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.

Reticella Border with Punto in Aria Needle Lace Tabs

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1984.0111.171
accession number
1984.0111

Cheney Brothers Figured Silk Frisons, 1913

Length of a Cheney Brothers jacquard-figured silk 'Frisons', meaning a textured surface from a slubbed weft yarn, 1913. Jacquard-woven repeating design of an ogee grid with stylized tulips in the reserves.
Description (Brief)
Length of a Cheney Brothers jacquard-figured silk 'Frisons', meaning a textured surface from a slubbed weft yarn, 1913. Jacquard-woven repeating design of an ogee grid with stylized tulips in the reserves. Slubbed plain weave "silk frisons" ground with coarse weft float patterning. Inspired by an early 17th c. ogee pattern with tulips. Piece dyed dusty rose (dull medium pink). (W. 32 in., L. 36 in.)
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T00098
catalog number
T00098.000
accession number
55080

Cheney Brothers "Printed Frisons" dress silk, 1913

A sample length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Frisons" dress silk, 1913. Pinkish-tan ground of slubbed (spun silk yarns) plain weave silk, printed with a closely spaced modernist design of irregular multi-colored spots.
Description (Brief)
A sample length of Cheney Brothers "Printed Frisons" dress silk, 1913. Pinkish-tan ground of slubbed (spun silk yarns) plain weave silk, printed with a closely spaced modernist design of irregular multi-colored spots. Fauve-inspired print colors are dark green, orange, yellow, medium green, medium blue, light blue, dark red, Some colors may be due to overprinting one shade with another. File gives fabric width as 30", with a donation of a full yard length. Cheney's numbers are: Com: 3755; No: 77357, Color: 3724/1 Part of a large donation of fibers, yarns, fabrics, original designs, and printing tools given by Cheney Brothers, one of the earliest and largest of America's silk manufacturers, in 1913.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T01032.000
catalog number
T01032.000
accession number
56298

Handkerchief with Point de Paris Lace Border

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T14583.000
catalog number
T14583.000

Cheney Brothers Figured Furnishing Silk, 1913

Length of Cheney Brothers jacquard-woven, figured furnishing silk, 1913. The pattern is a simplified version of an 18th c. floral ogee medallion design in a compound weave, with matte pale green flowers on a finely striped (faux strie), satin weave green ground. (W. 50 in., L.
Description (Brief)
Length of Cheney Brothers jacquard-woven, figured furnishing silk, 1913. The pattern is a simplified version of an 18th c. floral ogee medallion design in a compound weave, with matte pale green flowers on a finely striped (faux strie), satin weave green ground. (W. 50 in., L. 36 in.) Mfrs. #s: Com. 4564; No 77953; Color 3486/1.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T01053.000
catalog number
T01053.000

flounce

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
3rd quarter, 19th century
ID Number
TE.T11790
catalog number
T11790.000
accession number
198210

lace, knitted

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T12642B
catalog number
T12642.00B
accession number
236918

edging

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T11863
catalog number
T11863.000
accession number
198210

lace

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T15449.368
catalog number
T15449.368
T.15449.368

Alencon needle lace collar or edging

Alencon needlelace collar or collar edging. Off white linen. Meander pattern. One straight edge, one scalloped.Currently not on view
Description
Alencon needlelace collar or collar edging. Off white linen. Meander pattern. One straight edge, one scalloped.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T16269
catalog number
T16269.000

Hank of silkworm gut fishing line; Spain 1880

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

Lace Pattern; named Pattern No. 1; Sara Hadley

Printed lace pattern, named Pattern No. 1. Sold by Sara Hadley, New York. Only the dots are printed, not the little numbers indicating the sequence of working the pattern. The pattern has not been used.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Printed lace pattern, named Pattern No. 1. Sold by Sara Hadley, New York. Only the dots are printed, not the little numbers indicating the sequence of working the pattern. The pattern has not been used.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1903
ID Number
2016.0048.09A
accession number
2016.0048
catalog number
2016.0048.09A

Cheney Brothers Silk Brocade Upholstery Fabric, 1925

Length of Cheney Brothers silk fabric. Jacquard-woven, continuous supplementary weft patterned all-silk fabric composed of spun silk warp with 12 shuttles of different colors of silk producing the figures.
Description
Length of Cheney Brothers silk fabric. Jacquard-woven, continuous supplementary weft patterned all-silk fabric composed of spun silk warp with 12 shuttles of different colors of silk producing the figures. Patterned with a 17th century (Baroque) Flemish-style medallion and meander design of urns of flowers and wreaths of flowers, wheat, and grapes in blue, green, purple, and pink on narrow striped yellow ground. Style 4584/4. Wholesaled for $18.75 per yd. (W. 50 in., L. 3 1/3 yds.)
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
maker
Cheney Brothers
ID Number
TE.T05114.000
catalog number
T05114.000

Louise Marie Collar

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1832
ID Number
TE.T13489
catalog number
T13489.000
accession number
254382

U.S. Army World War II textile sample, wool

ID Number
TE.T09510
accession number
172295
catalog number
T09510

table cover

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1925
ID Number
TE.T16122
catalog number
T16122.00S
accession number
299421

Brussels Bobbin Lace Applique Border Fragment

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.E372209L
catalog number
E372209.00L

Binche bobbin lace border

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1700-1730
ID Number
TE.T16268
catalog number
T16268.000

Cluny Bobbin Lace Trim

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TE.T11998.00B
catalog number
T11998.00B

U.S. Army World War II textile sample, wool

ID Number
TE.T09519
accession number
172295
catalog number
T09519

flounce

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
Late 19th - early 20th C
late 19th to early 20th C
ID Number
TE.T15031A
catalog number
T15031.00A
accession number
287953

U.S. Navy wool sample; World War II

ID Number
TE.T09622
accession number
172665
catalog number
T09622

Old Binche Bobbin Lace Border Fragment

Old Binche bobbin lace border fragment. Separately made edges are added to each sideCurrently not on view
Description (Brief)
Old Binche bobbin lace border fragment. Separately made edges are added to each side
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1650-1700
ID Number
TE.L7032B
catalog number
L7032.00B

furnishing lace

ID Number
TE.T11830
accession number
198210

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