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Gerburts und Taufschein (BIrth and Baptismal Certificate)

Gerburts und Taufschein (BIrth and Baptismal Certificate)

Artist: William Grimes (American [Lehigh County, PA], active c. 1823 - 1827)

Made for: Herman Fahringer (American [Lehigh County, PA], born 1825)

Date: c. 1825
Medium: wove paper, iron gall ink, watercolor
Dimensions:
Framed: 15 1/8 x 19 1/8 x 7/8 in. (38.4 x 48.6 x 2.2 cm)
Sheet: 12 3/16 x 15 7/16 in. (31 x 39.2 cm)
Credit Line:Museum Purchase
Object number: 1939.169.1

Translation:
To those two spouses Jacob Fahringer and his conjugal housewife Catarina a born Kutzin, a son was born to this world the 20th day of March in the year of our Lord 1825.  This son was born in Maxathany Township, Lehigh County in the State of Pennsylvania in North America and was baptized Herman Fahringer on the 17th day of April in the year of our Lord 1825.  The sponsor was Herman Fahringer.

William Grimes the price 25 cents

I am baptized in your name God, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  I am counted as one of your seeds as one of your Holy Congregation.  Oh, what happiness I derived from this Lord let me be worthy of it.

The majority of fraktur is unsigned and gives no indication of the transaction that resulted in its production.  This example is signed by its maker who has written the price he charged on the certificate, one of only a few known to be so marked.  This price was equivalent to one-fourth of a day’s wage for the average person at the time it was made. 

Grimes probably produced a number of blank certificates which he decorated and then sold to other fraktur artists or scriveners to fill in at a later date.  Several other examples of his work survive which have similar painted designs but vary in the religious text in the lower reserve.  This may reflect choices available to customers to select the sentiment they wished to have expressed on their certificates.  The shape of the down-turned and horizontal tulips with strong contrasting coloration and leafy vines are characteristic of Grimes’ work.

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