Textiles

Coverlet

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.

Place: Connecticut

Cheney Brothers silk furnishing damask; 1900-ca.1950

Sample cut of of Cheney Brothers bi-color silk furnishing damask. Reversible damask with red and gold woven floral design, 2 selvedges present. Design is a large-scale reproduction of Renaissance floral ogee pattern. Woven with gold and red dual wefts and red warp.
Description (Brief)
Sample cut of of Cheney Brothers bi-color silk furnishing damask. Reversible damask with red and gold woven floral design, 2 selvedges present. Design is a large-scale reproduction of Renaissance floral ogee pattern. Woven with gold and red dual wefts and red warp. Red figures on gold ground. Cheney Brothers CB logo is woven into the cut edge. (W. 49 in., L. 48 3/4 in.)
Date made
20th century
date made
1900-1950
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
2006.0129.03
accession number
2006.0129

Cheney Brothers Silk Furnishing Velvet, 1913

Length of a Cheney Brothers silk furnishing velvet. All silk velvet, very supple. Renaissance revival pattern. Wine red.
Description (Brief)
Length of a Cheney Brothers silk furnishing velvet. All silk velvet, very supple. Renaissance revival pattern. Wine red. Construction; solid cut pile, pile weave (probably double-woven), varying pile density creates the pattern, dark (dense) against lighter (sparser pile, with the golden yellow ground showing through) red. Yarns: ground warp and weft – tan, pile – dark red. Pattern; Large conventionalized Renaissance revival floral palmette motif with ogee framing, 22 in. L, 3 motifs in width of fabric. (W. 37-1/2 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00105.000
catalog number
T00105.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers "Kioto" Dress or Furnishing Silk, 1915

Cheney Brothers "Kioto" Dress or Furnishing Silk, 1915. A light weight plain weave, frisson (spun silk fabric) with coarse silk filling.
Description (Brief)
Cheney Brothers "Kioto" Dress or Furnishing Silk, 1915. A light weight plain weave, frisson (spun silk fabric) with coarse silk filling. Printed with a Persian and Indian inspired design with garden-like fruit and cypress tree elements, paired birds, peacocks, architectural elements, in island layout in blue, green, pink, tan on black ground. (W. 30 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1915
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T02640.000
catalog number
T02640.000
accession number
58458

Cheney Brothers Printed Crepe Velour Silk, 1916

A sample length of Cheney Brothers printed apparel silk "crepe velour", 1916. 40" width. This is a sample length of the second of two colorways: A- black, green, and pinks on white and B -pinks, green, and lavender on purple.
Description
A sample length of Cheney Brothers printed apparel silk "crepe velour", 1916. 40" width. This is a sample length of the second of two colorways: A- black, green, and pinks on white and B -pinks, green, and lavender on purple. Japonisme design of scattered chrysanthemum sprigs, imitation of an ikat or warp print. A thin, lightweight, plain weave silk, similar to Mallinson's Pussy Willow tradename.
Original cataloging: Printed crepe velour. A light weight silk with a crepey finish, chrysanthemum pattern. Colors: black and pink on white and white and pink on blue. Cheney Brothers. Sample shows significant fading. 3" x 4.5" and 6" x 8" pieces cut from corners of the sample. (W. 40 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1913
date made
1916
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T02826.00B
catalog number
T02826.00B

Copp Family Coverlet; diamond twill; c. 1790-1820; Connecticut

A member of the Copp family of Stonington, Connecticut wove this pink, red, medium red, gold, and brown diamond twill weave coverlet in the late 18th century using 2-ply and single-ply linen yarns for the warp and 2-ply cotton yarns for the ground weft.
Description
A member of the Copp family of Stonington, Connecticut wove this pink, red, medium red, gold, and brown diamond twill weave coverlet in the late 18th century using 2-ply and single-ply linen yarns for the warp and 2-ply cotton yarns for the ground weft. The pattern is similar the pattern known as "Granite State.” The lower fringe is five inches long, and was created by knotting the linen warp yarns used in the coverlet.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
very late 18th century or early 19th century
date made
c. 1770-1820
c. 1790-1820
ID Number
TE.H6676
catalog number
H006676.000
accession number
28810

