Art Related Items

Original Portraits, Silhouettes, Paintings, and Drawings
Plaques, Medallions, & Other Realia
Wash Drawings
Sculpture
 

Original Portraits, Silhouettes, Paintings, and Drawings

FHC has a small collection of original portraits, silhouettes, drawings and paintings.

• Portrait of Stephen Foster by Abner Lowe. Twentieth-century. 1 art original: oil on canvas, 16" x 20" in carved and gold painted wood frame.
• Portrait of Stephen Foster by Marie Goth. Twentieth-century. 1 art original: oil on canvas, 36" x48" in gold painted frame.
• Portrait of Stephen Foster (superimposed on scenes from his songs), by T. Ward Hunter. n.d. 1 art original: oil on canvas, 25" x 20" in gold painted wood frame.
• Portrait of Stephen Foster, by Walter L. White. 1932. 1 art original: watercolor on paper, 8" x 10" in wood frame.
• Portrait of E.P. Christy (miniature) [artist unknown]. Philadelphia, 1843. 1 art original: watercolor on paper, 2" x 3", in frame.
• Portrait of Josiah Kirby Lilly, by Malcolm Parcell. Commissioned by University of Pittsburgh, 1941. 1 art original: oil on canvas, 36" x 41" in gold painted wood frame.
• Silhouette of Stephen C. Foster, N.Y., 1861. Signed by Foster, inscribed to John Mah[on?]. 5" x 6".
• Silhouette of Stephen C. Foster by M. Hubbard. n.d. Signed by Foster, inscribed to George Cooper. 5" x 7".
• Silhouette of Stephen C. Foster by M. Hubbard. n.d. Signed by Foster, inscribed to William Pond. 7" x 8 3/4".
• Painting of the White Cottage (birthplace of Stephen Foster) by Marie Goth, 1936. 1 art original: watercolor on paper, 17" x 24" in gold-painted wood frame.
• Painting of a black man and woman playing banjos and dancing [artist unknown]. n.d. 1 art original: watercolor on paper, 6" x 9" in gold painted wood frame.
• Pen and ink drawings by Henry Hart Hendricks. "Old Black," "Beautiful Child of Song," "When Jenny Comes Over the Green," "Jeanie," and "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming." n.d. Approximately 8" x 10", unframed.
• Pencil Sketches by Joseph Muller. Includes sketches of Stephen Foster and his family members, as well as important people in the history of the FHC. 116 art originals: pencil on paper, approximately 5" x 6", unframed.
• Pencil sketches by Max Jacobs. Includes sketches of people in some way connected to Stephen Foster. 4 art originals: pencil on paper, approximately 5" x 6", unframed.
• Cartoons by Cy Hungerford. Includes "The Mourners" and "Massa's in de cold, cold ground". n.d. 2 art originals: pen on paper, approximately 8" x 10" in wood frames.
• Cartoon by Cy Hungerford. "Eternal Life." n.d. 1 art original: pen on paper. Approximately 12" x 18" in wood frame.
• Gouache painting of Stephen Foster by John Tibbetts, 1990, presented by the artist. 12" x 16", unframed.
• Pen and Ink drawing of Stephen C. Foster School, Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, presented by school. Approximately 16" x 24", framed.

Plaques

White stone plaques (2) shield shaped, 10 1/2" x 10 1/2" mounted side by side on a velvet covered board

1. Image of seated woman playing a lyre; on the border of the plague is engraved: "Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864, America's Troubadour."

2. Images of a man playing the banjo and a woman picking cotton; in the middle of the plaque is engraved: "Presented to Josh Kirby Lilly by the people of Pittsburgh in appreciation of his gift of the Foster Hall Collection 1939."

• Terradura Plaques (7), circular, 7" x 7"
• Each plaque has an image of Stephen Foster sculpted on its surface, the words "Stephen Foster" written on the border.
• Metal Plaque mounted on wooden base, 7" x 11" x 5"
• Duplicate of plaque used as label in Museum, with the inscription: "Stephen Foster's piano, Lent by the Carnegie Museum to the University of Pittsburgh, Presented to the Carnegie Museum by Henry Butterfield of Pittsburgh, a grandson of Stephen Foster's brother, Henry Baldwin Foster."
• Bronze Plaque, 11" x 15". Plaque presented to SFM in honor of the American Revolution Bicentennial (1976), with the inscription: "A Landmark of American Music, Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864, 'America's Troubadour', Presented by the National Music Council, Pennsylvania Federation of Music Clubs, and Exxon."

Medallions

• Gold Medal presented by the citizens of Pittsburgh to Josh Kirby Lilly in appreciation for the Foster Hall Collection.
• West Point Sesquicentennial Medallion (1802-1952)
• Cathedral of Learning Medal (1787-1937)

Realia (5 categories)

1. Possessions of Stephen Foster
Wallet, belonging to Stephen Foster, found in his coat pocket at his death. Contains 3 pieces of Civil War paper "scrip", and 3 one-cent coins.

