Textiles

The 50,000 objects in the textile collections fall into two main categories: raw fibers, yarns, and fabrics, and machines, tools, and other textile technology. Shawls, coverlets, samplers, laces, linens, synthetics, and other fabrics are part of the first group, along with the 400 quilts in the National Quilt Collection. Some of the Museum's most popular artifacts, such as the Star-Spangled Banner and the gowns of the first ladies, have an obvious textile connection.

The machinery and tools include spinning wheels, sewing machines, thimbles, needlework tools, looms, and an invention that changed the course of American agriculture and society. A model of Eli Whitney's cotton gin, made by the inventor in the early 1800s, shows the workings of a machine that helped make cotton plantations profitable in the South and encouraged the spread of slavery.

This Jacquard double-cloth coverlet was donated as "a pair of drapes." Colonial Revival décor favored antique coverlet portieres. It is thought to have been woven in Ohio in the 1830s and is inscribed with the initials "J.W." in each corner.
Description
This Jacquard double-cloth coverlet was donated as "a pair of drapes." Colonial Revival décor favored antique coverlet portieres. It is thought to have been woven in Ohio in the 1830s and is inscribed with the initials "J.W." in each corner. Each of the two sections of the coverlet is 88 inches long, and 36 inches wide. The structure is composed of two sets of warps and wefts made up of 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun white cotton and 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun madder red and indigo-dyed wool. The centerfield pattern consists of meandering floral straight repeat, creating columns of flowers that change direction at the center due to the coverlet’s two-panel construction. The weaver’s masterful understanding of color led him to change colors both the warp and weft allowing flowers to change color and utilizing half-tones when necessary. A running flower and leaf border frames the entire coverlet with the initials interwoven at the corners in lieu of a traditional corner block.
Jane Caughey (1795-1874), the donor's great grandmother, passed the coverlet down through the generations. Jane and her husband, William (b. 1781) were both born and married in Pennsylvania but lived most of their lives in New Concord, Muskingum County, Ohio. Jane and William’s first child, Rebecca Caughey Martin, was born in Pennsylvania in 1821. The first child born in Ohio, William, was born in 1832.
This coverlet was woven using a Jacquard head, which wasn't readily available in the US until after 1820. These looms and the Figured and Fancy coverlets woven on them were almost always operated by male, professional weavers. The donor's claim that her great-grandmother wove this coverlet is almost certainly false, but the claim that she raised the sheep and prepared the wool used to make it are likely accurate. Coverlet weavers often advertised that they were taking orders and would provide the cotton yarns needed and any dying, if the customer supplied the spun wool yarns.
This coverlet was probably woven by an Irish-born weaver named William Lunn (c. 1787-c. 1855). William and his wife Hannah immigrated to Pennsylvania sometime before 1820, as their son George was born in Pennsylvania in 1825-26. He first appears in Muskingum County, Ohio in the 1840 census, and both he and his son are listed as weavers in the 1850 census. William dies sometime in the 1850s, and his wife Hannah appears living with her son George who is recorded as a farmer in the 1860 Federal Census. The choice of both centerfield and border floral designs match those that appear on signed Lunn coverlets and the time frame and geography also lineup, suggesting that William Lunn wove this coverlet in the 1830s-1840s.
The appearance of the "JW" initials found in the corners of the coverlet are a mystery. There is no one in that belongs to or marries into the Caughey family with initials that match. It is possible that Jane and William Caughey purchased this coverlet at a public vendue or bought a readymade coverlet for which another client had failed to pay. The association with Lunn makes this the only the eighth attributed William Lunn coverlet.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
19th century
1820-1840
1830-1840
ID Number
TE.T13519
catalog number
T13519.000
accession number
254763
This Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand coverlet panel reveals when, where, and who made it, but William Wolf has remained elusive to historians.
Description
This Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand coverlet panel reveals when, where, and who made it, but William Wolf has remained elusive to historians. The centerfield features octagonal carpet medallions filled with stylized sunflowers or sunbursts around which can be found geometric stars arrangements and foliate garlands. The side border features a meandering grape vine and the lower border depicts a swag garland and flower motif. The cornerblock inscription reads, “WOVE*BY/*W*WOLF/*SHELBY*/RICHLAND/*COUNTY*/OHIO*1853.” There are dozens of people names William Wolf recorded in Ohio in the 1850 Federal Census, and more research is needed to determine which of those men was the weaver of this coverlet panel. What is known of Wolf comes from his extant coverlets which date from 1836-1858 and have woven inscriptions indicating that he was weaving in Hanover, Licking County, Ohio and later in Shelby, Richland County, Ohio. This coverlet panel was woven in tied-Beiderwand structure using 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton and wool, warp and weft yarns and Z-spun cotton singles for binding warps.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1853
maker
Shelby, W. Wolf
ID Number
TE.T13141
catalog number
T13141.000
accession number
249565
Philip H. Anshutz (b. 1802) wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet in Carrollton, Carroll County, Ohio sometime after 1845.
