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.

A crazy quilt style needlecase, with an inside Kate Greenaway design from Briggs & Co book of patterns, page 100 #519. Briggs & Co. was founded in 1874. They invented the iron-on method for transferring an embroidery design onto a piece of fabric.
Description
A crazy quilt style needlecase, with an inside Kate Greenaway design from Briggs & Co book of patterns, page 100 #519. Briggs & Co. was founded in 1874. They invented the iron-on method for transferring an embroidery design onto a piece of fabric. Kate Greenaway was an English artist and illustrator/writer of children's book, cards, calendars and much more. Her subjects mainly consisted of children, young girls, flowers, and landscapes. Kate’s books were very popular in both Britain and America. Her artwork has endured and is still in print today. She was born in London, March 17, 1846 and died November 6, 1901.
The needlecase was embroidered by Susan Jane Thompson ca. 1880 who married John W. Deuel on March 15, 1853 in Gowanda, New York. She was born on March 9, 1830 in Derby, Connecticut to Ezra and Cornelia Baldwin Thompson and died on July 21, 1903 in Van Wies Point, New York. They had three daughters – Harriet, Bertha, and Sarah.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
maker
Deuel, Susan Thompson
ID Number
TE.T18171
catalog number
T18171.000
accession number
1977.0179
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883.
Description (Brief)
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. See the US National Museum Bulletin No.127, p.27.
Used for trout, salmon and bass leaders. Price $4.00 per 100. (No. E-42833: "Extra Salmon Trout").
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
ID Number
TE.T01096.00D
catalog number
T01096.000
accession number
8655
catalog number
T1096.00D
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880
ID Number
TE.E317268
catalog number
E317268.000
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883.
Description (Brief)
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. See the US National Museum Bulletin No.127, p.27.
Used for trout, salmon and bass leaders. Price $4.00 per 100. (No. E-42833: "Extra Salmon Trout"),
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
ID Number
TE.T01096.00B
catalog number
T01096.000
accession number
8655
catalog number
T1096.00B
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870-1885
ID Number
TE.E188216B
catalog number
E188216.00B
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880-1883
maker
Jennings, A. G.
ID Number
TE.E185225.045
catalog number
E185225.045
accession number
14034
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883.
Description (Brief)
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. See the US National Museum Bulletin No.127, p.27.
Used for trout, salmon and bass leaders. Price $4.00 per 100. (No. E-42833: "Extra Salmon Trout").
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
ID Number
TE.T01096.00C
catalog number
T01096.000
accession number
8655
catalog number
T1096.00C
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880-1883
maker
Jennings, A. G.
ID Number
TE.E185225.042
catalog number
E185225.042
accession number
14034
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory likely wove this all-wool, mulberry and olive green, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania sometime between 1856 and 1880.
Description
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory likely wove this all-wool, mulberry and olive green, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania sometime between 1856 and 1880. There is a large central medallion composed of a floral design at the center surrounded by an olive wreath and garland of grape vines Beyond that are morning glory vines and roses in each corner. There are borders on all four sides made up of repeating lily of the valley motifs. There is no center seam, indicating that this coverlet was woven on a broadloom and likely a power loom. There is no fringe. The coverlet is in overall poor condition and there are large sections of loss and the hems have come undone. Philip Schum (1814-1880) was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. Schum immigrated to the United States with his first wife, Ana Margartha Bond in the 1830s, settling first in New York City where he worked as a malt tramper. The family soon moved to Lancaster County where Schum worked as a shoemaker and basket maker. Schum purchased a general store in 1852, and by 1856 he had become successful enough to sell the business and start the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory. Schum expanded his business exponentially over the ensuing decades growing from four employee to over forty. He and his second wife, Anna Margaret Koch were killed by a train in their carriage in 1880. Schum’s sons took over the business which remained successful until the 1920s. There is no evidence that Schum was ever trained as a weaver.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1856-1880
maker
Schum, Philip
ID Number
TE.T9538
catalog number
T09538.000
accession number
171995
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880-1887
ID Number
TE.E188215
catalog number
H008215.000
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880-1883
maker
Jennings, A. G.
ID Number
TE.E185225.044
catalog number
E185225.044
accession number
14034
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1880
ID Number
TE.T08133A
catalog number
T08133.000
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory, owned by Philip Schum likely wove this Jacquard, blue, red, green, and white, double-cloth coverlet sometime between 1856 and 1880.
Description
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory, owned by Philip Schum likely wove this Jacquard, blue, red, green, and white, double-cloth coverlet sometime between 1856 and 1880. The centerfield features a central medallion of oak leaves and acorns on an ogival lattice ground. The central medallion is surrounded by four winged victories carrying cornucopias and laurel wreaths. The four-sided border is composed of large Victorian floral designs. There are not traditional cornerblocks on this coverlet, but there are large floral or foliate medallions in each corner that are very similar to those used on signed Philip Schum coverlets. There is fringe along three sides. This coverlet was woven on a broadloom, and possibly a power loom.
