Object Number 1957.1183 A

Object Name

Fraktur (Writing sample)

Title

Writing specimen (Vorschrift)

Category

Works on Paper

Credit Line/Donor

Bequest of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

Abraham Hübner (Scrivener and decorator)
02/29/1760-12/26/1838
References: Earnest, Papers for Birth Dates, p. 214; Moyer, Fraktur Writings and Folk Art Drawings of the Schwenkfelder Library Collection, pp. 67-73 (more complete biographical information from the Schwenkfelder Genealogical Record on Abraham and the Heebner familiy generally, along with illustrations). Two generations of Hübners (Huebner or Heebner) were fraktur artists, including father and son both named Abraham, with the son designated as Abraham W. Earnest confuses the two men, by listing "Abraham W. Heebner" as an alternate name for "Abraham Huebner". In addition, Moyer discovered, where the Earnests left off, that Abraham's sister was, in fact, fraktur artist Susanna Huebner (1750-1818) and that two more of his children, David (1805-23) and Maria (1807-68), also made fraktur. Abraham Hübner was the son of Schwenkfelder scrivener and hymnist, Hans Christopher Hübner. He studied under Mennonite schoolmaster Huppert Cassel in Skippack or Worcester Township, Montgomery County. A Vorschrift by Cassel for Abraham, dated January 24, 1773, is in the Schwenkfelder Library Collection.

Place of Origin

Worcester Township, Montgomery, Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Origin Notes

Abraham Heebner lived near the present-day village of Cedars, in Worcester Township, Montgomery County, PA.

Date

February 23 1773 (1773-1773)

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Inscription; Bottom; Abraham Hubner his hand & pen Dated the 23 Day of/ February\ 1773.

Materials

Ink; Watercolor; Paper (laid)

Techniques

Drawn, Hand colored, Hand lettered, Painted

Dimensions (inches)

7.5 (H) , 8.1 (W) , 7.5 (Image H) , 8.1 (Image W)

Dimensions (centimeters)

19 (H) , 20.7 (W) , 7.5 (Image H) , 8.1 (Image W)

Measurement Notes

H at left. W at bottom. Chain intervals and laid lines per cm not measured.

Watermark

none

Coloring

Hand colored with watercolors

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Hutchins, Catherine E., et al. 1983 Arts of the Pennsylvania Germans.
• Published as fig. 238, p. 246.
[Article] Evans, Nancy Goyne. 02//1973 Documented Fraktur in the Winterthur collection, Part I. Antiques. 103 (2): 307-18.
• Published as fig. 2, p. 308.
[Book] Earnest, Russell D. & Earnest, Corinne P. 1997 Papers for Birth Dayes: Guide to the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners. 2 vols. 909.
• Published on p. 415.
[Book] Moyer, Dennis K. 1998 Fraktur Writings and Folk Art Drawings of the Schwenkfelder Library Collection.
• For more info. on this artist and his work, see pp. 67-73
[Book] Shelley, Donald A. 1961 The Fraktur-Writings or Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Germans. 23.
• Published as fig. 159.
[Article] Walsh, Irene N. 02//1996 The Frakturs of Susanna Heebner. Antiques. 144 (2): 274-283.
• For more info. on the Heebner family of fraktur artists.
[Thesis] Ames, Alexander Lawrence. 2014 Heavenly Handwriting, Teutonic Type: Faith & Script in German Pennsylvania, ca. 1683-1855. M.A. University of Delaware Winterthur Program in American Material Culture
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