Description
Philip H. Anshutz (b. 1802) wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet in Carrollton, Carroll County, Ohio sometime after 1845. This coverlet measures 81 inches by 75 inches and was woven as one length, cut into two pieces, and hand sewn together to create the width. There is a self-fringe along three sides of the coverlet. The pattern consists of eight whole, large floral wreaths, with eight half wreaths along the sides. Filling in the spaces between wreaths are two floral groups. The elaborate centerfield pattern suggests that Anshutz was very skilled at pattern design and likely producing coverlets in a semi-industrial fashion. The corners of the lower edge have woven inscriptions which read, "xPxH ANHUTZ YN Carrol-ton.” The white yarns are 2-ply s-twist z-spun cotton, and the blue yarns are 2-ply s-twist z-spun wool. The binding is white 2-ply s-twist z-spun wool. The sewing thread 6-ply s-twist z-spun cotton. The yarn count is 22 warp x 20 weft per inch. The top edge is bound in a bias binding and stitched by hand. Philip Anshutz was born in 1802 in Germany and emigrated to Baltimore about 1833. In the 1840 census he was listed as the head of a household in Baltimore engaged in manufactures and trades—likely in one of Baltimore’s large industrial textile mills. He left Baltimore in 1842 with his wife, whose name we only know as the initial W., and moved to Carrollton, Carroll, Co, Ohio. In the 1850 Federal Census, Anshutz was listed as a weaver. It is likely that Anshutz came to American as a trained, industrial weaver or machinist in a factory, worked in Baltimore long enough to raise the capital needed to move west and attempt to establish his own regional mill in Carroll County. This was a common practice for coverlet weavers.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
mid-19th century
mid-19th century ?
c. 1845
weaver
Anshutz, Philip
ID Number
1989.0270.001
accession number
1989.0270
catalog number
1989.0270.01
This Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand coverlet passed down through the donor’s maternal line for many generations before coming the collections of the National Museum of American History.
Description
This Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand coverlet passed down through the donor’s maternal line for many generations before coming the collections of the National Museum of American History. The centerfield design is composed of a large “Double Rose” central motif contained within a cut-corner square. Outside of this is another cut-corner square filled with floral designs. Beyond this in the centerfield can be found a Great Seal eagle in each corner and floral swag accents. The stylized floral and foliate border can be found on all four sides of the coverlet. There is an applied fringe along three sides of the coverlet. This coverlet does feature a center seam, indicating hand-loom production. There is no signature, trademark, or date on the coverlet. The coverlet measures 81 inches by 78 inches.
The coverlet descended through the Marvel family of Indiana who moved west from Delaware in 1833. On their way westward, the family lived for a time in Muskingum, Ohio around 1860. It is likely here where the coverlet was acquired. The style and structure are more common in Ohio than Indiana, where coverlet weavers tended to weave double cloth coverlets and favor two colors rather than the horizontal banding found in many Pennsylvania and Ohio coverlets. The donor received the coverlet from her mother, Julia Typhene Nelson Studebaker who had received the coverlet from her parents, Robert Marvel and Julia Ann Marvel Dickerson Jones. Robert Marvel’s parents, Robert and Sarah Wilkins Marvel were the original owners of the coverlet and according to the family, the couple used the coverlet in their double log cabin in Indiana.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca. 1860
ca. 1860
ID Number
1982.0750.01
accession number
1982.0750
catalog number
1982.0750.01
Daniel King (1827-1888) wove this blue and white, tied-Beiderwand, Jacquard coverlet in Wayne Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1848.
Description
Daniel King (1827-1888) wove this blue and white, tied-Beiderwand, Jacquard coverlet in Wayne Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1848. The centerfield pattern appears to be made up of alternating half-drop rows of stylized “Double Irises” and “Double Potted Plants” that almost extend into one another, unifying the centerfield design. The side borders depict meandering grape vines, while the bottom border shows a meandering hops plant vine. Hops and grapes both being respectively used in the production of beer and wine. The cornerblocks in the lower corners contain the woven inscription, “DANIEL/KING/TUSCAR/AWAS/CO.OHIO/1848.” The warp is composed of 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton yarns and a binding warp of Z-spun cotton singles. The weft yarns are 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton and wool yarns. The coverlet measures 82.5 inches by 66 inches and is constructed of two panels stitched together with a center seam. There is self-fringe on the sides of the coverlet and likely along the bottom edge as well. The bottom fringe has been worm away over time.