Philip Schum (1814-1880) was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire. He immigrated to New York, moving to Lancaster County, PA in approximately 1844. He was not trained as a weaver and there is no evidence that he ever was. What we do know is that Philip Schum was a savvy businessman. He worked first as a "Malt Tramper" in New York, a position presumably linked to brewing and malting of grains. After six months, Philip was able to afford to bring his first wife Ana Margartha Bond (1820-1875) to join him in Pennsylvania. Once reunited, Philip worked as a day laborer, shoemaker, and basket-maker. He purchased a small general store in Lancaster City in 1852. By 1856, he has built his business enough to sell at a profit and purchase the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory. Philip's first wife, Anna, passed away sometime before 1879, because in this year, Philip married his second wife, Anna Margaret Koch (1834-1880). The two were tragically killed in a train accident in 1880, when a locomotive stuck their horse and buggy. The New Era, a local Lancaster newspaper titled the article about the incident with the headline, "Death's Harvest." Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory began with just one or two looms and four men. It grew to four looms and eight men quickly. By 1875, the factory had twenty looms and employed forty men. Philip Schum was no weaver. He was an entrepreneur and businessman who invested in the growing market for household textiles. Philip's estate inventory included a carpet shop, weaving shop, dye house, two stores, and a coal yard. At the time of his death were also listed 390 "Half-wool coverlets." These were valued at $920. In 1878, Philip partnered with his son, John E. Schum to form, Philip Schum, Son, and Co. Another Schum coverlet is in the collections of the MFA-Houston. This particular coverlet was purchased by the donor's grandfather in either Cincinnati or Pittsburg while he was serving as a ship's carpenter along the Ohio River trade routes. The family would later settle in Crawford County, Indiana. This fact also shows that Philip Schum's coverlets, quilts, yarn, etc. were not just being made for the local market. Schum was transporting his goods west and presumably in other directions. He was making for an American market.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
2nd half of 19th century
date made
1858-1880
maker
Schum, Philip
ID Number
TE.T14436
catalog number
T14436.000
accession number
274938
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883.
Description (Brief)
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. See the US National Museum Bulletin No.127, p.27.
Used for trout, salmon and bass leaders. Price $4.00 per 100. (No. E-42833: "Extra Salmon Trout"), Before the invention of synthetic fibers such as nylon in the 20th century, various animal products were often used for products such as fishing line, dental floss, surgical sutures, etc.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
ID Number
TE.T01096.00A
catalog number
T01096.000
accession number
8655
catalog number
T1096.00A
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1880-1883
maker
Jennings, A. G.
ID Number
TE.E185225.043
catalog number
E185225.043
accession number
14034
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883.
Description (Brief)
One of five hanks of Spanish silkworm gut fishing line, "Extra salmon trout"; Spain 1880. Imported by and purchased from Conroy, Bissett & Malleson, 65 Fulton St. NY, NY. For the London Fisheries Exhibition, 1883. See the US National Museum Bulletin No.127, p.27.
Used for trout, salmon and bass leaders. Price $4.00 per 100. (No. E-42833: "Extra Salmon Trout").
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1880
ID Number
TE.T01096.00E
catalog number
T01096.000
accession number
8655
catalog number
T1096.00E
This lithograph is a bird's-eye view of the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company, circa 1880. The company maufactured sewing machines in Watertown, N. Y., from 1851 to 1856. In 1856, they relocated to Bridgeport, Conn., where they continued operations until 1905.
Description
This lithograph is a bird's-eye view of the Wheeler & Wilson Manufacturing Company, circa 1880. The company maufactured sewing machines in Watertown, N. Y., from 1851 to 1856. In 1856, they relocated to Bridgeport, Conn., where they continued operations until 1905. In the 1850s and 1860s, their sewing machines outsold all others, including Singer and Howe. Two separate factory buildings are illustrated. The caption under the building on the left notes: "Front 368 ft., Width 307 feet," and the dimensions for the building on the right are noted as "Front 526 ft., Width 219 feet." The lithographers were Worley and Bracher of 320 Chesnut Street in Philadelphia, Penn.
S.I. Photo Negative No.: 92-4215 for both B&W and color slide.
Date made
ca 1880
lithographer
Worley & Bracher
ID Number
1991.0134.01
catalog number
1991.0134.01
accession number
1991.0134
Leaf fiber sample, Elaeis Guineensis (African oil palm), ca. 1885. Prepared from the leaves of the African oil palm, from West Tropical Africa.
Description
Leaf fiber sample, Elaeis Guineensis (African oil palm), ca. 1885. Prepared from the leaves of the African oil palm, from West Tropical Africa. One of a group of fiber samples given by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, in 1885, to the US National Museum's economic botany collection..
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1885
ID Number
TE.T00663
catalog number
T663
accession number
16188
Fiber sample, Boehmeria nivea, from Pundulur, Madras, India, ca. 1885. Noted as 'cleaned'. One of a group of fiber samples given by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, in 1885, to the US National Museum's economic botany collection..Currently not on view
Description
Fiber sample, Boehmeria nivea, from Pundulur, Madras, India, ca. 1885. Noted as 'cleaned'. One of a group of fiber samples given by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England, in 1885, to the US National Museum's economic botany collection..
