Multicolored Vorschrift done by schoolmaster/fraktur artist Christian Strenge on rectangular laid paper. Bordered in a yellow band with red corners. German script text has an elaborately embellished large upper case letter "K" at upper left and multicolored floral design filling entire right side, surmounted by a distinctive yellow crested bird. Colors are red, yellow, blue and green. Modern frame.
Hand-printed in black ink above the letter "K" is the name of recipient, David Neff. Signed at the bottom by Strenge in German script: "Written in Hempfield Township in the year 1801 by Christian Strenge." Inscribed on reverse in script is "David Neff" in black ink.
The text begins with Psalm 95:1-4, "Kommt lasset(?) uns dem...," followed by two alphabets, the first in upper case and the second in lower case, and finally the numerals 1 - 14. (See translation on copy of nearly identical fraktur in file).
Provenance
Provenance: This Vorschrift was recently found in a book in the library of Sarah Stauffer on Lime Spring farm along the Marietta Pike. Consigned to sale at Conestoga Auction Co. and purchased 29 June 1998 with funds from V. Ronald Smith ($9,725) and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R. ($125).
John J. Snyder, Jr. researched Stauffer genealogy to discover a relationship to David Neff. See letters & charts in this file which explain the likelihood that the fraktur may have passed from Neff (probably when he went to Ohio, perhaps unknowingly hidden in a book, even as it was found recently) to his cousins, such as Anna Bear Lehman who is in the direct line of Stauffer descent. David Neff (1791-1866) was the son of Henry & Anna Oberholzer Neff. He would have been about 10 yrs. old when fraktur was made.
Generally good condition, although two folds show some breaking with tangential tears. Other minor tears and one small hole at right center. Some soiling, foxing and minor stains overall. Edges lifting in frame.
Conserved 1998 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. Surfaced cleaned and losses repaired. Hinge-mounted on acid free mat and sealed in a package for framing. Mounted in modern black frame by Lancaster Galleries circa 2004.
Object ID
P.98.25.1
Notes
Christian Strenge was a Hessian soldier turned school teacher.
Place of Origin
East Petersburg, East Hempfield Twp.
Role
Artist
Credit
Gift of V. Ronald Smith and the Donegal Chapter of the D.A.R., Heritage Center Collection
Large fraktur is both a Vorschrift & Taufschein, done on laid paper, for Johan Philip Grunewalt, born June 17, 1756, in Cocalico Twp. Mounted in modern red-painted frame with window mat. Has watermark of a shield with a fleur-de-lys at top and "GR" at bottom.
Large religious text at top begins: "Dass walt der Trey Einige Ewige un Endliche und Allmachtige gott der gott, Abraham der gott, Isaac der gott, Jacob der heylige In Israel Auser welche..." followed by 2 more lines of in smaller font, then13 lines of German script filling center of fraktur. Below this is a line of large fraktur style alphabet, then numerals, and finally a line of German script.
At bottom is the taufschein section noting Johan's birth and baptism. German script at bottom right Alan Keyser identifies as simply completing the previous sentence due to running out of space. It is "auffer stehung(en)" which ends the thought of eine seelige... "toward a blessed after-life" (or resurrection). Following the mention of holy baptism are sponsors names, Jorg Weber and his wife Ann Eliza. No date of baptism.
Around entire fraktur is a 3-line border of red, yellow and blue, with a religious text dated 1767 between red & yellow lines. Decoration at top, within border, are simple leafy vines with stylized tulips of red, yellow, green and black.
Biographical Encyclopedia of Dauphin Co., p. 300 ff.
Height (in)
19
Width (in)
23.875
Dimension Details
Unframed dimensions. Frame is 25" x 31"
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2016-08-04
Condition Notes
Damp stains mostly at top border and some foxing across surface. Significant damage to paper from multiple tape repairs at fold lines. (Conserved in 1996 by Marilyn Kemp Weidner of Phila. and placed in a sealed Mylar package on acid-free corrugated board).
Object ID
P.94.21.2
Notes
Recipient of Vorschrift, John Philip Greenawalt, was born in Cocalico Twp. to parents Philip Lorentz and Maria (or Margaret?) (Foesser) Greenawalt. He apparently settled in Ephrata where he was a farmer and a hotel keeper.
Son John Philip served as first lieutenant in the Rev. War (and his father served as a colonel with Washington at Brandywine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, etc.). The Dauphin Co. Biog. Encyclopedia, p. 300, states Philip became a hotel keeper at Lebanon after the war. He apparently left Cocalico Twp. no later than 1763.
Place of Origin
Cocalico Twp.
Usage
Grunewalt, Johan Philip, 1756-1834
Credit
Heritage Center Collection, gift of James Hale Steinman Foundation
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).
Small Vorschrift done for Jacob Stibgen, mounted within a white window mat. Within a thin border writing example, first line begins with enlarged, decorated letters with flowers and bird: "Allein Gott in der Hoh" with ending "Seig Ehr" in tiny letters below "Hoh". Translation: All glory to God on high. Following lines in English, then the alphabet and finally numerals.
Signed at the bottom "Diese Vorschrift gehoret mir Jacob Stibgen febreary (sic) the 10 1817." Translation: This Vorschrift belongs to me..." . Colors are muted: red, brown, dirty yellow and some black. Some notations on reverse of matboard.
Overall light brown age darkening. Several dark brown stains along bottom left and near center, above "20". Quarter inch discoloration at top, left of center. A 3" long slanted line near upper left corner is breaking, has holes and at right end extends a 1" long vertical break from top down. Also some color losses along break. Surface loss of about 1/4" at left border, 1/5" up from bottom.
Object ID
2017.999.15
Notes
Appraisal done by Pastor Fred Weiser on 2 Sept 1988. Marked fraktur #13 during this event.