King was born in Pennsylvania, moving to Tuscarawas County, Ohio by at least 1848, making this coverlet one of his earliest known pieces. He and his wife, Catherine Kenegy lived and worked in Wayne Township until relocating in 1854 to Stark County, Ohio. In 1864, King served in the Union Army during the Civil War, fighting with Company K of the 163rd Regiment of the Ohio Voluntary Infantry.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1848
maker
King, Daniel
ID Number
TE.T17654
catalog number
T17654.00S
accession number
321743
Abram Allen wove this Jacquard, double-cloth coverlet in Ohio in 1838. Measuring eighty-two inches by seventy-four inches, the coverlet features a stylized tulip, bell-flower, or pear centerfield with bird and tree borders.
Description
Abram Allen wove this Jacquard, double-cloth coverlet in Ohio in 1838. Measuring eighty-two inches by seventy-four inches, the coverlet features a stylized tulip, bell-flower, or pear centerfield with bird and tree borders. The side borders also feature a quadrupled sine curve border and the bottom border is made up of a six-fold sine curve. The word Ohio and the date 1838 are woven into two lower corners of the coverlet. Although unsigned, this coverlet can be attributed to Abram Allen and is similar to another coverlet in the NMAH collection (1980.0089.01). This double-cloth coverlet was woven from a combination of two sets of wool and cotton warps that exchange places revealing the pattern and lock the two separate plain weave structures together in a complementary weave structure. Abram Allen was born May 3, 1796, in Ireland. He married Kate Cata Howlan (1800-1866) June 25, 1818, and died June 7, 1867, in Clinton, OH. Coverlet scholar, John Heisey described him as the only man in the county with a flying shuttle, suggesting he owned a broad loom. This makes more sense when considering that the coverlet is one piece rather that center-seamed. Clarita Anderson noted that later in his life, Allen was listed in various census as both a wagon-maker and farmer, suggesting that weaving was only ever a part of his economic activity in Clinton County. Henry Ford Museum in Michigan and the Art Institute of Chicago both possess coverlets in the style of the one held by NMAH.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1838
maker
unknown
ID Number
TE.T10093
catalog number
T10093.000
accession number
134186
Vertical rows of symmetrical grape vines, addorsed doves, and carpet medallion starbursts are accented by horizontal bands of blue, gold, and red in this coverlet. The two side borders feature a double border of repeating geometric motifs and scrollwork.
Description
Vertical rows of symmetrical grape vines, addorsed doves, and carpet medallion starbursts are accented by horizontal bands of blue, gold, and red in this coverlet. The two side borders feature a double border of repeating geometric motifs and scrollwork. The bottom border depicts a variety of floral motifs, a house with two chimneys, and, rather unusually, confronted giraffes. The two cornerblocks show a trademark of four, eight-petaled flowers within a box over two more empty boxes. Those other boxes would have contained the date, maker’s name, and customer’s name, if requested. The lower edge of the coverlet has been lost completely. This coverlet is tied-Beiderwand, an integrated weave structure similar to lampas that uses a complementary binding warp to unify two separate fabrics. The warp is composed of 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton and a blue Z-spun cotton single binding warp, and the weft is made up of 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton yarn and high twist, Z-spun wool singles. This coverlet was first owned by the donor’s grandparents, Peter and Eliza Hannon Hunter (married in 1832), and family legend states that Peter bought this coverlet for his wife, Eliza at a local fair around 1840 from an “itinerant weaver.” The myth of the itinerant weaver has stuck with the American cultural memory for generations. While it is true that some weavers did travel to people’s home to weave, they did not carry their looms with them as they were cumbersome and America’s over-land transportation system was not in good working order until the middle of the twentieth century. Traveling weavers would have woven things that couldn’t be produced by the family on the family’s own loom them move on to the next farm. This is not the case with this coverlet; however, it was possibly purchased at a fair rather than custom ordered because of the lack of date and the apparent lack of names in the corner blocks. This is likely a ready-made piece of stock that was sold at the fair Peter and Eliza attended back in 1840. Although there is no signature, the patterns used, particularly that vertical centerfield arrangement and confronted giraffe border, allow us to attribute this coverlet to the work of the Hesse brothers in Somerset, Hocking, and Perry Counties, Ohio. Frederick A. (b. 1801), Frederick E. (b. 1827), and L. Hesse (b. 1809) were Saxon immigrants from what was then the Kingdom of Prussia. They settled in Ohio, each opening their own weaving business. The brothers have extant coverlets dating from the years, 1838-1862 collectively.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1840
ID Number
TE.T10095
catalog number
T10095.000
accession number
181280
This red, white, & blue double-cloth coverlet features a centerfield design of alternating horizontal rows of buildings.
