Fraktur (Pennsylvania German folk art)

Fraktur is both a blackletter typeface, and a highly artistic and elaborate 18th century and 19th century illuminated folk art drawings created by the Pennsylvania Dutch (also known as Pennsylvania Deitsch or Pennsylvanian German). Most Fraktur were created between 1740 and 1860.

Fraktur drawings were executed in ink and/or watercolors and are found in a wide variety of forms: the "Vorschriften" (writing samples), the "Taufscheine" (birth and baptismal certificates), marriage and house blessings, book plates, and floral and figurative scenes. The earlier Fraktur were executed entirely by hand, while printed text became increasingly common in later examples. Common artistic motifs in Fraktur include birds, hearts, and tulips. Some fonts that are included in frakturs are the different variants of calligraphy especially itallic and old english calligraphy.

Today, many major American museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art have Fraktur in their collection. Important Fraktur have been sold by major American auction houses and antique dealers for prices in excess of $100,000. The definitive text on Fraktur is widely considered to be "The Fraktur-Writings or Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Germans", written by Dr. Donald A. Shelley and published by the Pennsylvania German Society in 1961. In late 2004, part of Dr. Shelley's Fraktur collection was sold at public auction in Pennsylvania for $897,833.

ee also

* Hex sign

Further reading

*Hartung, Ruthanne. "Fraktur: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Learning the Craft". Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2008.
*Shelley, Donald. "The Fraktur Writings or Illuminated Manuscripts of the Pennsylvania Germans". Allentown, PA: Pennsylvania German Folklore Society, 1961.

External links

* [http://www.explorepahistory.com/displaygallery.php?gallery_id=15&bcolor=red&list=1 ExplorePaHistory.com]
* [http://www.frakturweb.org/ fraktur and related resources] .
* [http://www.schwenkfelder.com/Museum_Fraktur.htm Schwenkfelder Museum] .
* [http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/7aa/7aa779.htm Pennsylvania Fraktur] .
* [http://www.psupress.org/books/titles/0-271-02368-6.html, Penn State University Press] "To the Latest Posterity", the most recent book published by the Pennsylvania German Society on the Fraktur tradition.
* [http://pennblog.typepad.com/arts/ Pennsylvania German Arts and Antiques: News and Commentary by Clarke Hess]
* [http://www.maineantiquedigest.com/articles_archive/articles/jan05/shell0105.htm, auction report by "Maine Antique Digest" on the auction of the Shelley's fraktur] .