Cornelius Weygandt, Stiegel glass and signed book

Cornelius Weygandt was born on December 13, 1871, in Germantown, PA. He was the son of Cornelius Nolan Weygandt and Lucy Elmaker Thomas. His ancestry consisted of a long lineage of German immigrants. His great-great-grandfather, also named Cornelius Weygandt, immigrated from Osthofen, Germany, to Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1736. Moving into a German community had made the transition easier and helped keep his family’s German culture alive. Four generations later, Cornelius Weygandt led a life which was still strongly influenced by his ancestry, an influence evident by his writing.

Weygandt authored over eighteen books in his life. With his father a prominent banker and his mother a school teacher, it seemed fated that Weygandt would become a successful man. Weygandt proved to be enthusiastic and was motivated to become a scholar. He enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania at the age of fifteen. However, by his own admission, he didn’t catch on to the entire meaning of higher education until his third year there. Weygandt seemed to possess a thirst for knowledge uncommon for a boy of his age; he quenched his thirst with a great number of books and volumes of history, as it pertained to his heritage. Throughout his childhood, Weygandt busied himself studying all manner of things about the world around him. He showed interest in many topics ranging from the local woodland creatures to the nursery rhymes of the local Pennsylvania Dutch.

His most notable work was in describing the culture of the Pennsylvania Germans which appeared in many of his books, the first being The Red Hills published in 1929. Weygandt wrote about the influences and remnants of colonial culture that still existed in southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and New Hampshire (where he had a summer home). Weygandt wrote with pride of the Pennsylvania Dutch. He even opposed the movement to correct the phrase to Pennsylvania German, on the basis that, to the world, they were Pennsylvania Dutch. He felt that most of the greatest things about their heritage would be forever tagged as Dutch. Dutch cookbooks, Dutch furniture, Dutch pretzels, and more would all be lost to their rightful owners if they insisted on being called Pennsylvania German.

Between 1929 and 1946 he published fifteen books based on his higher provincialism model.In addition to his literary interests, Weygandt was also interested in the material world of the past. He collected a great number of Colonial Pennsylvania German related artifacts. He was also an avid bird watcher.His Stiegel glass collection numbered over 100 pieces at one time.These Stiegel glass items were once part of his personal collection.I have added a fourth which will arrive at my house between the 6th and 10th of June.Each item was tagged,and studied by him.Pieces from his collection appear from time to time and I have been fortunate to acquire all of these.Most of his collection of glass was gathered between 1890 and 1925.Mr. Hunter used a lot of the notes from Weygandt when he wrote Stiegel glass between 1905 and the publication date of 1914 as Mr Weygandt interviewed a lot of the older German families throught the same period also for his own research.The two men shared a common interest in the Stiegel glass and remained friends and shared quite a bit of information.

Here is a book written by Mr. Weygandt that I also purchased form the same gentleman the the vase shaped decanter came from.It is signed by Mr.Weygandt to one of his students in 1952.He was a very admired professor at the University of Penn and he would sign all of his books which were given to his students free of to enlighten them and to promote the cause of each endevor.There is also a newspaper clipping from the Philadelphia Bulletin on the day he retired and taught his last class.A picture of him can be seen in the article.When seeking glass or other antiques these are the type of collectors you want to stumble upon as his life was devoted to the study of his culture and what better gateway to the past then through a gentlemen like this.In summary what a neat passoinate individual,I wish I could have met him in person.

The vase shaped decanter is one of my favorite pieces of glass.The date 1768 and the initials S.W. along with the German word Liebe (love) are engraved on the bottle along with roses and tulips.The top has a ground inside neck but does not have its stopper.The bottle also has a very rough pontil. The creamer is a sixteen ribbed type,it is 5 inches tall, very clear in color and also has a rough pontil.The plain decanter has an inside ground neck also to accept a glass stopper.The glass is loaded with small potstones,it also has a very rough pontil. The German influence can be seen on all three pieces. Each one of them rings loudly when tapped with a spoon suggesting lead content particularly in the vase shaped decanter and the creamer.When the fourth piece of glass arrives,which is also a clear leaded creamer with a larger spout,I will post it in this topic.Take the time to read the article clipped from the newspaper.Thanks for looking.

2. The signed book for a student.

Whoever had the book last had a newspaper clipping inside of the book in an envelope.

The article in the newspaper.

Continuation of the article.

Continuation of the article.

Continuation of the article.

On to his glass collection I am slowly acquiring.

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