Ruckman Mill Farm

08/27/2026

Ever wonder what a handmade quilt can tell you about the people who made it?

Our collections hold stories like these in everyday objects from the past. Pennsylvania German fraktur, for example, marked births and baptisms in tulips and calligraphy. Decorated hand towels displayed household pride, and quilts held the warmth of a family home.

Come see them up close at the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center. Plan your visit at schwenkfelder.org/visit.

08/26/2026

Clipped loops or stumpwork.

08/21/2026

Notice the similar bird on each, the font for names and border squiggles. No person has been identified as the artist (yet)

07/19/2026

This miniature paint-decorated lift-top chest, 10 5/8" x 17¾" wide x 9½" deep, was made and painted by restorer Peter Deen and consists of old and new woods and hardware.

Richard Flanders Smith (1922-2001) bought the chest from a picker as real, and it was cataloged by Christie’s as real for Smith’s June 3, 1995, collection sale. During the Christie’s preview, two signatures by Deen were found—one on the back, and another smaller one on the underside of the lid molding. Christie’s announced it was modern, and it sold for $4370 (including buyer’s premium). The buyer from Christie’s consigned the chest to Horst Auctioneers, and it sold for $3000.

https://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/hattie-brunner-watercolor-brings-5600/10599

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Published monthly, Maine Antique Digest covers the marketplace for Americana and art. Each issue features antiques news, auctions, and shows across the U.S.

07/06/2026

Spruce Ridge Studios now carries the Ruckman Mill Farm line of patterns, dye recipes and Design in a Box-Frakturs

07/04/2026

Beautifully design for a border

This oak and polychrome desk box was one of the few pieces in the sale that may have been American. It was cataloged as “A rare and small 17th century oak and polychrome desk box, probably New England...circa 1670.” Comparable boxes are in the collections of Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library and Colonial Williamsburg where they are regarded as among the earliest surviving examples of painted furniture in New England. It earned $3755 (£2794, est. £2000/3000) at Woolley & Wallis

https://www.maineantiquedigest.com/stories/a-life-in-oak-sold-in-london/10583

Love art and antiques? Subscribe to MAD

Published monthly, Maine Antique Digest covers the marketplace for Americana and art. Each issue features antiques news, auctions, and shows across the U.S.

06/05/2026

What a visual opportunity to learn about this period in fraktur design and life

Beautiful art from the Revolutionary period reminds how life went on during chaotic times.

Join us on June 12 in Pennsburg for the opening of our Revolutionary Fraktur exhibit, created to commemorate the 250th anniversary.

This special exhibit features nearly 40 fraktur pieces dating from 1763-1787, offering a rare glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and artistry of early Pennsylvania German communities.

It’s a meaningful way to connect with history during this milestone year—and experience these vibrant works up close.

Plan your visit: schwenkfelder.org

05/23/2026

What an incredible flower design!

Object of the Day: Friday, May 22, 2026.

Rare and Fine M. & T. MILLER / NEWPORT, PA Stoneware Jug w/ Flowering Urn. Sold for $43,700 in our July 18, 2015 auction:

https://www.crockerfarm.com/stoneware-auction/2015-07-18/lot-299/Exceedingly-Rare-M-T-MILLER-NEWPORT-PA-Stoneware-Jug-w-Elaborate-Flowering-Urn-Decoration/

05/05/2026

Being it is International Midwives' Day, you might be interested in learning more about the profession and life of midwives around 1800 in southeastern Pennsylvania. Rosina Heydrich, a midwife and member of the Schwenkfelder community in the Upper Perkiomen Valley, kept a registry of 1,739 births she attended between the years 1770 and 1819. Her manuscript also served as a compendium of specific remedies, treatments, and recommendations for women’s health that she used. Today you can read it on the PA Power Library (digitalarchives.powerlibrary.org/papd/islandora/object/papd%3Asslch-sdsa). The translation and work to ready the manuscript for Power Library was supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's Historical Archives and Records Care Grant, a program funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

05/03/2026

Mark your calendar - Penn Dry Goods is almost here!

Join us on May 15-16 in Pennsburg for our signature spring fundraiser, where textiles, antiques, and history come together in one unforgettable experience.

From rare finds to meaningful conversations, every purchase helps support our mission to preserve and share Pennsylvania German heritage.

Come explore, shop, and be part of something that gives back to the community we love.

Plan your visit at www.schwenkfelder.org/penn-dry-goods.