"Dear friends and gentle hearts" note, found in the wallet of Stephen Foster upon his death.

Spoons (2), wedding silver presented to Stephen Foster and his wife, Jane McDowell Foster.

2. Possessions of the Foster family
Suspender cover, embroidered with flowers and lettering "A token of gratitude to Dr. McDowell [Jane McDowell Foster's father] from M.F.C."

Spectacles, originally belonging to William B. Foster, father of Stephen Foster.

Metal brooch with a lock of Marion Foster Welch's hair; gold tone with simulated pearls and black gem stones.

Sampler, stitched by Eliza Foster, mother of Stephen Foster.

Black luggage, 1 piece measuring 18" x 16" x9", with the initials E[velyn] F[oster] M[orneweck] on the side, formerly containing family papers.

3. Commemoratives
Steuben Glass Bowl, in one piece with a bell shape base. Engraved on the side: "Stephen Foster, 1826-1864." Other engravings include: 1) a musical motif of a violin and banjo tied together with ribbon; 2) a man with a hoe standing beside a pail; 3) a couple beside a table, woman standing with hands held in a prayerful pose, and man seated with bowed head; 4) 2 figures loading cotton on a riverboat; and 5) male and female dancers. The bowl was designed by Sidney Waugh for the Steuben Glass Company in 1949; one copy was presented in 1949 to Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, from the President Harry S. Truman, the other is in the Corning Museum.

Stephen Foster envelopes, 1st day of issue, unstamped, 1/2" stack.

Stephen Foster envelopes, unstamped, 5 boxes.

Stephen Foster envelopes, stamped, 2 boxes.

Stephen Foster postage stamps, issued 1940 as part of the U.S. Postal Service's "Famous Americans Series."

Coins (2), Stephen Foster memorial coins, (1) White Springs, Florida souvenir, (1) National Commemorative Society.

Half dollars (set of 3), Stephen Foster commemorative half dollars, struck for the Cincinnati Musical Center Golden Anniversary in 1936.
 

4. Items bearing Foster song images
  Calendar with "Old Kentucky Home" theme, rolled.

Souvenirs from White Springs, Florida, including: 1 packet of sleeve patches, 2 bookmarks (leather or pseudo leather), 1 key chain, 1 letter opener, 1 coin, 1 mug, 1 creamer, 1 handbell, 1 pin, 1 ring.

Glass bottle with cork, approximately 1" x 1", formerly containing Suwannee River Water, 1939 World's Fair souvenir.

Swiss Musical Door Chimes (5 boxes), each to a different melody by Stephen Foster.

Barbecue bib from the barbecue held by the Kentucky Colonels [undated].

Fabric with Stephen Foster related designs (2 yards).

Calendars (8) on Stephen Foster themes.

Oilcloth sample book with a pattern featuring Swanee River.

Stephen Foster glass (3 out of a set of 6).

Picture postcards bearing images related to Foster.

Willoughby Ion Hand painted Plates (14) [depicting scenes from Foster songs with bordering lyrics].
 

5. Miscellaneous
Bardstown fiddle-shaped whiskey bottles (2), empty.

Locket containing the photographs of Mr. & Mrs. E.P. Christy [please see 19th-Century Photographs for a fuller description of the photographs].

Minstrel puzzle game of Mohawk's Minstrel's, consisting of spindle over which are placed discs bearing names of songs.

Wash Drawings

• The FHC has 32 original wash drawings by Charles Copeland, and 20 original wash drawings by Joseph Boggs Beale. The Copeland drawings include most of the original wash drawings for the 1880's songbooks: My Old Kentucky Home, Nelly Was A Lady, and Old Folks At Home.
• The undated Beale drawings include illustrations based on the songs: "My Old Kentucky Home" (6), "Old Black Joe" (6), and "Old Folks at Home" (8).

Sculpture

• A small collection of 6 uncatalogued busts and statues are housed in the FHC.: three busts are identical images of varying heights (4 1/2", 5 1/2", 7"), of white stone; another bust (6 1/2"), of cast metal mounted on a wood base; a fourth bust (approximately 24" high) in painted plaster by Gloria Compliment (1990); a fifth bust of bronze created by Griffin Chiles (1996).
• A bronze statue of Stephen Foster created by Marie Niehaus in 1951, 24" high full-figure representation of a seated Stephen Foster.
• One metal sundial on a stone base, dedicated May 1914 to the Pittsburgh Blues of the War of 1812 by the Dolly Madison Chapter, U.S. Daughters of 1812, is located on the grounds of the SFM. It was rededicated there on May 9, 1941.

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