Cheney Brothers "Silk Velours", 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers "Silk Velours" in deep red. Construction; silk pile warp , cotton ground warp and weft. pile weave, solid cut pile; pile length is slightly longer than regular velvet but not quite a plush. Piece dyed garnet red. (W. 53 in., L.
Description (Brief)
Length of Cheney Brothers "Silk Velours" in deep red. Construction; silk pile warp , cotton ground warp and weft. pile weave, solid cut pile; pile length is slightly longer than regular velvet but not quite a plush. Piece dyed garnet red. (W. 53 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00073
catalog number
T00073.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers Printed Silk Frisons, 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers printed silk frisons fabric. Plain weave with thick, irregular, slubbed spun silk weft. Printed with modernist design of irregular, multi-color spots in saturated Fauve colors: purple, red, yellow, blue, and green on light brown background.
Description (Brief)
Length of Cheney Brothers printed silk frisons fabric. Plain weave with thick, irregular, slubbed spun silk weft. Printed with modernist design of irregular, multi-color spots in saturated Fauve colors: purple, red, yellow, blue, and green on light brown background. 6"x 8" sample cut from corner of sample. (W. 30 in., L. 36 in.) Com. 3755; No. 77361; Color 3724/2.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T01031.000
catalog number
T01031.000

Cheney Brothers Printed Novelty "Zantine Silk", 1917

Full width sample length of Cheney Brothers printed "Zantine Silk", 1917. Plain weave, soft and drapey fabric. Allover "conventionalized Egyptian" modernist-inspired imbricated geometric design in lavender, blue, green, tan, brown, dark red, and navy blue. (W. 32 in., L.
Description (Brief)
Full width sample length of Cheney Brothers printed "Zantine Silk", 1917. Plain weave, soft and drapey fabric. Allover "conventionalized Egyptian" modernist-inspired imbricated geometric design in lavender, blue, green, tan, brown, dark red, and navy blue. (W. 32 in., L. 8 in.) Mfr. # 56238. Small sample cut (.00B; 8" x 32") also in collection.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T03853.00A
catalog number
T03853.00A
accession number
61753

The Queen of Sheba Admiring the Wisdom of Solomon

Canvas work, now called needlepoint, was also taught in schools or learned at home.
Description
Canvas work, now called needlepoint, was also taught in schools or learned at home. Mary comes from a Connecticut family that has many surviving pieces of needlework, indicating she may have stitched this piece at home with help from a relative.
This canvas work picture includes five houses and thirty-eight people, using wool and metallic embroidery threads. On the bottom is the inscription, "THE QUEEN OF SHEBA ADMIRING THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON." Solomon and Sheba are centered under a canopied tent decorated with metal threads. At the center along the top edge is the inscription "MARY WILLIAMS 1744," the name worked in metal thread. Although the primary subject is biblical, all the figures are dressed in 18th-century clothing. All of the houses have shingled roofs, pediment windows, and doors on their lower stories.
The biblical story is found in I Kings 10. The Queen of Sheba heard that Solomon, King of Israel, was rich, wise, and religious. She came to Jerusalem to test him with some very hard questions. King Solomon answered all her questions and when she saw his palace and his food, etc. she said “not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.” I Kings 10:7.
Mary Williams was born to Rev. Solomon and Mary Porter Williams on February 11, 1733, in Lebanon, Connecticut. She married Richard Salter on June 17, 1767, as his second wife. They had three children, Abigail, who died May 31, 1768, age 3 days; a second daughter, also named Abigail, who died May 18, 1770, age 1 mo.; and Elizabeth, who died July 21, 1771, age 3 wks. Mary died November 16, 1793, in Mansfield, Connecticut.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1744
maker
Williams, Mary
ID Number
TE.E388179
catalog number
E388179
accession number
182022

Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade", 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade". All-silk. The ground is jacquard woven with a repeating s-curve swirling figure. It is over-printed with a dense ground pattern of light blue lines with a delicate flowering branch design on top of that..
Description
Length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade". All-silk. The ground is jacquard woven with a repeating s-curve swirling figure. It is over-printed with a dense ground pattern of light blue lines with a delicate flowering branch design on top of that.. Construction; Compound satin weave, weft float patterning. The ground is a pinkish-beige ("champagne"). Printed design is light blue, with flowers in pink, yellow. brown, green, turquoise blue. Cheney Silks retail label attached with glue or adhesive. (W. 24 in., L. 36 in.) This is not an actual brocade, in the technical meaning of discontinuous weft patterning. It is a jacquard-woven figure, with weft-float patterning against the satin weave ground. This fabric, called "Jouy Broche" by the company, is woven at 24" wide.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00056
catalog number
T00056.000
accession number
55080

Abbie Corey Bracket overshot coverlet; Connecticut; early 19th C.

Abbie Corey Brackett is said to have woven this cotton and wool overshot coverlet on the Corey farm in Plainfield, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. It is woven in two sections, each forty inches wide.
Description
Abbie Corey Brackett is said to have woven this cotton and wool overshot coverlet on the Corey farm in Plainfield, Connecticut, in the early 19th century. It is woven in two sections, each forty inches wide. The center seam of this single-woven coverlet is sewn with linen thread. The attached fringe is eight inches deep, and made of hand-knotted wool. In the 18th and 19th centuries, very few women were involved in weaving anything as complicated as a coverlet. However, women were involved in spinning fiber into yarn. They would take the yarn to a professional weaver and pay him to make them a coverlet. The coverlet might have been used immediately or it could be put into the maker's dowry, or hope chest, for use after marriage.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1800-1825
owner; possible maker
Brackett, Abbie Corey
ID Number
TE.T9125
catalog number
T09125.000
accession number
169638

Cheney Brothers Silk Satin Lampas, 1925

A length of a Cheney Brothers solid color, silk satin lampas, 1925. Silk upholstery fabric. Jacquard figured fabric with figure and ground of contrasting weaves; made of gray-green organzine silk warp and tram silk fillings or weft yarns in white and drab (dull beige).
Description
A length of a Cheney Brothers solid color, silk satin lampas, 1925. Silk upholstery fabric. Jacquard figured fabric with figure and ground of contrasting weaves; made of gray-green organzine silk warp and tram silk fillings or weft yarns in white and drab (dull beige). Style #2926/3, Design is a Louis XVI reproduction, using conventional flower, medallion, bowknot, musical instrument trophies, etc., connected and framed by swags and wreaths. Drab and white figures on grey-green satin ground. Reproduction of a fabric in the Petit Trianon. Wholesale $19.50 per yard. Similar design to TE.T01025. (W. 50 in., L. 160 in.)
These furnishing silks were, along with the patterned velvets, represent the most expensive and exclusive textiles that Cheney Brothers produced.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1925
ID Number
TE.T05117.00
accession number
87434
catalog number
T05117.00

Cheney Brothers Printed Crepe de Chine, 1913

Sample length of Cheney Brothers printed crepe de chine dress silk. Lightweight plain weave with crepe twist weft. Silk. Printed with pale stripes of rainbow tints. (W. 47 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.)Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Sample length of Cheney Brothers printed crepe de chine dress silk. Lightweight plain weave with crepe twist weft. Silk. Printed with pale stripes of rainbow tints. (W. 47 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00047
catalog number
T00047.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers Border Print Satin-striped Voile, 1913

Sample length of a Cheney Brothers border printed satin-striped silk voile, 1913. Sheer plain weave with satin weave stripes in the warp direction, varying widths.
Description (Brief)
Sample length of a Cheney Brothers border printed satin-striped silk voile, 1913. Sheer plain weave with satin weave stripes in the warp direction, varying widths. Over-printed border design oreinted along one selvage, of wild roses (full-blown and buds); lighter colored and smaller band close to the center, the roses get larger and more deeply colored nearer to the selvage edge. White ground; floral pattern is in shades of pink to red, green, blue-gray, and yellow. (W. 50 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00069
catalog number
T00069.000
accession number
55080

