Noted penman, engrosser, and illuminator who won wide recognition as the last of the Pennsylvania Dutch fraktur artists.
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Allentown Morning Call - 1 February 1951
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Widely known as a penman and the only manuscript illuminator in the area, Irwin P. Mensch, Barto R.1, died at 1:25 o'clock yesterday morning in Allentown Hospital. He was 69. Mensch, who was highly skilled in the craft which dates back centuries before the Christian era, was stricken with a heart attack on 21 Jan. Highlighting his more than half-century career in illumination (a style of ornamenting manuscript by adding elaborate designs in color or gold or silver) was the publication of two articles on his "Treasure Volume," a beautifully illuminated work containing the complete records of the incorporation of the Schwenkfelder library at Pennsburg. Several Allentown department stores exhibited in the past another achievement in his career; a desk made in 1919 by his father on which he penned 200 selections in poetry and prose and which blazed in illumination done in 18 different colors.
Mensch, who lived at Babbling Brook, Barto R.1, was not only an expert in his field but collected the illuminated manuscripts of others in the fast-diminishing art. During the war years he addressed 1,000 letters in "illuminating" style to his son and others, which have since become collector's items. Of Pa. German descent, he was born at what was known as "Tsoppa Wartshouse" in Rockland township, Berks County. He attended Stoner's Business College and later became an instructor in penmanship there. Later he also taught at the Standard School of Commerce, New York City; the Morse Business College, Hartford, Conn.; the Spencerian Commercial School, Newburgh, N.Y., and Mountain State Business College, Jarkersburg, W. Va.
For two years he was General Manager of the Erie Milk Assn. In 1919 he returned to this locality and made his home in Perkasie, where he continued to live until 1940. Then he made his permanent home at Babbling Brook, the summer home which he and his brother bought in 1930, adjoining Camp Mensch Mill, near Huffs Church. A former Mason, he has been secretary of Moyer Brothers Creamery at Huffs church since 1932.
He was the son of the late Milton and Emma Haas Mensch. Survivors include his wife, Laura; six children, Charles, Tucson, Arix., Lillian, wife of Warren Beldon, Benson, Vt., Vera, wife of Lt. Col. Lisle Bartholomew, Ft. Totten, N.Y.; Sue, wife of Archibald Hanna, Bradford, Conn., Sara, wife of Paul Nickell, Philadelphia, and Marcus, Boyertown, and one brother, Eugene, Jeanerette, La.
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Allentown Morning Call - 1 February 1951
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Widely known as a penman and the only manuscript illuminator in the area, Irwin P. Mensch, Barto R.1, died at 1:25 o'clock yesterday morning in Allentown Hospital. He was 69. Mensch, who was highly skilled in the craft which dates back centuries before the Christian era, was stricken with a heart attack on 21 Jan. Highlighting his more than half-century career in illumination (a style of ornamenting manuscript by adding elaborate designs in color or gold or silver) was the publication of two articles on his "Treasure Volume," a beautifully illuminated work containing the complete records of the incorporation of the Schwenkfelder library at Pennsburg. Several Allentown department stores exhibited in the past another achievement in his career; a desk made in 1919 by his father on which he penned 200 selections in poetry and prose and which blazed in illumination done in 18 different colors.
Mensch, who lived at Babbling Brook, Barto R.1, was not only an expert in his field but collected the illuminated manuscripts of others in the fast-diminishing art. During the war years he addressed 1,000 letters in "illuminating" style to his son and others, which have since become collector's items. Of Pa. German descent, he was born at what was known as "Tsoppa Wartshouse" in Rockland township, Berks County. He attended Stoner's Business College and later became an instructor in penmanship there. Later he also taught at the Standard School of Commerce, New York City; the Morse Business College, Hartford, Conn.; the Spencerian Commercial School, Newburgh, N.Y., and Mountain State Business College, Jarkersburg, W. Va.
For two years he was General Manager of the Erie Milk Assn. In 1919 he returned to this locality and made his home in Perkasie, where he continued to live until 1940. Then he made his permanent home at Babbling Brook, the summer home which he and his brother bought in 1930, adjoining Camp Mensch Mill, near Huffs Church. A former Mason, he has been secretary of Moyer Brothers Creamery at Huffs church since 1932.
He was the son of the late Milton and Emma Haas Mensch. Survivors include his wife, Laura; six children, Charles, Tucson, Arix., Lillian, wife of Warren Beldon, Benson, Vt., Vera, wife of Lt. Col. Lisle Bartholomew, Ft. Totten, N.Y.; Sue, wife of Archibald Hanna, Bradford, Conn., Sara, wife of Paul Nickell, Philadelphia, and Marcus, Boyertown, and one brother, Eugene, Jeanerette, La.