Description
This red, white, & blue double-cloth coverlet features a centerfield design of alternating horizontal rows of buildings. One row depicts a church with large steeple flanked on either side by taverns or inns, and the other row depicts pagoda and Chinoiserie-inspired houses and palm trees. Early 20th century coverlet scholarship has tended to refer to this combination of Western and Eastern architecture, “Christians and Heathens.” This patterns is also almost always found in the border rather than the centerfield. The four borders of this coverlet feature s double row of meandering grape vines. The corner blocks are quartered and display an enlarged grape leaf motif similar to those found in the border designs. The weaver of this coverlet has yet to be identified, but current scholarship points to an Ohio origin and a date of between the years, 1840-1850. The Colonial Coverlet Guild of America and the Iroquois County Historical Society Museum of Wateska, Illinois both possess identical coverlets in their collections. This coverlet is in poor shape. There is a significant amount of loss along the upper edge which is suggestive of heavy use through the years. There is also evidence of self-fringe along three sides, most of which has worn away. This coverlet measures 81 inches by 72.5 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1850's
date made
1840-1850
ID Number
TE.T14700
catalog number
T14700.000
accession number
280849
According to the donor of this coverlet, it first belonged to Mrs. Ferdinand O’Neal, who lived just outside Zanesville, Ohio. Her maiden name is believed to have been Wheeler, and in about 1863 she married Mr.
Description
According to the donor of this coverlet, it first belonged to Mrs. Ferdinand O’Neal, who lived just outside Zanesville, Ohio. Her maiden name is believed to have been Wheeler, and in about 1863 she married Mr. O’Neal and moved to a home outside of Zanesville, known as “Greenwood.” Mrs. O’Neal passed the coverlet on to her daughter Marcella O’Neal, who passed it on to Martha Margaret O’Neal. The coverlet is made entirely of wool, and was probably woven between 1840 and 1860. It is an overshot weave, seamed together from two pieces. The pattern, of concentric circles linked by small squares giving the effect of a diagonal grid, is similar to one known as “Cup and Saucer.” The weaver is unknown.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1840-1860
maker
unknown
ID Number
1993.0225.01
accession number
1993.0225
catalog number
1993.0225.01
L. Hesse wove this Figured and Fancy, red, white and green, tied-Beiderwand coverlet in 1840.
Description
L. Hesse wove this Figured and Fancy, red, white and green, tied-Beiderwand coverlet in 1840. There is no location or customer indicated in the cornerblock, but we know from other extant coverlets that Hesse and his brothers, both named Frederick were active in Somerset Township, Perry County and Hocking Counties in Ohio. The centerfield pattern features the common “Double Rose and Starburst” motif which is accented by smaller geometric crosses and fylfots (swastikas). There is a double border featuring addorsed “Eagles and Fruit Tree” and eight-pointed stars along the sides and bottom of the coverlet. There is self-fringe along the sides. The coverlet was woven on a hand loom with a patterning device attachment (either barrel loom or Jacquard mechanism) made in two pieces seamed together up the center. The Hesse brothers were active in Somerset, Hocking, and Perry Counties, Ohio. Frederick A. (b. 1801), Frederick E. (b. 1827), and L. Hesse (b. 1809) were Saxon immigrants from what was then the Kingdom of Prussia. They settled in Ohio, each opening their own weaving business. The brothers have extant coverlets dating from the years, 1838-1862 collectively. This coverlet belonged to the great-grandmother of the donor. Although we do not know her name, the accession file tells us she was born around 1830 and from Ohio, helping to further situate this coverlet in the proper context.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1840
weaver
Hesse, L.
ID Number
TE.T14540
catalog number
T14540.000
accession number
277122
An unidentified weaver wove this blue and white, double-cloth coverlet with self-fringe along the side edges. The centerfield pattern features the “Double Rose” motif with tiles of eight-pointed stars and “Double Starburst” motifs.
Description
An unidentified weaver wove this blue and white, double-cloth coverlet with self-fringe along the side edges. The centerfield pattern features the “Double Rose” motif with tiles of eight-pointed stars and “Double Starburst” motifs. The three borders all depict adorssed Distelfinken (thistle finches) with the Germanic tree of life (Hom) motif. The cornerblock design features the weaver’s or factory’s trademark design, which in this case is rose in profile or possibly a leaf. The owner of this trademark has yet to be identified. The coverlet measures 82 inches by 70 inches and was constructed of two panels that were woven in one length. There upper edge of the coverlet features considerable loss conducive with heavy use over many generations.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
19th century
date made
c. 1840
ID Number
TE.T4262
catalog number
T04262.000
accession number
066143
This Jacquard, red, white, blue, and green double-cloth lap coverlet features a scalloped centerfield. “L. S. R. R. SLEEPING CAR” is woven into the innermost border.
