POSSIBLY DAUPHIN COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, DATED 1810

With its circle and flower punctuated double-oval decorated lid and triple astragal panel painted facade, this blanket chest is directly related to a distinctive group of case forms possibly from Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. In addition to its unique decorative scheme, the central astragal panel of each chest of this group is inscribed with a name, probably the original owner, and date, most likely the year it was presented. With its inscription to Henry Langer and date of 1810, this chest represents one of the earliest of the group. A related chest for Madlena Deynier, dated 1816, is illustrated in Fabian, The Pennsylvania German Decorated Chest (New York, 1978), p. 174, fig. 177. An additional related blanket chest inscribed Meri Kreider and dated 1824 was sold in these Rooms, 23 October 1993, lot 59. Two further examples of this group were recently displayed at the 1999 Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Antiques Show.