Extraordinary Crèche Collection Displayed in Newville

By Sandii Peiffer

When Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Cartwright was a boy in the 1960s, his parents took him to the W. T. Grant Co. variety store in York, Pennsylvania, and bought his first nativity scene, otherwise known as a crèche, and started a life-long collection, which was recently on display.

Speaking of the set that started it all, Cartwright remembers, "The central figures cost 19 and 29 cents each, and the camels cost 49 cents. My father splurged and bought the whole manger scene, but there were only two styles of camels and my father couldn't justify getting a duplicate, so the three wise men only have two camels." 

In the years since, his collection has grown to over 310 crèches, "And that doesn't include the ties!" 

It took Cartwright three days to set up the display at Mount Hope UMC in Newville where he serves part-time. The collection was open for viewing on Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 26, and Wednesday evening, December 29. About half of the sets were personally bought by Cartwright during his life, ministry, and travels, and the other half have been given as gifts from family, friends, and the congregations that he has served.

 

There are crèches made of glass, wood, paper, copper, brass, pewter, and other metals, clay, corn husks, resin, plastic, porcelain, stone, wire, yarn, fabric, and more. 

 

The nativities are represented in myriad styles and artforms such as tabletop ornaments, tree ornaments, books, table runners, lapel pins, thimbles, puzzles, paintings, place mats, tablecloths, wood carvings, carved stones, boxes, globes, cross-stitch, cards, calendars, flags, music boxes, Fabergé eggs, quilted panels, plates, stuffed fabric, blankets, candles, stitched plastic canvas, stained glass, blown-glass, molded glass, decoupage, cut paper silhouettes, porcelain-origami, mugs, crochet, blankets, pillows, and the aforementioned neckties. 

 

 

Many of the crèches have international origins including Haiti, Germany, Sri Lanka, Japan, Bethlehem (Palestine) and the Holy Lands, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, Burkina Faso, and Italy to name a few. 

A number of the nativity sets were handmade by parishioners from the churches he has served, and one was painted by the inmates of the Huntingdon State Correctional Institution.

The smallest scene, about the size of a thimble, is a nativity scene set inside a miniature egg carved from white and rose quartz. The largest set (pictured with Cartwright) was a gift from First UMC in Harrisburg where he served from 2009 until it was closed in October 2019.

It is likely the last time the entire collection will be on display.