Sharpener, Tool
Object number2018.105.10
MediumSoapstone (?)
Credit LineGift of Patty Sims
DescriptionGray rectangular piece of possible stone. The two long edges are slanted in opposite directions.DimensionsHeight x Width x Depth: 1.25 × 1.5 × 0.125 in. (3.2 × 3.8 × 0.3 cm)Historical NotesThis tool was found stores in a steamer trunk that was found in the home of sisters Jo and Dolly Ferrara. The donor’s father, James Hahn was close to the Ferrara family and, when the parents passed away, he continued to help daughters Jo and Dolly who never married. After they died, the donor and her father cleaned out the house and discovered this trunk and its contents. The trunk belonged to the Ferarra’s cousin, Domenico Ferrara. Originally from Rivisondoli in the province of L’Aquila, he lived in various places around Pittsburgh, as well as Detroit and Atlanta, before moving in with his relatives at 1431 Denniston Ave in the early 1950s. Untouched since Domenico’s death in the 1970s, the trunk contained many items that offered clues about his life. He served in WWI for the United States, was a tailor by profession, and invested in the stock market, which financed his travels around the U.S.
Previous owner
Domenico Ferrara
Related person
Jo Ferrara
Related person
Dolly Ferrara
Terms
On View
Not on view
1918-1988
Liberty Electric Corporation
Better Brushes, Inc.
