Textiles - Overview
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.
"Textiles - Overview" showing 69 items.
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Blue and White LaTourette Coverlet
- Description
- Either Sarah or Henry LaTourette, of Fountain County, Indiana, is believed to have woven this cotton and wool Jacquard double-woven coverlet in 1858. The coverlet is woven in two pieces, which were sewn together. It features stylized flowers in rectangles, with a flower and vine border. Sarah (1830—1914) and Henry (1832—1892) were two of weaver John LaTourette’s fourteen children, and coverlet weavers in their own right. When John died in 1849, Sarah and Henry continued weaving in Indiana. They used their father’s corner flower trademark, but added the word “Year” to distinguish their work from his. Since Sarah and Henry used the same trademark, it is impossible to be certain which coverlets were made by Sarah (one of the few known female Jacquard weavers) and which were made by her brother. Sarah married John Van Sickle in 1870 and moved to Kentucky. Her brother married Elizabeth Cooper in 1872. Henry died in 1892, and Sarah died in 1914. Both Henry and Sarah are buried in the Mt. Hope Cemetery in Covington, Indiana.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1858
- referenced
- LaTourette, Sarah
- maker
- LaTourette, Sarah
- LaTourette, Henry
- ID Number
- TE*T002735
- catalog number
- T02735.000
- accession number
- 058524
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Hempfield Railroad Coverlet
- Description
- This double-woven Jacquard coverlet was made near Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia) in 1851. It features the Hempfield (Hemfield) Railroad, which ran from Wheeling to Washington, Pennsylvania. The coverlet is made of cotton and wool, and features railroad engines and coal cars in its border. The profile of Mr. M. T. McKennon, founder and first president of the railroad, can be seen in medallions in the corners. The coverlet features stylized flowers in rectangles, with a flower and vine boarder. The coverlet was woven in two sections and sewn together. The weaver of this coverlet is unknown.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1851
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- TE*T007317
- catalog number
- T07317.000
- accession number
- 123286
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Coverlet by Daniel or Levi Fisher
- Description
- This coverlet was made in South Bend, Indiana, in 1852. It is Jacquard double-woven with cotton and wool yarns, and features a conventionalized repeat design with palms, crosses, and a bird border. The lower corners contain the words: “FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS/SOUTH BEND/1852.” This maker’s mark is credited to Daniel and Levi Fisher, of South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana. Both brothers were born in Pennsylvania: Daniel in 1821 and Levi in 1829. It is believed they arrived in Indiana in or around 1846. In the mid- to-late 1850s, both men moved to California.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1852
- maker
- Fisher, Daniel
- Fisher, Levi
- ID Number
- TE*T011173
- catalog number
- T11173.000
- accession number
- 205417
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Craig Family Coverlet
- Description
- This rust, white, and blue Jacquard double-woven coverlet may have been made by a member of the Craig family of Indiana, in 1850. William Craig and his sons William Jr. and James were weavers in Decatur and Franklin Counties, Indiana. Their corner trademark was a courthouse with a cupola. On occasion they used an initial and their last name to sign a coverlet. James Craig sometimes used a lily and the date to sign his work. William Sr. was born in Scotland in 1800, and immigrated to the United States in 1820. His sons were born in North Carolina in 1823 and 1824. He moved his family to Indiana in 1830. The wool in this coverlet is believed to have been hand spun by Jane Russell, grandmother of the donor. The lower border features birds and buildings, while the side borders show vases of flowers. The center of the coverlet features medallions of flowers, with leaves and vines.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1850
- maker
- Craig, James
- Craig Family
- ID Number
- TE*T012728
- catalog number
- T12728.000
- accession number
- 239334
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Jacob Saylor Coverlet
- Description
- The corner boxes of this Jacquard double-woven coverlet say "Maide by Jacob Saylor*North Liberty*Knox*Ohio*1853." The coverlet is made of cotton and wool, and has a self fringe on the lower edge. The upper edge is hemmed. There is a center seam as the coverlet was woven in two pieces that were later sewn together. While he lived in several different Ohio towns, little is known abut Mr. Saylor.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1853
- maker
- Saylor, Jacob
- ID Number
- TE*T013999
- catalog number
- T13999.000
- accession number
- 269209
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Tyler Coverlet
- Description
- Harry Tyler (1801—1858), is believed to have woven this Jacquard double-woven, cotton and wool coverlet for Margery L. Emerson of Jefferson County, New York, in 1858. Tyler was one of the country’s most productive weavers and changed his designs often. The eagles in the four corners are the second trademark used by Mr. Tyler. His first trademark was a lion. Harry Tyler was born in Connecticut, the son of English parents. In his later years, his son Elman worked with him, and some believe Elman designed the eagle trademark. This coverlet was woven in two sections, which were then sewn together.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1858
- maker
- Tyler, Harry
- ID Number
- TE*T015710
- catalog number
- T15710.000
- accession number
- 297488
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Seifert Jacquard Coverlet
- Description
- This multicolored cotton and wool single–woven Jacquard coverlet was made by H. & A. Seifert of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1851. The border consists of potted flowers, while the center of the coverlet is made up of medallions of flowers in circles. The four corners of the coverlet say this: “WOVEN SUPERIOR TIGHT WORK/MANUFACTURED ON THE LATEST FASHION BY H & A SEIFERT/MACHANICS=BURG/CUMBERLAND COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA/AD 1851.” Henry (1823—1905) and Andrew (1820—1900) Seifert were brothers in the weaving business in Pennsylvania. This coverlet has no center seam.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1851
- maker
- H. & A. Seifert
- Seifert, Henry
- ID Number
- TE*T016358
- catalog number
- T16358.000
- accession number
- 299239
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1850 Mary T. Barnes's Dower Counterpane
- Description
- This white counterpane was made for Mary T. Barnes’s dower chest in 1850. She married Gen. John Bratton Erwin in 1866. The 20-inch center of this counterpane is composed of 7-inch squares filled alternately with wineglass and diagonal grid quilting. The center is surrounded by an 8 ½-inch band quilted in a pattern of large triangles filled with shell quilting. This band in turn is framed by a band of 7-inch squares quilted in the same pattern as those of the center. Next comes another 8 ½-inch band quilted in a running vine pattern with shell quilting in the background. Finally, a border of 7-inch squares, again filled with wineglass and diagonal grid quilting, completes this counterpane. An inked inscription, “Mary T. Barnes 1850” is near one corner. Mary’s two daughters donated the precisely quilted counterpane in 1932.
