Item Info

Scripts/Text: Roman script
Language: English
Weiser Number: 529
Physical Description: Leaf
Material: laid paper; watercolor; ink
Transcription:

[in heart]
L

[central text]
David Reichert Born the 20th \ Day of April in The Year \ of our Lord A: D: 1810  

Category: Birth Certificate (Geburtsschein)
Media Type: Manuscripts
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes:

Hand-drawn; hand-colored; hand-lettered. The text in Roman script and two stars are within a rectangular frame in the center of the document. On the sides are two rampant unicorns, the left one a solid brown and the right one spotted. Both are wearing collars and chains that appear to be tethered to the ground. In the lower center and the corners are various stemmed flowers, including tulips. In the upper center is the letter L within a heart. On its top is a tulip, and it is flanked by two lions with crowns.

The decoration is attributed to Christian Mertel but because the infill postdates his death in 1802, it was filled out by another hand.

Associated Names: Reichert, David
Bibliography:

"Christian Mertel" in Russell D. and Corinne P. Earnest, Papers for Birth Dayes: Guide to the Fraktur Artists and Scriveners (East Berlin, Pa.: Russell D. Earnest Associates, 1997), 2^nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 544-546.

Frederick S. Weiser, “Christian Mertel, the CM Artist,” in Der Reggeboge 21, no. 2 (1987): 75-85.

Creation Place State/Province: Creation Place Note:Based on design characteristics and artist's location
State/Province:[Pennsylvania]

Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): ca. 1800
Image Dimensions Width: 30.4 cm
ShelfMark: FLP 764
Creator Name: [Christian Mertel (1739-1802)] - Decorator
Anonymous - Scrivener