Description
This Jacquard, red, white, blue, and green double-cloth lap coverlet features a scalloped centerfield. “L. S. R. R. SLEEPING CAR” is woven into the innermost border. There is a large middle border made up of what appears to be a representation of the Michigan State Capitol building flanked by pairs of turkeys. The corners each feature a pair of deer—a buck and doe. The shorter ends of the middle border feature acorns and oak leaves and interconnected birds. The interconnected birds suggest an altered Jacquard punch-card set. There is fringe along the bottom edge. "L.S.R.R." stands for the Lakeshore and Southern Railway. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, founded in 1833, developed into a conglomeration of other railroads in the Northern Ohio, Michigan region. The Cleveland, Painesville and Ashtabula Railroad (CP&ARR) would eventually be incorporated into that system. In 1868, the railroad leased the Cleveland and Toledo Railroad and renamed itself Lakeshore and Southern Railway. It is this time period in which this coverlet was woven for use in the sleeping cars of the railway’s passenger cars.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1860s-1870s
date made
after 1868
ID Number
TE.T12744
catalog number
T12744.000
accession number
240289
Scottish immigrant weaver, John McLaughlin (b. 1788) is almost certainly the weaver of this red and white, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet.
Description
Scottish immigrant weaver, John McLaughlin (b. 1788) is almost certainly the weaver of this red and white, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet. The centerfield design is made up of two variations of the “Double Rose” carpet medallion pattern and is smaller sunburst medallions complete the centerfield design. There are borders along three sides, each depicting rows of floral designs between sawtooth designs and atop diamond tracery. The cornerblock inscriptions read, “Pyna.Rose/Wove.In/Logan Co/Ohio.By/I.M./1848.” Pyna Rose refers to this particular pattern and I.M. are John McLaughlin’s initials, the I being traditionally interchangeable with the J. The 1850 Federal Census records McLauglin as a weaver outside of Bellefontaine in Jefferson Township, Logan County, Ohio with real estate valued at $2000. An 1851 newspaper advertisement in the Logan Gazette lists a man named Niven as either a business partner or retailer for McLaughlin’s “Flowered and Double Coverlets.” McLaughlin’s extant coverlets date from 1847-1853, but he appears to have stopped using the I.M. initials in 1849. The coverlet measures 87 inches by 75 inches and was constructed from two panels.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1848
maker
I. M.
ID Number
TE.T14955
catalog number
T14955
accession number
285840
This red, white & blue, wool and cotton, Jacquard, double cloth coverlet has fringe on three sides. Interestingly, this coverlet has no borders, dates, or signatures.
Description
This red, white & blue, wool and cotton, Jacquard, double cloth coverlet has fringe on three sides. Interestingly, this coverlet has no borders, dates, or signatures. The entire surface is covered in "Double Rose" carpet medallion patterns and the color blocking of the two sets of warps and wefts creates a dynamic color effect to enhance the pattern. There is a center seam in this coverlet. People would take coverlets apart into their panels to wash them. This coverlet was not properly matched back up the last time the center seam was undone. There is some loss at the top that has had some muslin sheeting stitched across the top edge to prevent further damage and stop any further unraveling of the weave structure. This coverlet was likely woven in New York or more likely Ohio sometime between 1835 and 1850 when and where this kind of color blocking was most popular. These patterns and color systems can almost always be attributed to weavers of Scottish origin. Although we cannot say with certainty where or who made this coverlet, we can hypothesize that it is factory production and likely from a manufacturer who produced strip, ingrain carpeting as well. The pattern and lack of border suggest that the same sets of Jacquard paste-board punch cards would also have been used to weave carpet and coverlets at various times.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
19th century
maker
unknown
ID Number
TE.T13216
catalog number
T13216.000
accession number
250985
Abram Allen (b. 1796) wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double-cloth in Union Township, Clinton County, Ohio in 1838.
Description
Abram Allen (b. 1796) wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double-cloth in Union Township, Clinton County, Ohio in 1838. The centerfield design is based on earlier geometric double-weave coverlets, and this pattern is traditionally known as “Whig Rose.” The three-sided border depicts pairs of confronted birds perched on fruit tree limbs which are emerging from sine lines. The lower corners of the coverlet contain the woven inscription, “1838 Ohio.” Abraham Allen was born May 3, 1796, in Ireland. He married Kate Cata Howlan (1800-1866) on June 25, 1818. Allen died June 7, 1867, in Clinton County, Ohio. The 1850 Federal Census recorded Allen’s occupation as wagonmaker, and in 1860 he was recorded as a farmer. It is possible that Allen only wove in his earlier professional life. His extant coverlets range in date from 1833-1844. It is also possible that Allen is among the growing group of coverlet weavers who were not weavers at all, but rather immigrant entrepreneurs investing capital earned through other means into small regional and local industry. This coverlet features no center seam, suggesting it was woven on a broadloom, not the equipment used by small-time weavers. The coverlet measures 84 inches by 74 inches.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1838
ID Number
1980.0089.01
accession number
1980.0089
catalog number
1980.0089.01
This blue and white, Jacquard double-cloth, coverlet was passed down through the Robbins family of Ohio. According to family history, the Robbins migrated from New York to Ohio in 1818.
