National Woven Coverlet Collection

• S.B. Musselman coverlet; Figured & Fancy, 1842

  Description

  Red, white, and blue Jacquard woven or Figured and Fancy coverlet in single weave. Double roses motifs framed by cut-cornered rectangles regularly repeated in bands and rows; separated by rows of dots and with rosettes in octagon frames. The inner border consists of vase forms alternating with flowers; Outer borders have a double diamond and dot repeated. Outer border is along all four sides, the inner border is not. Between the two borders the word Pennsylvania is repeated over and over, forwardsand backwards. The lower corner on the right says "This coverlet belongs to me Susana Diehl 1842" . The corner on the left says" S.B.Musselman Coverlet Weaver Milford Bucks. Co 1842". This coverlet is woven with a compound, plain weave base. Warp and ground weft yarns are Z-twist single ply cotton. The pattern weft is red and blue twist single ply wool. Samuel Beidler Musselman was born June 9, 1802 to Jacob and Barbara Beidler Musselman in Milford, Bucks Co. PA. He married ca. 1824 Elizabeth Landis (1798-1873). They had eleven children. He died August 7, 1874, in Bucks Co. PA. After 1837 all of his coverlets were seamless. While he numbered many of his coverlets, he did not number this one.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  1842

  weaver

  Musselman, S.B.

  ID Number

  1980.0859.01

  accession number

  1980.0859

  catalog number

  1980.0859.01

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  J.J. Heilbronn Figured and Fancy Coverlet Fragment, 1840

  Description

  J.J. Heilbronn Figured and Fancy Coverlet Fragment, 1840. Red, white & blue jacquard double weave, no visible fringe. 1. (border) potted flowers & birds 2. (center) double rose & snowflakes. John Jacob Heilbronn, was born June 15, 1815 in Alsace, France. He married January 9, 1840, Phebe Weaver in Fairfield, OH. He died July 8, 1887.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  1840

  weaver

  Heilbronn, J.J.

  ID Number

  TE.T14712

  catalog number

  T14712.000

  accession number

  280847

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory; coverlet; Jacquard; double-cloth; 1858-1880; Pennsylvania

  Description

  Weavers at the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory, owned by Philip Schum likely wove this Jacquard, mauve, red, green, and brown, double-cloth coverlet sometime between 1856 and 1880. The centerfield features a large central medallion made up of concentric floral wreaths. Inside these medallions is a large representation of the United States Capitol. The centerfield ground is made up of shaded triangles. Each corner of the centerfield design features a bird surrounded by flowers and above the bird is a boteh, a motif found on Kashmiri shawls and later European copies commonly referred to as Paisley pattern. The four-sided border is composed of meandering floral and foliate 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

  1875-1900

  late 19th century

  1858-1880

  maker

  Schum, Philip

  ID Number

  TE.T14561

  catalog number

  T14561.000

  accession number

  277986

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• Fragment of an overshot coverlet, 19th century

  Description

  Coverlet fragment. Plain weave, overshot; dark blue wool, beige cotton, geometric design. Yarn count 40 x 40. One selvage is present. The design is formed by blue weft floats on a plain weave. The pattern is geometric. There is a rectangle in the middle with 4 lines coming out of the corners. There is a long oblong shape beside, above, and below each of these x shapes. On this piece, there are four separate units with the lines coming together in the center. The pattern repeat measures 3.25 x 3.75". The yarns are fine which give the piece a very delicate overall look. The selvage is rather uneven.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  19th century

  ID Number

  1980.0550.003

  accession number

  1980.0550

  catalog number

  1980.0550.03

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  James Alexander; coverlet; Figured and Fancy, double-cloth; 1824; New York