- Mary T. Barnes, the only child of Dixon Barnes (1816-1862) and Charlotte Brown Barnes, was born 16 October 1840 in Lancaster County, S. C. Her mother died when she was six. Her father, Col. Dixon Barnes, commanded the 12th South Carolina Infantry during the Civil War and died as a result of wounds during the Antietam Campaign when Mary was about 22.
- After her marriage in 1866, she and John Bratton Erwin (1834-1916) settled on her plantation in Lancaster County, S. C. John, trained as a lawyer, fought in the Civil War, and after his marriage managed Mary’s large estates. They had six children, of whom three lived into adulthood. In 1876 John Erwin was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives and in 1886 to the Senate. Mary died in 1893 and John in 1916. Both are buried in the Camp Creek Methodist Church Cemetery, Lancaster County, S. C..
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1850
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- TE*T07045
- accession number
- 120169
- catalog number
- T07045
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
1850 Mary T. Barnes's "Irish Chain" Quilt
- Description
- This quilt, a variation of the “Irish Chain” pattern, was made for Mary T. Barnes’s dower chest in 1850. She married Gen. John Bratton Erwin in 1866. Blocks pieced in red, green, and white cottons were set such that the “chain” runs both horizontally and vertically. Both plain and printed fabrics were used for the border which is quilted with parallel diagonal lines. An inked inscription, “Mary T. Barnes 1850” is in the upper left corner block. Mary’s two daughters donated the “Irish Chain” Quilt in 1933.
- Mary T. Barnes, the only child of Dixon Barnes (1816-1862) and Charlotte Brown Barnes, was born 16 October 1840 in Lancaster County, S. C.. Her mother died when Mary was six. Her father, Col.l Dixon Barnes, commanded the 12th South Carolina Infantry during the Civil War. Colonel Barnes died as a result of wounds during the Antietam Campaign when Mary was about 22.
- After her marriage in 1866, she and John Bratton Erwin (1834-1916) settled on her plantation in Lancaster County, S. C. John, trained as a lawyer, fought in the Civil War. After he married, he managed Mary’s large estates. They had six children of whom three lived into adulthood. In 1876 John Erwin was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives and in 1886 to the Senate. Mary died in 1893 and John in 1916. Both are buried in the Camp Creek Methodist Church Cemetery, Lancaster County, S. C.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1850
- maker
- unknown
- ID Number
- TE*T07141
- accession number
- 122856
- catalog number
- T07141
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Anna Leadbeater's Sampler
- Description
- Six block alphabets. One double of 26 letters. Numbers through 13. Alphabets and numbers colored in pairs or groups with all rows separated by simple geometric crossbands. No border. Cotton thread on cotton ground. STITCHES: cross, four-sided, double cross, rice, Algerian eye, crosslet. THREAD COUNT: warp 25, weft 25/in.
- Inscription:
- "Anna Leadbeater
to her Father
8 mo 28th
1852.
Age 10"
- Background:
- Anna was born on October 2, 1842, to John and Mary P. Stabler Leadbeater in Alexandria, Virginia. John Leadbeater was the owner of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary in Alexandria, which today is an apothecary museum. She married Henry C. Slaymaker, a Civil War veteran, on November 6, 1866, and they had three children—Isabel, Henry C. Jr., and Frank. Henry Sr. died of consumption on February 28, 1880, and Anna died on February 15, 1906.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Date made
- 1852
- maker
- Leadbeater, Anna
- ID Number
- TE*T12612
- catalog number
- T12612
- accession number
- 235642
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
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