Description
This blue and white, Jacquard double-cloth, coverlet was passed down through the Robbins family of Ohio. According to family history, the Robbins migrated from New York to Ohio in 1818. The patterns used on this coverlet suggest a date after 1818, meaning that this coverlet was most likely woven in Ohio between the years, 1830-1850. More research into the Robbins family genealogy and comparative analysis with other extant Ohio blue and white double-cloth coverlets should provide more information about the weaver and which county in Ohio this coverlet was woven.
Being double-cloth, there are two sets of warp and weft that make up this coverlet. The white yarns are 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton and the blue yarns are all 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun wool. The centerfield pattern consists of floral and foliate motifs symmetrically arranged and symmetrically interspersed with birds. The border consists of groups of flowers resembling dogwood flowers and morning glories. There is fringe on 3 sides of the coverlet, and the top edge binding is worm off. The upper edge of the coverlet is badly worn. The top lay count of the coverlet is 18x18 threads per inch.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1800-1850
date made
1830-1850
1830-1850
ID Number
TE.T13746
catalog number
T.13746
accession number
262263
Jacob Saylor wove this Jacquard, double-cloth coverlet in North Liberty Township, Knox County, Ohio in 1853. It is possible to know this because of the woven inscription found in the coverlet’s two lower cornerblocks.
Description
Jacob Saylor wove this Jacquard, double-cloth coverlet in North Liberty Township, Knox County, Ohio in 1853. It is possible to know this because of the woven inscription found in the coverlet’s two lower cornerblocks. The corner block says, “Maide by/ Jacob.Sayl/or North Lib/erty Knox/ County Ohio 1853.” The side borders feature a “Double Rose and Carnation” pattern and lower border features stylized fruit tree and folk motifs. The centerfield is made up of lobed medallions in a carpet medallion arrangement. Inside the medallions can be found a variation of the “Double Rose” pattern accented with what appears to be stalks of wheat. Tied-Beiderwand is a complex weave structure where dedicated warp yarns tie together sections of the textile that would otherwise be double-cloth. The red, gold, and blue horizontal banding is suggestive or Saylor’s Pennsylvania origins and the wool yarn used is 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun. The cotton yarns used are all 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun. The coverlet has a center seam and measures eighty-eighty by seventy-eight inches.
There are several Jacob Saylors (Saylers) in Ohio that appear on the 1850 and 1860 Federal Census. None of these Jacobs is recorded as being a weaver, which is very common, especially in the availability of affordable land in the Midwest. Weaving would have only be a portion of the family income. More research is needed to determine exactly which Jacob Saylor is the correct one. Clarita Anderson reports that he was active in Stark, Knox, and Pickaway counties. John Heisey used a history of Pickaway County to conclude that Saylor moved to Ohio from Somerset County, Pennsylvania during the War of 1812. So far, no definite match has been found. More research is needed to determine which Jacob Saylor wove this coverlet.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1853
maker
Saylor, Jacob
ID Number
TE.T13999
catalog number
T13999.000
accession number
269209
This blue and white Jacquard double-woven coverlet is believed to have been made in Ohio, possibly at the factory of Daniel Pursell. The centerfield design is commonly known as "Birds Feeding this Young" and features pairs of peafowl feeding chicks in a nest over floral urns.
Description
This blue and white Jacquard double-woven coverlet is believed to have been made in Ohio, possibly at the factory of Daniel Pursell. The centerfield design is commonly known as "Birds Feeding this Young" and features pairs of peafowl feeding chicks in a nest over floral urns. The three-sided double border depicts a pattern commonly referred to as "Boston Town.” Early twentieth century coverlet scholars referred to these pattern that include Federal architecture with elements of Chinoiserie as “Christians and Heathens.” According to the donor, whose family is from Portsmouth, Ohio, her great-grandmother raised the sheep and spun the wool for use in this coverlet. The donor received the coverlet from her father, Val Bennett Heisel who received it from his mother, Frances Noble Heisel. Frances received that coverlet from her father, the original owner, Laughlin Noble. Daniel Pursell (1812-1880) wove coverlets in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio. Clarita Anderson and Robert Heisey both mention Pursell in their catalogs of known weavers. He only dated one coverlet that is known, but based on census records we can estimate that Daniel Pursell was weaving in Scioto County from approximately 1840 until he enlisted in the 1st Ohio Light Artillery Battery L in 1861 as a bugler. In the 1870 Federal Census, Daniel Pursell is listed as a paper-maker, having abandoned weaving after the Civil War. In the 1880 Federal Census, Purcell is listed as a drug store attendant in Logan, Hocking County, Ohio. He died shortly after. Pursell appears to have designed his own patterns. It is not clear what kind of loom he wove on or how his business was organized, but he clearly had an eye for design and color and ranks as one of Ohio’s most skilled coverlet weavers. The coverlet measures 97.5 inches by 85 inches and 4.25 inch self-fringe along three sides.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1860s
c. 1840-1850
c. 1860
maker (possibly)
Pursell, Daniel
ID Number
1982.0573.01
accession number
1982.0573
catalog number
1982.0573.001
This Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet is undated, although the object file contains a newspaper clipping suggesting that it is dated 1840. There is also no corner block or trademark to help identify the weaver.
