Preview
Scrivener
Conrad Gilbert (1734-1812)
Decorator
Conrad Gilbert (1734-1812)
Accession Number
PAG1998.171
Creation Date
1800
Description
Bold red, black, and yellow design with vertical parrots flanking central text, geometric floral designs at top and bottom.
Dimensions in Inches
8 1/8 x 13
Dimensions in Centimeters
21 x 33
Materials
Watercolor and ink on Laid paper
Technique
Drawn
Associated Places
Brunswick, Berks County, Schuylkill County
Category
Birth and baptismal certificate (Geburts-und-Taufschein)
Motifs
birds, flowers, parrots, floral
Associated Names
Philipp Hey, Anna Maria Gilbert, Joseph, Henrich Hertzel, Martin Werner, Philib Meyer, Anna Maria Schneiter, Filip Meier
Rights
Please contact the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College for permissions which fall outside of educational fair use.
Source
Ursinus College Library Special Collections and the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art
Provenance
Pennsylvania Folklife Society
Script/Text
Fraktur lettering, German script
Language
German
Transcription
Christlicher geburt und Tauffschein,
Joseph Hey, ist auf diese welt gebohren, den 17 Tag December/im Jahr unsers Herrn Jesu, 1795, und den 6. Tag Mertz, 1796,/von Pfarrer Henrich Hertzel: geTauft worden, dabey seine Tauff=/Zeugen waren, Martin Werner: und seine Ehefrau: seine liebe Eltern/sind Namens: der Vater: Philipp Hey: die Mutter: Anna Maria:/eine gebohrne Gilbertin: damals wohnhaft in braunschweig/Taunschip, in Bercks Caunty, und staat Pennsylvanien/ob gemelder Sohn, ist auch zur Evangelischen Reformirten/Religion Confermiret worden, von Pfarrer Philib Meÿer
Im 19 Jahr seines alters in der Christ Kirche Joseph Heÿ/ist getraut worden mit Anna Maria Schneidern/den 27 Mertz 1821 von hern Philip Meier
Translation
Christian birth and Baptismal Certificate.
Joseph Hey is to this world born, the 17 day of December in the year of our Lord Jesus, 1795, and the 6 day of March, 1796, by Pastor Henrich Hertzel: was baptized, there at his Baptismal sponsors were, Martin Werner and his legal wife: his dear parents are named the father Philipp Hey, the Mother Anna Maria a born Gilbert, at that time living in Braunschweig Township, in Berks County, and state Pennsylvania. Above-mentioned Son was also to the Evangelist Reformed Religion confirmed by Pastor Phillip Meyer.
In the 19 year of his age in the Christian Church. Joseph Hey was married to Anna Maria Schneitern [on] the 27 March 1821 by Mr. Philip Meyer.
Comment
Johan Conrad Gilbert was a schoolmaster working primarily in Berks county. Gilbert made numerous Taufscheine and small drawings, sometimes with religious or secular text, many decorated with parrots, unicorns, etc. Always visually pleasing, these are among his most finely-executed parrots with their crisp lines and very intricate detailing. Gilbert, along with his parents and siblings, arrived in America in 1750. They settled in western Philadelphia (now Montgomery) county, in Douglas township. In the late 1770s he and his wife and children moved to the Tulpehocken area of Berks county. Five fraktur made for members of his family and one for a relative of one of his children’s spouses are known. Gilbert drew and filled out this Taufscheine for his grandson Joseph Hey, the son of his daughter Anna Maria. Joseph married Anna Maria Schneider when he was twenty-five, as someone added below the birth and baptismal information on the Taufschein.
Condition
Good
Published
Minardi, Lisa. Roots: Ursinus College and the Pennsylvania Germans (Trappe, Pa.: Historic Trappe, 2019). p. 78, fig. 3.52, and inside covers. Stopp, Klaus. The Printed Birth and Baptismal Certificates of the German Americans. 6 vols. (Mainz, Germany, and East Berlin, Pa.: privately published, 1997–99). vol. 3, p. 205 illustrated.Weiser, Frederick S. “His Deeds Followed Him: The Fraktur of John Conrad Gilbert” in Der Reggeboge: The Journal of the Pennsylvania German Society. Vol. 16, No. 2. 1982. pp. 33-36, 40-41.
File Format
.jpeg
Type
image
Keywords
fraktur, Pennsylvania German, Pennsylvania Dutch, folk art, illuminated manuscript, taufschein
Image Location
Rights Statement
No Copyright - Non-Commercial Use Only. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-NC/1.0/
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