smaller vegetation in foreground. Painted mostly in muted greens and browns.
Sketched sideways at bottom left corner is an additional tiny scene of a hatted figure in the foreground with his back to the viewer. Amid the distant trees rises a tower with a steepled roof. Two very tall trees tower overhead.
Note: The main painted scene is called "The Bowery Elms." It was printed in Mifflin's 1872 book "Aldornere: A Pennsylvanian Idyll" (P.00.13.1). This book of poetry is "...Illustrated with nine original etchings, by Lloyd Mifflin, Jr." "The Bowery Elms" is pictured on page 16 1/2.
Paint is faded and/or worn; irregular corners at top left and bottom right reveal traces of bright white paint; tiny splatters of white and brown paint.
Watercolor painting of Susquehanna River near canal at Columbia.
Tiny watercolor done in shades of white, gray and black on rectangular, light brown paper. Scene depicts the town of Columbia as seen from the north side, with the canal leading up to the town, large chimneys belching smoke at center and the bridge crossing the Susquehanna River at right.
Newly framed by donor in gold frame. Mounted on heavy pink paper with 1/4" border extending beyond all four sides. This paper is then mounted on a background paper of dark green.
Inscribed on reverse: "Susquehanna at Columbia/ Lloyd Mifflin/ 1846-1921/ c. 1870." (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Miniature watercolor portrait of Simon Cameron, turned in profile to his right, withing a painted oval, all on rectangular buff-colored paper. Cameron is painted at about age 60, in profile with a resolute expression on his face. He is wearing formal attire: a dark black-collared coat with a white, high collar protruding at his neck and a suggestion of a cravat of jabot at his neck. The background is shaded in tones of brown and the artist's signature in printed in black at the bottom of Cameron's coat, "E. Hergesheimer." Portrait must certainly have been done posthumously as Hergesheimer would have been only 16 years of age when Cameron died. (Photos and more information in file.) Written by Wendell Zercher.
Provenance
Possession of the portrait by the Slaymaker family is probably due to the intermarriage of the Slaymaker and Cameron families. Cameron's niece (Jane Elizabeth Cameron Redsecker) married Colonel S.C. Slaymaker (1828-1894) on May 28, 1862. Then descent to widow of S.R. Slaymaker II.
Generally in good condition and stable. Acid burned around perimeter where in contact with frame and window mat; heavily soiled front and back; dark stains at upper corners where previously hinged; 3 or 4 areas around perimeter where paper has been scraped, abraded, dented and even punctured. Edges of paper have been unevenly cut. Treated at Lancaster Galleries with de-acidifying spray and reframed.
Two small scenes drawn/painted by Lancaster County artist, Lloyd Mifflin, mounted together in a modern frame. 2 parts: Paris scene in pencil at top (A) and grey-to-black watercolor at bottom (B).
(A) Pencil sketch on paper, looking up Seine River in Paris with city on either side, boats in water and arched bridge in distance. Sign at bottom left: "L.M. Paris '72" 3.875 inches wide by 1.875 inches high.
(B) Monochromatic grey-to-black watercolor, except for white paint applied to sun on horizon and white highlights to main trunk to trees. River scene, with trees, hills in distance, and sun on horizon. Unsigned. 3.25 inches wide by 2.3125 inches high.
Newly framed on light blue background with white under matting; glass covered; greenish wood frame with black speckles. Written by Wendell Zercher.
Watercolor of a soldier in uniform, a Lancaster Fencible, done on paper board and framed. Soldier is shown in Civil War officer's uniform, standing at center, looking to his right with his right arm akimbo and his left hand resting on an unseen masonry structure at the base of several columns shown at soldier's left. His high hat with plume rests y his left hand and a flag rises prominently at a 45 degree angle behind him. Seen in distance beyond solider's right elbow is a military monument identified as the Battle Monument in Baltimore, MD, commemorating the War of 1812.
Portrait on paper board is rape-mounted into a wooden window mat constructed with a molded opening wrapper with paper? and now painted gold. Window mat has a white paper facing (probably a recent addition).
Reverse of paper board has inscriptions which are only partly legible. At top appears to be "Property/ H.E. Slaymaker," near bottom is "Dr. John --Esbenshade/Eshleman?..." and at bottom is "...Lancaster Fencibles/ 1838."
Frame appears to be original to the painting. It is a moderately heavy molding, done in gilt, of which most is worn off except for the cover section.
(Written by Wendell Zercher)
Provenance
Not a family painting. Donor's husband, Bruce Gingrich, purchased this painting at a sale held by a patriotic men's organization located just south of Trinity Lutheran Church on South Duke. Apparently the organization was moving or going defunct. Donor guesses this may have been circa 1960s. According to the 1923 Directory, the G.A.R. building/Post 84 was located at 43 South Duke St.
Watercolor is faded and retouched in areas (seen in white and black areas); paper is foxed and distorted (not flat) and separating/tearing away from its window mat. Artwork and frame are dusty and soiled inside and out. Frame is loose at several joints and gilt is very worn and in poor condition.
Watercolor painting of St. Mary's Church on South Prince Street in Lancaster in gilt frame.
Paining shows the Roman Catholic church painted from the street. Three passersby dressed in the style of 1800-1850, pass in front of the stone wall surrounding the church property. Fencing atop wall encircles the church building and adjoining cemetery. Large tall trees from a backdrop to church.
Painting is unsigned.
This is one of at least three very similar paintings. The other two are found in Gerry Lestz's Artists' Album/Lancaster County and another in Carl Drepperd's American Pioneer Arts and Artists. Both Drepperd and Lestz have captions stating the paintings date from about 1835. Likely theses paintings were executed by a number of students or the copied the work of the original artist.
This is similar to version 1.45.84 (loan by Mrs. R. Harcourt Darmstaetter).
Provenance
Purchased from Steven F. Still Antiques, Elizabethtown on Dec. 27, 1998, for $450.00.
Date Range
1835
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
DAC
Storage Wall
Island 5
Storage Cabinet
Unit 42
Storage Shelf
Shelf 2
Storage Drawer
Bin 2-G
Object Name
Painting
Length (cm)
15.24
Length (ft)
0.5
Length (in)
6
Width (cm)
21.59
Width (ft)
0.7083333333
Width (in)
8.5
Dimension Details
Framed: 13.5 inches wide x 11.5 inches
Condition
Good
Condition Date
1999-01-12
Condition Notes
Watercolor mounted on heavy paper backing; margins of backing have moisture stain at bottom right and insect damages across top and right. All paper darkened overall from age and acid, and painting has some foxing across surface.
Oil on canvas portrait of a young girl,from her chest up, body facing to her left but her head turned sharply to her right. Dressed in a low-cut Empire style dress. Dark background. Cloth drapes the girl from above her left shoulder, across front and around waist.
Frame probably original, painted with bronze-colored paint.
Inscriptions on stretcher: In pencil is written: "Hand painted by Peter Lehn Grosh father to Jacob Grosh," followed by "(about 1834)" in ink. (Written by Wendell Zercher)
Paint crackled especially in center, paint chipped upper left corner, evidence of repairs along periphery, especially at upper left corner, tiny losses visible across dress, canvas visible (abrasion) on dress at bottom center.