  Description

  James Alexander (1770-1870) wove this blue and white, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet for Eleanor Van Etten in Orange County, New York in 1824. The white warp and weft yarns are 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton while the blue yarns are 2-ply, s-twist, and Z-spun wool. In the binding, the yarn is a z-spun cotton single of and there is a secondary yarn which appears to be 2-ply s-twist z-spun cotton. The centerfield is composed of large “Double Tulip” carpet medallions and foliate designs. The lengthwise border is composed of depictions of Independence Hall flanked by eagles and surmounted by stars and floral springs. The crosswise border is made of Masonic columns flanked by eagles. The repeat unit for the Centerfield measures 27 inches by 26 inches. The border is 7.25 inches wide on all four sides. The repeat unit for the crosswise border is 7.25 inches by 29 inches, while the repeat for the lengthwise borders is 27.75 inches x 7.25 inches. The coverlet is composed of two 38 " wide lengths which were woven as one length, cut, and hand sewn together. The coverlet measures 96.5 inches by 76 inches. There is woven inscription in each corner which reads, “Eleanor Van Etten Oct. 14 1824." This coverlet has descended through the Swartwout family of New York for generations before coming to the Smithsonian.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  1824-10-14

  1824

  owner

  Van Etten, Eleanor

  maker

  Alexander, James

  ID Number

  1982.0572.01

  catalog number

  1982.0572.001

  accession number

  1982.0572

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• coverlet; Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand; c. 1860; poss. Ohio

  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

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• John Brosey jacquard coverlet, Lancaster County, PA; 1841

  Description

  Jacquard, single weave coverlet in very dark and medium blue, and red. Fringe on 3 sides. 1. (border) Triple Boston Town 2. (center) double rose, double tulip, sunburst. The coverlet has woven into it, J Brosey, 1841, M. Nissley, and the initials W.B. John Brosey, Sr. the maker was born December 5, 1789, and married Catharine Meyer in Manheim, Lancaster County, PA. He died February 17, 1863. His son John Brosey, Jr. was also a weaver. The coverlet was made for M[ary] Nissley. The initials "W. B." may stand for his son by that name who may have helped him. The design is in bands of red and dark blue patterning on a medium blue ground. The dark blue alternates 4-lobed leaf medallions with a sunburst. The red alternates the same 4-lobed leaf medallion with an 8-petal flower medallion. No side borders; no top border. Lower border with 2 narrow red bands and the inscription with maker and owner names and date.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  1841

  maker

  Brosey, J.

  ID Number

  1984.0247.01

  catalog number

  1984.0247.01

  accession number

  1984.0247

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• One of three fragments of an overshot coverlet

  Description

  One of three fragments of overshot coverlet in Double Bow Knot pattern; red and navy, dull gold, originally part of 1980.0372.01

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  19th century

  ID Number

  1980.0372.02

  accession number

  1980.0372

  catalog number

  1980.0372.02

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• 

  Aunt Lizzie Reagan's Overshot Coverlet; Tennessee; 1930

  Description

  Lizzie Reagan wove this overshot coverlet in Tennessee in about 1930. It is made of cotton and wool, and woven in a design that is sometimes known as "Lee's Surrender." Lizzie Reagan was known as Aunt Lizzie, and was an expert on natural dyes. She was active in the movement to reintroduce "old" methods such as hand spinning and weaving at the Phi Beta Phi Settlement School in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Such schools were started in the 1880s by benevolent societies in an attempt to encourage and preserve the local material culture, and provide the local artists with income.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  date made

  ca 1930

  maker

  Reagan, Lizzie

  ID Number

  1996.0120.01

  catalog number

  1996.0120.01

  accession number

  1996.0120

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

• Rawlins Mill Coverlet; Delaware, ca. 1900

  Description

  Workers at the Rawlins Mill in Seaford, Sussex County, Delaware wove this overshot coverlet with center seam down and fringe along three sides. The coverlet was woven from cotton and red and blue wool yarns. DeLevan Rawlins Bowen donated this coverlet, along with 2005.0042.01 and 2005.0042.02. According to the National Register for Historic Places report, the Hearn and Rawlins Mill, as it is known today, has operated in various capacities since 1820. The building that currently stands on the site was built in 1880 and used as a grist mill. Lot Rawlins and John Morgan Rawlins, ancestors of the donor, started and owned the mill. The family moved from England to Delaware in 1747. The mill was water-powered and located along the Nanticoke River, which feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. The coverlet measures 81 inches by 77 inches.

  Location

  Currently not on view

  Date made

  late 19th early 20th century

  ID Number

  2005.0042.03

  accession number

  2005.0042

  Data Source

  National Museum of American History

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