Description
This Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet is undated, although the object file contains a newspaper clipping suggesting that it is dated 1840. There is also no corner block or trademark to help identify the weaver. The centerfield is made up of a lattice-work of squares reminiscent of the “Single Chariot Wheel” pattern found in geometric double-cloth and overshot coverlets. Inside the lattice-work are alternating rows of sunbursts and stylized medallions. The side borders are double rows of grapes with leafy vines. The top has no border and the bottom border is just a thin zig-zag interspersed with dots. There is fringe on three sides. The double-cloth structure requires two sets of warps and wefts. Each set is made up of a 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton yarn and a similarly spun wool yarn. The weaver has expertly arranged the red- and blue-colored wools in the warp and weft to create gridded pattern of color that is amplified by the double-cloth structure and the white cotton.
Although the coverlet is unsigned, it is still possible to attribute this piece to the workshop of a weaver in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, Daniel Purcell (1812-1880). Clarita Anderson and Robert Heisey both mention Purcell in their catalogs of known weavers. He only dated one coverlet that is known, but based on census records we can estimate that Daniel Purcell was weaving in Scioto County from approximately 1840 until his enlisted in the 1st Ohio Light Artillery Battery L in 1861 as a bugler. In the 1870 Federal Census, Daniel Purcell is listed as a paper-maker, having abandoned weaving after the Civil War. In the 1880 Federal Census, Purcell is listed as a drug store attendant in Logan, Hocking County, Ohio. He died shortly after. Purcell appears to have designed his own patterns. It is not clear what kind of loom he wove on or how his business was organized, but he clearly had an eye for design and color and ranks as one of Ohio’s most skilled coverlet weavers.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
mid 19th century
date made
c. 1840
maker
Pursell, Daniel
ID Number
TE.T12615
catalog number
T12615.000
accession number
234386
Two block upper-case alphabets, no "J," alternate colors. One block lower-case alphabet of alternate colors. Numbers 1 through 9. One crown. Satin-stitched sawtooth crossband; one crossband worked in Irish stitch, also basket and two large diamonds in lower half.
Description
Two block upper-case alphabets, no "J," alternate colors. One block lower-case alphabet of alternate colors. Numbers 1 through 9. One crown. Satin-stitched sawtooth crossband; one crossband worked in Irish stitch, also basket and two large diamonds in lower half. Two weeping willow trees, each with bird in its top, and three boxes, one containing verse and two containing maker's name and date and group of initials. Box on right side contains initials "WB," "CB," "JS," and "ES." Box on left side contains initials "WB," "LB," "WP," "EP," "NU," "CU," "WB," "EB," 'SB," "MB," "LP," and "LU" as well as "Rebecca Ballinger 1830." Strawberry border. Silk embroidery thread on linen ground. STITCHES: cross, Algerian eye, satin, rice, Irish, queen, crosslet, long-armed cross, gobelin. THREAD COUNT: warp 24, weft 34/in.
Inscription:
"In thy fair book of life divine
My, god, incribe [sic] my name
There, let it fill some humble place
Beneath the slaughter'd Lamb"
Background:
Rebecca was born on March 22, 1814, to William and Lydia Smith Ballinger in Pipe Creek, Maryland. The family moved to Ohio in 1819, and Rebecca stitched her sampler under the tutelage of Ann Thorn in Jefferson County. The initials on her sampler are of her grandparents, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, and two nieces who died in infancy. The initials in black are family members who had died by the time she stitched her sampler. Rebecca married Thomas H. Terrell as his second wife on April 22, 1863.
Date made
1830
maker
Ballinger, Rebecca
ID Number
1989.0343.12
accession number
1989.0343
catalog number
1989.0343.12
This Jacquard woven, double-cloth coverlet fragment uses blue, rust, and white, cotton and wool yarns and features centerfield pattern of the U.S. Capitol with inscribed date of 1846.
