Drape. Fabric drape, one in a set of 11 objects in blue, gold, and black. The main fabric of the drapes is a gold brocade with a small floral pattern. The reverse of the drape is lined with a brown twill. The top of the drape is gathered into four knife pleats. There are 7 rings sewn into the top, four along the returns of the pleats. One before the pleats, and two after. There is a blue velvet stripe 4 ½” wide 14 ½” below the top of the drape. Along either side of the velvet is a twisted cord of blue, black, and gold threads. 2/3rds of the way down the drape, it is gathered as if it is drawn back and sewn into place. The folds are cut where they are gathered, and the edges are finished with the lining. Below where it is gathered, the drape’s folds open up to a full bottom edge. 3 1/2” up from the bottom there is a blue velvet stripe that corresponds with the one at the top. The gathered edge of the curtain is decorated with a warp-face tape with self-tassels. The tape is gold with a blue diamond pattern across it, and the tassels are gold, blue, and black. The bottom of the drape has a similar warp-face tape, but this one does not have self- tassels. It is applied over a longer section of alternating tied tassels of the same three colors. There is a sash of brocade that hangs down vertically from the top of the drape. It has a velvet stripe that matches the stripe. Below the velvet, the tape and tassels match the bottom of the drape. The back of the sash is whipstitched down the center, some of the stitching is coming loose.
This drape (part of set 234919.0055a-k) was donated by the daughters of Walter Tuckerman, a prominent man in the banking, real estate, and naturalist world of Maryland in the 20th century. In his early adulthood, he was part of the Alaskan Border Survey Commission in 1909. His letters home are full of optimism and wonder at the wilderness of Alaska, he even received the honor of a mountain named after him, Mt. Tuck. After he returned from Alaska, he founded The Bank of Bethesda in Bethesda, Maryland. Tuckerman also led the development of the nearby neighborhood of Edgemoor in Bethesda, Maryland. His daughters donated the drapes with a note stating that they came “from our parent’s house” (page 178 of scanned accession file). It is likely that the house in question was the family home called Tuxeden in Bethesda. Walter Tuckerman's lifelong love of adventure and the outdoors became a love of golf later in his life. He was an active member of his local golf club, and he won many trophies.