Stamp, Leather
Stamp for "DM," Church Family, Mount Lebanon, NY
Description
Die-stamp of steel, roughly eight-sided. Bears letters "DM", 5/16" high.
Notes
This, along with other stamps in the collection (#1950.1684.1, 1950.1405.1, 1950.1403.1, 1950.1404.1), were used to mark either leather, metal, or wood. The stamps with flat heads and letters carved in relief, "J.D." and "LC," came to the Museum in a box containing leather working tools. They would have made an impression of raised letters over a flat background. The other three stamps, including this one, would have left impressions of their letters in the metal or leather stamped. The stamp "D.M." was that of David Meacham, Sr. (1743-1826), the first Mount Lebanon trustee. The Museum has several objects stamped with his initials, including a spinning reel and a clock reel. The Mount Lebanon Shakers continued to stamp their property "D.M." even after his death, as exemplified by an 1842 machine (#13020) stamped with the initials.
Blog post that discusses this piece: https://shakerml.org/to-mark-or-not-to-mark-that-is-the-question/
New York Mount Lebanon Church Family
