Most
people walk or drive right by barber shop signs without thinking twice. Yet if
you walk up the stairs of the Christian Sanderson Museum into the Pocopson
Room, your eyes will quickly note a rustic gem produced just after the turn of
the 20th century hanging on the right side wall. What captures the
visitors’ attention is the “Chads’ Ford Barber Shop” sign painted by N.C.
Wyeth, famous artist and illustrator.
This
wooden relic is approximately seven feet wide and five feet high, with two arcs
cut into the top center flanking a black shaded five-pointed star. Hanging on
the wall behind the arc cutout on the left side is a photograph of Chris
Sanderson, posing as Rip Van Winkle in an American Legion production at
Longwood Gardens in June 1937. On the right is a winter scene of Chadds Ford,
snow blanketing a parking area in front of the barber shop bearing the famous
sign.
Painted
in black is a silhouetted portrait of General George Washington, his cockaded
tri-cornered hat the mark of a commanding officer. He is looking to the right
at the young Marquis de Lafayette, who fought with Washington’s troops at the
Battle of the Brandywine and six other engagements of the Revolutionary War, including
the final victory at Yorktown, Virginia in October, 1781.
The
placement of Lafayette on the right may have held some significance for the
artist, as Lafayette is known to have ridden his horse on Washington’s right
side as they marched triumphantly through the streets of Philadelphia in August
1777 before their first battle together. Below these portraits is written “THIS
IS THE PLACE WHERE WASHINGTON & LAFAYETTE HAD A VERY CLOSE SHAVE.”
History
buffs recall the Battle of the Brandywine as the largest land battle in North
America up until the Civil War, a conflict which Washington lost, but survived
to fight another day.
The
sign’s weathered surface reveals its exposure to the elements over many years.
It is known to have hung outside the barbershop going back over 85 years to at
least 1926. In June 1998 students from the joint University of
Delaware/Winterthur Program in Art Conservation were engaged to help restore
the sign that is made of five wooden boards coated with white and black paint.
The entire sign had been covered with a “yellow material from Du Pont” by
Andrew Wyeth, giving the structure a canary-yellow tint.
Diligently
working under the direction of Joyce Hill Stoner, Ph. D., then Chair of the Art
Conservation Department at the University of Delaware, art restorers managed to
stabilize the widespread cracking and flaking paint, while retaining its
historic, earthy charm. You don’t have to touch the surface to understand how
fragile it is, just as fragile as Washington’s ragtag, undersupplied army was
fighting against the British.
So,
the next time you pass a barber shop, think twice about how delicate and
unstable the beginnings of our young nation were… and how two patriots- George
Washington, a Founding Father… and the Marquis de Lafayette, a Founding Son of
the American Revolution… had a very close shave back on Sept. 11, 1777. Visit
the Sanderson Museum - A Man's Life, A Nation's
History at 1755 Creek Road in Chadds Ford, just North of Route 1 or on-line atwww.SandersonMuseum.org.
• Gene Pisasale worked
as a petroleum geologist, then later as a portfolio manager/analyst for 24
years in the investment industry. He retired in 2010 to pursue his writing
career and lecture tours. He is the author of several historical novels
including "Abandoned Address- The Secret of Frick's Lock" and
"Lafayette's Gold- The Lost Brandywine Treasure." Gene is married and
lives in Kennett Square. Contact Gene at [email protected] or
www.GenePisasale.com.
About Gene Pisasale
Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square, Pa. His eight books and historic lecture series focus on the history of the mid-Atlantic region. Gene’s latest book is Alexander Hamilton: Architect of the American Financial System, which delves into the life and many accomplishments of this important Founding Father who almost single-handedly transformed our nation from a bankrupt entity into the most successful country in the history of mankind. Gene’s books are available on www.Amazon.com. His website is www.GenePisasale.com; he can be reached at [email protected].
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