Skein of Raw Tussah Silk, Cheney Brothers, 1913

Skein of Raw Tussah Silk, Cheney Brothers, 1913. 1 skein. Part of gift illustrating all the steps in making silk textiles at the Cheney Brothers mill in South Manchester, CT. Sales offices: 4th Ave. and 18th St., New York CityCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Skein of Raw Tussah Silk, Cheney Brothers, 1913. 1 skein. Part of gift illustrating all the steps in making silk textiles at the Cheney Brothers mill in South Manchester, CT. Sales offices: 4th Ave. and 18th St., New York City
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00115.000
catalog number
T00115.000
accession number
55080
catalog number
T115

Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade", 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade". Lightweight silk compound satin weave with a weft float pattern of abstract swirls and whorls (almost wood-grain-like) .
Description
Length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Satin Brocade". Lightweight silk compound satin weave with a weft float pattern of abstract swirls and whorls (almost wood-grain-like) . Printed floral design of small scattered sprigs of various sizes in blues and pinks with green leaves and brown stems.. "Champagne" (pinkish-beige) ground. (W. 24 in., L. 36 in.) This is not an actual brocade, in the technical meaning of discontinuous weft patterning. It is a jacquard-woven figure, with weft-float patterning against the satin weave ground. This fabric, called "Jouy Broche" by the company, is woven at 24" wide. There is a page from a Cheney sample book with swatches of two additional colorways of this pattern in the study card file.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00057
catalog number
T00057.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers Silk velvet Cushion Top, 1913

Cheney Brothers, sample of a printed silk velvet square cushion or pillow top. Silk pile, cotton backing. Printed pressed velvet. Red ground. Construction; Yarns: main ground warp, black, Z twist, single ply. Main ground weft, black. Pile red.
Description (Brief)
Cheney Brothers, sample of a printed silk velvet square cushion or pillow top. Silk pile, cotton backing. Printed pressed velvet. Red ground. Construction; Yarns: main ground warp, black, Z twist, single ply. Main ground weft, black. Pile red. Pattern; printed, Indienne or Kashmir shawl-style design with large central medallion, with floral and paisley elements, covering the field, leaving 1 in to 1 ½ in border of red pile. (W. 23 in., L. 23 in.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00048
catalog number
T00048.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers "Broche Pongee" dress silk, 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers "Broche Pongee" dress silk, 1913. Broken twill weave with textured diagonal lozenge effect. All silk. Yarn dyed, white warp, Tan (light brown) weft. Color name: Champagne. Cheney silks retail label attached to sample with glue or adhesive (W. 36 in., L.
Description (Brief)
Length of Cheney Brothers "Broche Pongee" dress silk, 1913. Broken twill weave with textured diagonal lozenge effect. All silk. Yarn dyed, white warp, Tan (light brown) weft. Color name: Champagne. Cheney silks retail label attached to sample with glue or adhesive (W. 36 in., L. 1-1/2 yd.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00044
catalog number
T00044.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers printed satin dress silk, "Bulgarian", 1913

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T01043.000
catalog number
T01043.000
accession number
56298

Summer-and-Winter coverlet; c. 1790-1820; Connecticut

This blue and white, cotton and wool geometric coverlet is an excellent example of the structure known as Summer-and-Winter. There is a lot of apocryphal and mythological information circulating about the origins of this structure.
Description
This blue and white, cotton and wool geometric coverlet is an excellent example of the structure known as Summer-and-Winter. There is a lot of apocryphal and mythological information circulating about the origins of this structure. Is it an American invention or a European holdover? It is quite likely we will never know. Summer-and-Winter weave is an overshot weave with stricter rules. The supplementary warp yarn cannot float over more than two warp yarns. This creates a tighter fabric and also gives Summer-and-Winter its light (Summer) side and its darker (Winter) side. The weaver used a pattern most commonly known as "Cup and Saucer" with no border. A woven fringe has been pieced and applied around three edges of the coverlet. The coverlet is constructed from two panels which were woven as one length, cut, and sewn together to create the finished width. Each section is 39.5 inches wide, and the coverlet measures 85 inches by 79 inches. This coverlet descended through the donor’s family and was made in Connecticut between 1790 and 1820.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
early 19th century
c. 1790-1820
ID Number
TE.T16372
catalog number
T16372.000
accession number
300918