Description
This Jacquard woven, double-cloth coverlet fragment uses blue, rust, and white, cotton and wool yarns and features centerfield pattern of the U.S. Capitol with inscribed date of 1846. The white yarns are 2 ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton, and the blue and rust yarns are 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun yarns. The sewing thread used in the hem is 2-ply cotton. The centerfield pattern repeat measures 29.5 inches 14.5 inches. It is repeated side to side twice. Along the lower border there is a pattern of stylized roses enclosing an eight pointed star and also a groupings of leaves. This floral border repeat measures 11.75 inches by 8. 75 inches. The border has three bands. Its place of manufacture is uncertain. There are other intact versions in other collections, but none are signed. Based on the design and color blocking, the coverlet was likely woven in Ohio.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1846
maker
unknown
ID Number
1987.0277.01
accession number
1987.0277
catalog number
1987.0277.01
Quilted in Ohio in the first half of the twentieth century, this is a Mennonite or possibly Amish version of the “Sawtoothed Bars” pattern. It is two-toned, made of plain-woven red and green cottons.
Description
Quilted in Ohio in the first half of the twentieth century, this is a Mennonite or possibly Amish version of the “Sawtoothed Bars” pattern. It is two-toned, made of plain-woven red and green cottons. Outline quilting was done on the sawtooth triangles, and all other areas were quilted in a diagonal grid with grey-green cotton thread.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1900-1950
quilter
unknown
ID Number
1985.0029.02
catalog number
1985.0029.02
accession number
1985.0029
Members and friends of a Methodist Church, possibly in Elyria or Wooster, Ohio, each contributed twenty-five cents to have a name inscribed on this red and white, fund-raising quilt. It was later presented to the minister, Charles Hendrickson Stocking (1842-1926).
Description
Members and friends of a Methodist Church, possibly in Elyria or Wooster, Ohio, each contributed twenty-five cents to have a name inscribed on this red and white, fund-raising quilt. It was later presented to the minister, Charles Hendrickson Stocking (1842-1926). Charles Stocking served in the Civil War and was ordained a minister in 1869. For more than 50 years he served at various churches in the Midwest and was recognized as a successful fund raiser, having a talent for easing debts and constructing churches.
Fifty-four wheels-with-spokes or flowers-with-petals were each appliqued on 9 1/4-inch blocks. The names, all inscribed in ink by the same hand, appear on the centers and spokes or petals of the motifs and a few on the sashing between blocks. More than 1000 names appear on the quilt. All of the motifs are outlined in quilting. The blocks are framed by a 4-inch border. A matching pillow with one motif and inscriptions was included in the donation. This quilt is a fitting tribute to a minister who was known for his skills at fund raising.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900-1925
maker
unknown
ID Number
TE.T13892.00A
accession number
260902
catalog number
T13892A
Lizzie Lisle utilized a unique floral design for this quilt. The center panel consists of four 28½-inch square blocks each appliquéd with large red, green and yellow flowers, leaves, and berries. The large red flowers have reverse-appliquéd details made of printed yellow cotton.
Description
Lizzie Lisle utilized a unique floral design for this quilt. The center panel consists of four 28½-inch square blocks each appliquéd with large red, green and yellow flowers, leaves, and berries. The large red flowers have reverse-appliquéd details made of printed yellow cotton. Many of the leaves have cut-out details revealing the white ground beneath them. Green cotton gathered over a solid foundation and attached to the quilt gives a three-dimensional effect to the berries. The center is framed by a red saw-tooth band. The 12½-inch border is appliquéd on three sides with an undulating leaf-and-floral vine. A second saw-tooth band follows the outer edge of the quilt. Fine quilting, 12 to 13 stitches per inch, in a variety of patterns, covers both the background and the appliquéd motifs.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Lisle, born in Ohio in 1836, was the daughter of John Lisle (1803-1890s) and Elizabeth Johnston (1811-1889). Members of the extended Lisle family were early settlers in Jefferson and Harrison Counties in Ohio, but many also moved westward and settled in Iowa. In Jasper County, Iowa, on February 11, 1886, Elizabeth married Eden Randall. Eden was born in Delaware County, Ohio, about 1840 and served in the Civil War (Co. G, 3rd Iowa Volunteer Infantry).
Mustered in June 8, 1861, Eden was taken prisoner on April 6, 1862, in Shiloh, Tennessee. In January 1863 he was part of a prisoner exchange and rejoined his company, only to be severely wounded in the face and mouth on June 12, 1863, at Vicksburg, Tennessee. He recovered in a hospital in Keokuk, Iowa. Elizabeth and Eden had no children. Elizabeth is buried in Fairview Township, Jasper County, Iowa. Her grandniece generously donated two of her quilts to the Smithsonian in 1949.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1865-1870
maker
Lisle, Lizzie
ID Number
TE.T10102
accession number
144535
catalog number
T10102

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