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca. 1885
ID Number
TE.T00665
catalog number
T665
accession number
16188
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory likely wove this all-wool, mulberry and olive green, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania sometime between 1856 and 1880.
Description
Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory likely wove this all-wool, mulberry and olive green, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania sometime between 1856 and 1880. There is a large central medallion composed of a starburst at the center surrounded by a floral wreath and garland of ivy. The ground is composed of a triangle design. There are borders on all four sides made up of floral urns, grape vines, and depictions of the U.S. Capitol. Each of the four corners contains an eight-pedaled floral design associated with Philip Schum’s manufactory. There is no center seam, indicating that this coverlet was woven on a broadloom and likely a power loom. There is no fringe. The coverlet is in overall poor condition and there are large sections of loss and the hems have come undone. Philip Schum (1814-1880) was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. Schum immigrated to the United States with his first wife, Ana Margartha Bond in the 1830s, settling first in New York City where he worked as a malt tramper. The family soon moved to Lancaster County where Schum worked as a shoemaker and basket maker. Schum purchased a general store in 1852, and by 1856 he had become successful enough to sell the business and start the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory. Schum expanded his business exponentially over the ensuing decades growing from four employee to over forty. He and his second wife, Anna Margaret Koch were killed by a train in their carriage in 1880. Schum’s sons took over the business which remained successful until the 1920s. There is no evidence that Schum was ever trained as a weaver.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1856-1880
maker
Schum, Philip
ID Number
TE.T9537
catalog number
T09537.000
accession number
171995
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1870-1885
ID Number
TE.E188216A
catalog number
E188216.00A
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
c. 1886
ID Number
DL.59.1111C
catalog number
59.1111C
accession number
111627
The “Sunburst” quilt was brought to Kansas from Ohio in 1904 by Emma Tracy, Lucy Meade’s mother. She had inherited it from her mother, Candus Cone Northway, whose aunt crafted it in the mid-19th century.
Description
The “Sunburst” quilt was brought to Kansas from Ohio in 1904 by Emma Tracy, Lucy Meade’s mother. She had inherited it from her mother, Candus Cone Northway, whose aunt crafted it in the mid-19th century. Lucy Tracy Meade, the donor’s grandmother, exhibited the quilt in Kansas in the 1970s.
According to Lucy Meade, it was always referred to in the family as the star pattern. Whether it is called a 14-point star, a sunburst, or a sunflower, the quilt makes a bold graphic statement.
This carefully designed quilt is composed of five different roller-printed cottons, with a white cotton lining and cotton filling. A 23 ¾-inch red circular center is surrounded by 14 yellow triangles and 14 green diamonds. Additional piecing in blue provides contrast to the colorful sunburst. The resulting 57-inch square is framed by a border of 9 ½-inches on three sides and 17-inches on the bottom. The quilting accents the design with concentric circles ¾-inch apart in the center, echo quilting on the diamonds and triangles, clamshell quilting on the wedges between diamonds, and further concentric circles around the sunburst. The border is quilted with a diagonal grid pattern, all done at 7 stitches per inch.
In an article in the Hays Daily News from 1979 about the “Sunburst” quilt, Lucy Meade says: “It’s been in the family for as long as I can remember. We’re even so worried about it wearing out that we don’t use it anymore, except for display purposes.” Her granddaughter, Janet Meade Komoroske agreed, and felt that the quilt belonged in a museum collection where it can be admired and studied by a wider audience.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1850-1880
maker
unknown
ID Number
1984.0211.01
catalog number
1984.0211.01
accession number
1984.0211
Fishermen working trawl lines in the 19th century often suffered cuts and rope burns on their hands. They typically wore mittens or gloves to protect themselves when hauling the long lines aboard and removing the fish.
Description
Fishermen working trawl lines in the 19th century often suffered cuts and rope burns on their hands. They typically wore mittens or gloves to protect themselves when hauling the long lines aboard and removing the fish. These sturdy but soft rings, called nippers, are knitted of woolen yarn and stuffed with more wool. They would have fit around a fisherman’s palms, protecting his hands while his fingers remained free for tasks requiring dexterity.
These nippers were probably made in Gloucester, Mass., for use by local fishermen working on offshore schooners. The shallow, fertile banks stretching from Georges Bank east of Nantucket to the Grand Bank off Newfoundland, Canada, were prime fishing areas for Gloucestermen. Cod, haddock, and halibut were the principal species caught by fishermen working aboard schooners in these waters in the late 19th century.
These nippers were among the fishermen’s clothing, tools, and apparatus featured by the United States in the 1883 International Fisheries Exhibition in London.
Date made
1880s
used
late 19th century
on exhibit
1883
ID Number
AG.102074
catalog number
102074
accession number
2009.0157

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