Cheney Brothers printed Florentine silk; 1916

Sample cut of a Cheney Brothers printed Florentine silk. A thin, lightweight plain weave silk printed with a conventionalized fringed-petal flower and spiky leaf design with bands of craquelure in the background, on a black ground.
Description
Sample cut of a Cheney Brothers printed Florentine silk. A thin, lightweight plain weave silk printed with a conventionalized fringed-petal flower and spiky leaf design with bands of craquelure in the background, on a black ground. Print colors: light blue, pink, light brown, green, gray,
Original cataloging: Printed Florentine silk. A light spun-silk filled pongee. Floral pattern in 7 colors on a black ground. Width: 32"
Grouping for this design includes the original painted design, the enlarged design sheets for creating the pantograph plates, and the plates for transferring the design to the copper rollers or cylinders.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1916
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T02834.000
catalog number
T02834.000
accession number
59368

Cheney Brothers "Venetian Velvet" furnishing fabric, 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers "Venetian Velvet" furnishing fabric, 1913. Solid cut pile velvet. Silk pile warp, cotton ground warp and weft. Company describes it as a "Reproduction of an antique Venetian velvet".
Description (Brief)
Length of Cheney Brothers "Venetian Velvet" furnishing fabric, 1913. Solid cut pile velvet. Silk pile warp, cotton ground warp and weft. Company describes it as a "Reproduction of an antique Venetian velvet". The tan ground shows slightly through the green pile, which has been pressed flat. Construction; pile weave, cut velvet. Yarns: warp – tan, weft – tan, pile – green. (36" L x 50" W)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00075
catalog number
T00075.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers "satin damask" furnishing fabric, 1916

Length of all-silk, Cheney Brothers furnishing fabric; Jacquard-woven silk satin damask; Color: DuBarry rose. Width 50" Both crosswise ends are machine overlocked to prevent fraying.
Description
Length of all-silk, Cheney Brothers furnishing fabric; Jacquard-woven silk satin damask; Color: DuBarry rose. Width 50" Both crosswise ends are machine overlocked to prevent fraying. The design is based on late 18th century French models: flower baskets, wreaths and garlands with ribbons and bows. Design created through contrast between matte and shiny faces of the satin weave. It has 2 repeats across the width, and the repeat is 27" long. "Cheney Silks" is printed in gold on the right side of the fabric length at each crosswise end. This textile is related to T-2839 - design for satin damask; and T-2840 point paper draft of design T-2839.
Original cataloging: Upholstery fabric "Satin Damask". A medium weight silk having a satin ground with a plain woven jacquard figure. Louis XVI pattern of flower baskets with wreaths of roses and bows. Piece dyed rose. (W. 50 in., L. 54)
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1916
ID Number
TE.T02841.000
accession number
59368
catalog number
T02841.000

Cheney Brothers Silk Furnishing Fabric, 1913

Sample length of a Cheney Brothers silk furnishing fabric. Original cataloging called it "Tapestry woven" but is really a jacquard-woven compound weave with several supplementary wefts. For use in upholstery.
Description (Brief)
Sample length of a Cheney Brothers silk furnishing fabric. Original cataloging called it "Tapestry woven" but is really a jacquard-woven compound weave with several supplementary wefts. For use in upholstery. Rococo-revival pattern of meandering floral vines in green with peach, pink, white and yellow flowers, against a lace-pattern meander; on a very pale gray-green ground with a horizontal rib textured effect. (W. 50 in., 36 in.) The original painted design for this textile is T-1055. Mfrs. #s: Com. 4629; No. 65813; Color 3272/3
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T01056.000
catalog number
T01056.000

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