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Gerburts und Taufschein (Birth and Baptismal Certificate)

Gerburts und Taufschein (Birth and Baptismal Certificate)

Artist: "Speckled Tulip Artist" (American (Southeastern PA), active 19th century)

Date: c. 1819
Medium: wove paper, iron gall ink, watercolor
Dimensions:
Framed: 11 5/8 x 16 3/8 x 3/4 in. (29.5 x 41.6 x 1.9 cm)
Sheet: 8 x 12 1/2 in. (20.3 x 31.8 cm)
Credit Line:Museum Purchase
Object number: 1939.119.1

Translation:
To those two spouses known as Christian Sterner and his wedded housewife Margaretha born Freyling a daughter was born to this world and she got the name Elisabeth-Anna in the year of our Lord Jesus 1819, the 27th of February at [  ] o’clock under the sign of Taurus.  This daughter was born and baptized in America in the State of Pennsylvania in Bucks County in Durham Township.  This daughter was baptized the 10th [  ] by Reverend Mr. Brobst.  The sponsors were Jost Folmer and his wife Maria.

While a specific name cannot be assigned to this fraktur artist, he can be identified by the distinctive tulip motifs with black marks as well as the Gothic style calligraphy on the text of several examples of his work.  The birth and baptismal certificates produced by this artist show a resemblance to the fraktur of Bernhard Misson, formerly known as the “Durham Township Artist”, although the penmanship and formation of the letters varies slightly. 

The “Speckled Tulip Artist” may possibly be John Misson, perhaps a relative of Bernhard Misson, who was a schoolmaster in upper Bucks County during the 1820’s.  He taught classes in Milford, Richland, Rockhill and Haycock Townships, all locales in which the “Speckled Tulip Artist” produced birth and baptismal certificates.  John Misson lived in Rockhill Township with his wife Magdalena and died in 1832. 

In Collection(s)