Peter Derr (1793-1868) was a well-known metalsmith whose works, primarily lighting, such as betty and kettle lamps, are highly collectible today. Working in the summer hills area of New Schaefferstown, near Bernville, Pa., anyone who studies Berks County history knows the story of Derr. Pottery business owner and historian Lester Breininger (1935-2011) once cornered the market for Derr items, just as collector James Spear did a generation prior. Spears was an author/local historian and collector of epic proportions. His book House of Derr was first published in 1949. A second printing was done in 1973. It is a compilation history of the Derr family, notably the patriarch, Peter. Spears wife was an antiques dealer and had a shop in the barn on their Penn Avenue property in Robesonia. He died in 1961. A rare and unique punch set used in the shop of Derr will be sold at an upcoming Horst Auction Center sale on Saturday, Sept. 12. Housed in a wooden, chamfered front, holder, one iron punch is dated 1858. Derr is believed to have made his own tools such as these nine-piece hot strike numbering punches. Each punch is handwrought rectangular stock with a forged and file-worked number. The wooden stand is numbered with a matching number. Another Derr item to be sold as a separate lot in the sale is the pictured dough scraper stamped 25/P.D/1850. This punch set would have likely been used for this particular size date stamping of 1850. A number of Derr scrapers with the small 25 are known. A comparable wrought iron and brass collar dough scraper dated 1851 with 25 above realized $1,888 on Nov. 8, 2025, at a Kleinfelters Auction sale. Horst Auctioneers are located in Ephrata, Pa. For more information, call 717-738-3080.