German immigrants to the United States that settled Pennsylvania, and the Appalachian Valley area of Maryland and Virginia used jamb stoves with ornamental stove plates. Stove plates featured biblical scenes, inscriptions, and symbols illustrated in sand-cast iron. The form dates to the mid-sixteenth century and are featured in other German-American artifacts of the eighteenth century, including pottery, chests, and frakturs, or decorated birth certificates, marriage licenses, or other legal documents.
Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.
If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.