PP159 An Overview of Pennsylvania German Broadsides

Webinar Description

Thursday, July 20, 2023
2:00pm - 3:00pm Eastern US

The purpose of this webinar is to identify the Pennsylvania German broadside. In it, we will discuss the print houses of the culture as compared to the smaller, usually rural, presses. The subject matter important to the culture which influenced the printing will be discussed and compared to developments in America. Printers’ plagiarism was a common occurrence leading to one ballad or topic being repeated by many printers. As a result, variant broadsides sometimes repeat one theme. Those popular subjects will be addressed. 

A brief discussion of the decorative elements will be followed with a look into identifying later sheets, some of which might be confused with their earlier counterparts. Lastly, as the Pennsylvania German settler migrated, so did the broadside. That expansion will be conferred as well as the emergence of the English language on these sheets. 

Webinar Audience

Anyone with an interest in the printing of the Pennsylvania Germans would benefit from this webinar. 

Additionally, appraisers, collectors, auctioneers, design consultants, antiques dealers, and those interested in American printing history would find this webinar useful. 

General Webinar Information

Important login information will be e-mailed to registrants prior to the webinar. 

System Requirements

To ensure the best ASA webinar experience, be sure to download the Zoom app on your device before the webinar begins.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

This webinar will award 1.2 CE hours.

If you are a designated member of the American Society of Appraisers, CE credit will automatically be entered into your record ONLY if you participate in the live webinar. Please allow approximately 2 weeks post-webinar for ASA to notify participants via email regarding a certificate of completion.

Webinar Agenda

I. Introduction
A. What is a Pennsylvania German
B. What is a broadside?
    i. European vs. North America
    ii.Travel with colonists
    iii. English vs. German
    iv. Paper types

II. Pennsylvania German Printers

III. Subject Matter
A. Common vs. Uncommon
B. Most common types
    i. Vendu
    ii. Susanna Cox
    iii. Ein Brief and Himmels Brief
    iv. Political 
C. Printers’ Plagiarism

IV. Decoration
A. Artists
B. Engravers
C. Typeface/Font

V. Surviving numbers

VI. Prints and Reprints
A. Trimmed to fit a frame
     i. Trimmed to hide a later imprint
B. Celebratory reprints

VII. Conclusion

Learning Outcomes

After the webinar, participants should be able to:

• Define the term broadside
• Identify preferred subject matter used by the Pennsylvania German printers
• Differentiate Pennsylvania German broadsides from both their English and European counterparts
• Recognize the reproductions, trimmed pieces, and later reprints
• Introduce and explain these differences to their clientele

Recommended Pre-Readings

Flying Leaves and One-Sheets: Pennsylvania German Broadsides, Fraktur, and Their Printers; Russell and Corinne Earnest 2005

The Pennsylvania German Broadside: A History and a Guide, Don Yoder, 2005

Pennsylvania German Broadsides: A Reflection of Daily Life 1741-1890, Trudy E. Gilgenast, 2009