Object Number 1952.0273 A

Object Name

Fraktur (Birth and baptismal certificate)

Title

Birth and baptismal certificate (Geburts und Taufschein) of Rüdolf Heberling

Category

Works on Paper

Credit Line/Donor

Gift of Henry Francis du Pont

Creator (Role)

George Friederich Speyer (Scrivener and decorator)
References: Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes, pp. 381-85. Speyer used printed certificates, they include Winterthur's fraktur 57.1220, which is attributed to the Ephrata Cloister printshop. His handwriting is difficult to read and, in at least one instance, another scrivener completed a certificate he decorated.

Place of Origin

Cumru Township, Berks, Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Origin Notes

Primary creation place is birthplace on certificate. Printer is unknown. Speyer frequently purchased certificates from Reading printers, but also some from the Ephrata Cloister printshop.

Date

1785-1790

Materials

Ink; Graphite; Watercolor; Paper (laid)

Techniques

Drawn, Hand colored, Hand lettered, Letterpress, Painted

Dimensions (inches)

13 (H) , 16.3 (W) , 13 (Image H) , 16.3 (Image W)

Dimensions (centimeters)

33.1 (H) , 41.3 (W) , 13 (Image H) , 16.3 (Image W)

Measurement Notes

H at left. W at bottom. Chain intervals: 2.4-2.7 cm; 10 laid lines per cm.

Watermark

Left center (inverted): fleur de lis

Coloring

Hand colored with watercolors

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Stopp, Klaus. 1997 The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans. 1.
• Listed under Stopp 1, pp. 88-9.
[Book] Earnest, Russell D. & Earnest, Corinne P. 1997 Papers for Birth Dayes: Guide to the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners. 2 vols. 909.
• For more information on Speyer, see pp. 722-725.