Currently on view at the Manassas Museum
Speiden & Speiden, Architects Sign
1896 - 1900 ca.
Cut and painted tin
Part of the Albert Speiden Collection
2001.177
Albert Speiden (1868-1933) was born in Alexandria, Virginia. (Fig. 1) After
studying law and architecture at the Columbian College of George Washington
University and receiving an L.L.B. Degree, he worked for the United States Patent
Office. In 1896 Albert Speiden went into business with his brother William L. Speiden
(1864-1914) to form Speiden & Speiden, Architects, which designed over 2,000
structures in Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland. Their first office was
located at 705 G. Street, NW. This tin sign may have been displayed at this office.
The sign was signed by “SchaFhirt” followed by “709 – G.” According to an
1887 copy of Boyd’s Directory of the District of Columbia, there was a tinner (also
known as a tinsmith) by the name of Ernest F. Schafhirt, Jr. who lived at 631 M Street
NW. It is uncertain what the “709 – G.” refers to, but the similarity between this and the
street number of their first office, 705 G. Street, may not be coincidental.
Following his marriage in 1901 to Effie Nelson, daughter of the Clerk of the
Court for Prince William County, Albert Speiden moved to Manassas, Virginia. In 1905
he built a home at 9320 Battle Street, which was constructed and decorated in the
American Arts & Crafts style, and today is preserved as part of The Manassas Museum
System. (Fig. 2) The house is known as Speiden Carper House, after Albert Speiden’s
daughter, Virginia Speiden Carper. Speiden became one of the first commuters to live in
Manassas and use the Southern Railway daily to travel to work in Washington DC.
Speiden was an active citizen of Manassas, as a member of the Manassas Town Council
from 1909 to 1919, and chief of the Manassas Volunteer Fire Department from 19161921. He also designed many of the public buildings in Manassas, including the original
Town Hall, the Hopkins Candy Factory, and many Manassas churches. Albert Speiden
died in Manassas in 1933.
The use of dragon imagery on the sign appears to be an isolated instance, since it
has not yet been identified on any other Speiden & Speiden artifact or document.
However, Albert Speiden’s grandfather, William Speiden (1798-1861), was the purser’s
clerk during Matthew Perry’s expedition to Japan in 1853-54. While on this voyage,
Albert’s grandfather documented his travels in journals filled with words and drawings.
These journals are now preserved at the Library of Congress. Additionally the Speiden
Carper House contains some Oriental decorative art items from the same period. (Figs. 3
& 4) These journals, artifacts and first-hand accounts would most likely have been a
major part of Albert and William L. Speidens’ childhood experiences. Could the imagery
of the orient have influenced the dragon on the Speiden & Speiden tin sign!?
Another possible inspiration for the dragon may be the early drafting work
Speiden & Speiden did for Samuel Langley who was experimenting on steam-powered
aerodromes. (Fig. 5) The leap in imagination is not too far fetched to compare a steampowered flying machine to a fire breathing dragon.
Figure 1. Albert Speiden photograph. Source: The Manassas Museum.
Figure 2. Speiden Carper House at 9320 Battle Street in Manassas, Virginia. Part of The Manassas Museum System.
Figures 3 & 4. Items located in the Speiden Carper House, part of The Manassas Museum System.
Right: Brass Bowl with Etched Dragon design (n.d.), 2005.001.11-84
Left: Japanese Lacquered Wood Chest (c.1850), 2005.001.11-159
Figure 5. Photograph of Samuel Langley’s Aerodrome in Flight, 1896.
Source: http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/library/Magazines/Langley_failure1.html
For Further Study:
 The Manassas Museum; Albert Speiden and Virginia Speiden Carper Collections, which
include over 800 architectural drawings, historical documents, and the Speiden Carper
House and contents.
 Online Exhibition: Back to Baseball Cards: Preserving the Nation’s Heritage at the
Library of Congress, Manuscripts Part II, “Steamship to Japan: 1852, Matthew Perry
[Speiden Journal] 1854,” (April 28, 2000):
http://www.loc.gov/preserv/bachbase/bbcmanus2.html
 Digital Library of the Invention of the Airplane, “The Failure of Langley’s Aerodrome,”
(Originally appeared in Scientific American, 89, October 17, 1903, p. 272):
http://invention.psychology.msstate.edu/library/Magazines/Langley_failure1.html