Historic Rock Ford Receives Gift Of Rare Early Lancaster County Schrank

May 10, 2024

Historic Rock Ford in Lancaster, Pa., is delighted to announce that it has received a generous gift of a ca. 1750 Lancaster County schrank/wardrobe. This gift was received from Sabrina duPont-Langenegger, the daughter and sole heir of William K. duPont, who died in 2020. The Queen Anne schrank, boasting a unique bonnet top, is an important piece that is currently the only known example of its kind made in Colonial America. The schrank is of substantial size, standing at nearly 9 feet high and 6 feet wide. It represents a German-trained emigre craftsmans masterful traditional Continental marquetry work. The exquisite inlays, featuring scorching and line engraving, demonstrate an unparalleled level of detail and shading, particularly in the flowers and compass stars adorning the paneled doors. American walnut was used for both primary and secondary wood. The schrank is in a remarkable state of preservation for its age. It features a majority of its original wrought-iron hardware, and the pulls are nearly identical to a pair of wrought-iron pulls made in Chester County that are now in the Titus C. Geesey collection at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The turned feet, top central section of the cornice molding, and keystone are the only noted restorations. We are tremendously grateful to Sabrina duPont-Langenegger for her generous gift and look forward to sharing this remarkable piece of Lancaster County history with our visitors, states Samuel Slaymaker, executive director of Historic Rock Ford. The schrank is on display in the John J. Snyder Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decoratives Arts, which is housed on the second floor of the 18th-century bank barn at Historic Rock Ford. Historic Rock Ford, located at 881 Rockford Road, Lancaster, Pa., is comprised of the Snyder Gallery and the ca. 1794 General Edward Hand Mansion, and is open from April through October. Admission information may be found at www.HistoricRockFord.org.

 

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