Noted penman, engrosser, and illuminator who won wide recognition as the last of the Pennsylvania Dutch fraktur artists.
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Allentown Morning Call - 1 February 1951
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Widely known as a penman and the only manuscript illuminator in the area, Irwin P. Mensch, Barto R.1, died at 1:25 o'clock yesterday morning in Allentown Hospital. He was 69. Mensch, who was highly skilled in the craft which dates back centuries before the Christian era, was stricken with a heart attack on 21 Jan. Highlighting his more than half-century career in illumination (a style of ornamenting manuscript by adding elaborate designs in color or gold or silver) was the publication of two articles on his "Treasure Volume," a beautifully illuminated work containing the complete records of the incorporation of the Schwenkfelder library at Pennsburg. Several Allentown department stores exhibited in the past another achievement in his career; a desk made in 1919 by his father on which he penned 200 selections in poetry and prose and which blazed in illumination done in 18 different colors.
Mensch, who lived at Babbling Brook, Barto R.1, was not only an expert in his field but collected the illuminated manuscripts of others in the fast-diminishing art. During the war years he addressed 1,000 letters in "illuminating" style to his son and others, which have since become collector's items. Of Pa. German descent, he was born at what was known as "Tsoppa Wartshouse" in Rockland township, Berks County. He attended Stoner's Business College and later became an instructor in penmanship there. Later he also taught at the Standard School of Commerce, New York City; the Morse Business College, Hartford, Conn.; the Spencerian Commercial School, Newburgh, N.Y., and Mountain State Business College, Jarkersburg, W. Va.
For two years he was General Manager of the Erie Milk Assn. In 1919 he returned to this locality and made his home in Perkasie, where he continued to live until 1940. Then he made his permanent home at Babbling Brook, the summer home which he and his brother bought in 1930, adjoining Camp Mensch Mill, near Huffs Church. A former Mason, he has been secretary of Moyer Brothers Creamery at Huffs church since 1932.
He was the son of the late Milton and Emma Haas Mensch. Survivors include his wife, Laura; six children, Charles, Tucson, Arix., Lillian, wife of Warren Beldon, Benson, Vt., Vera, wife of Lt. Col. Lisle Bartholomew, Ft. Totten, N.Y.; Sue, wife of Archibald Hanna, Bradford, Conn., Sara, wife of Paul Nickell, Philadelphia, and Marcus, Boyertown, and one brother, Eugene, Jeanerette, La.
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Allentown Morning Call - 1 February 1951
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Widely known as a penman and the only manuscript illuminator in the area, Irwin P. Mensch, Barto R.1, died at 1:25 o'clock yesterday morning in Allentown Hospital. He was 69. Mensch, who was highly skilled in the craft which dates back centuries before the Christian era, was stricken with a heart attack on 21 Jan. Highlighting his more than half-century career in illumination (a style of ornamenting manuscript by adding elaborate designs in color or gold or silver) was the publication of two articles on his "Treasure Volume," a beautifully illuminated work containing the complete records of the incorporation of the Schwenkfelder library at Pennsburg. Several Allentown department stores exhibited in the past another achievement in his career; a desk made in 1919 by his father on which he penned 200 selections in poetry and prose and which blazed in illumination done in 18 different colors.
Mensch, who lived at Babbling Brook, Barto R.1, was not only an expert in his field but collected the illuminated manuscripts of others in the fast-diminishing art. During the war years he addressed 1,000 letters in "illuminating" style to his son and others, which have since become collector's items. Of Pa. German descent, he was born at what was known as "Tsoppa Wartshouse" in Rockland township, Berks County. He attended Stoner's Business College and later became an instructor in penmanship there. Later he also taught at the Standard School of Commerce, New York City; the Morse Business College, Hartford, Conn.; the Spencerian Commercial School, Newburgh, N.Y., and Mountain State Business College, Jarkersburg, W. Va.
For two years he was General Manager of the Erie Milk Assn. In 1919 he returned to this locality and made his home in Perkasie, where he continued to live until 1940. Then he made his permanent home at Babbling Brook, the summer home which he and his brother bought in 1930, adjoining Camp Mensch Mill, near Huffs Church. A former Mason, he has been secretary of Moyer Brothers Creamery at Huffs church since 1932.
He was the son of the late Milton and Emma Haas Mensch. Survivors include his wife, Laura; six children, Charles, Tucson, Arix., Lillian, wife of Warren Beldon, Benson, Vt., Vera, wife of Lt. Col. Lisle Bartholomew, Ft. Totten, N.Y.; Sue, wife of Archibald Hanna, Bradford, Conn., Sara, wife of Paul Nickell, Philadelphia, and Marcus, Boyertown, and one brother, Eugene, Jeanerette, La.
Bio by: Longswamp
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