This blue and white double-woven geometric coverlet was made in the very late 18th or early 19th century. The center design of the coverlet features alternating rows of “X”’s and squares. The coverlet has three deep borders of elongated “Pine Trees.” Three of the four edges are turned under, and stitched in place with an overcast stitch. The fourth edge is finished with a self fringe. The coverlet is made of cotton and wool, and may have been woven in Maryland. The name of the weaver is unknown. Since this coverlet is double-woven, it is reversible, and has two sets of warp and filling yarns. Textiles such as this were frequently listed in household inventories, and passed down through several generations of the same family.
Geometric, double weave, red & blue, with fringed lower edge--woven in two 33 3/4 inch wide sections--Original size not known as the upper edge has been rehemmed where worn. the center seam of this coverlet is sewn with blue wool yarn, similar to that used in the body of the coverlet.
Andrew Corick signed this Jacquard, tied-Biederwand coverlet. The centerfield pattern is the “Double Lillies” or “Lillies of France” pattern and the borders are the “Bird and Rosebush” pattern which features traditional Germanic folk motif of the confronted distelfinken (thistle finches). Corrick used horizontal color banding in blue, white, coral and green with self-fringe on three sides. . The woven inscription in the cornerblocks reads, "MIDDLETOWN FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND ANDREW CORICK'". The coverlet was woven in two panels each 38 inches wide. This exact coverlet design can be found replicated in Pennsylvania, Maryland (by other weavers), Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia (Western Virginia at the time), and New York. The earliest known coverlet with this pattern was woven in 1830 in New York. The accession file referred to these patterns as "Lillies and Stars" and the border as "Eagle and Rose Tree." The coverlet was handwoven in a 2-end warp rib of 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun bleached cotton and alternatively with a single end of 3-ply, S-twist, Z-spun indigo-dyed cotton. The coverlet was purchased from Andrew Corrick directly by the donor's ancestors, Jonathan Recher Sottlemyer (1820-1896) and Susan Blickenstaff Stottlemyer (1823-1893). The couple was married in 1842. This is likely the time period when the couple would have acquired the coverlet.
Andrew Corick (Corrick, Coriock) (1791-1863) was a German immigrant who settled in Middletown, Frederick Co., Maryland and began weaving and farming. His coverlets are never dated, but we can speculate that he was active during the 1830s-1840s. The 1850 Maryland Census recorded Andrew Corrick as a 59-year-old farmer with land valued at $4000. The 1860 Federal Census listed Corrick’s occupation as farmer and valued his land holdings at $2000 and his personal property at $900, suggesting his son had taken over the family weaving business and perhaps part of the farm. His son, Joshua Corrick (b. 1820) was also a weaver in Middletown, weaving in a similar style, who signed his work in the cornerblocks.
An unidentified weaver wove this Figured and Fancy, red, white, and blue, tied-Beiderwand coverlet in 1836. The centerfield design is made up of “Double Iris” medallions with floral and scrollwork designs between. The three borders each depict the addorsed Distelfinken (thistle finches) flanked by fruit trees and the Germanic tree of life motif (Hom). There is self-fringe on three sides. The two lower corner blocks read, "Joseph/Devler/ E R/ A LE/1836." The coverlet measures 102 inches by 86 inches and has a center seam indicating that it was woven on a hand loom. More research is needed to determine who Joseph Devler was and where he may have lived. The style and design of the coverlet indicate that it was likely woven in Pennsylvania or by a German-American weaver. There is no indication that Devler was a weaver, and he was likely the customer. The key to understanding this coverlet is deciphering the “E R A LE” initials in the corner blocks. These are likely the weaver’s initials and an abbreviated location. More research is needed to confirm this.
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.
This coverlet features a “Double Eagle-Headed Cornucopia” centerfield motif with curvilinear arabesque borders along three sides. The cornerblock features a stylized floral design that is similar to cornerblocks associated with weavers, James Irwin, Daniel Conger, James Van Ness, and the Auburn State Prison loom house. Although it is unsigned or dated the style, structure, and cornerblock pattern would suggest that this coverlet was woven between the years 1850-1870 in central New York. This coverlet was woven using a Jacquard loom and is double-cloth in structure. Two sets of cotton and indigo-dyed wool were used for both sets of warp and weft. Because it is unsigned, undated, and the donor purchased the coverlet rather than inheriting it, it is hard to attribute a definite maker or date to the coverlet.
The donor collected this black, red, and white, overshot coverlet in 1908 in Fayetteville, Alabama from an elderly woman who claimed to have prepared the wool and woven it in the mid-1850s. The pattern is known as “Pine Blossom.” The coverlet measures 98 inches by 90.5 inches and is made of three lengths of fabric, that are seamed together. The red dye used in the coverlet is likely pokeberry.
This blue and white, cotton and wool, tied-Beiderwand coverlet features a stylized floral and foliate carpet medallion centerfield pattern. There are four full rows and one half row of three large floral medallions each with eight pedals. There is a smaller flower between each large flower. The coverlet has three borders all with the same scrolling grotesque-inspired floral design--flowers and leaves in a vine-like arrangement. There is one stylized double flower in two of the corners of the coverlet. This design is similar to a pumpkin as well. This cornerblock design is almost certainly the trademark of an unidentified factory or individual weaver from the Southern New York area. The Beiderwand style, although sometimes used in New York coverlets is often found in those woven in Pennsylvania or Ohio. According to the donor, this coverlet was woven in Oswego County, New York for her paternal grandmother, Cynthia Walker. There has been some suggestion that the weaver could be Harry Tyler, but the pattern and structure make this an unlikely attribution.
Geometric, double-woven coverlet in blue and white. There is a simple star figure surrounded by the smaller snowballs. Small pine trees make up the border on three sides. There is a small geometric border beyond the pine trees. There is a self fringe on the bottom edge. The coverlet was woven in 2 sections, and then sewn together. One section is smaller than the other.
Overshot red and natural coverlet woven in a "Double bowknot" pattern with natural colored fringe. According to the donor this coverlet belonged to her ancestor Mary Blanchard who was born in Brattleboro Vt. On May 2, 1847 she married George Darling Hastings, of Constable N.Y. They lived in Constable N.Y. all their lives.
This blue and white, overshot coverlet was woven using linen and wool in an “Orange Peel” pattern. The warp is a white, linen, 2-ply, s-twist, z-spun yarn. Both the ground weft and supplementary pattern weft are z-spun singles. The pattern weft is dyed blue. The coverlet measures 95.5 inches by 68 inches, and coverlet was constructed from two panels woven as one length, cut, and seamed together to create the finished width. Based on the use of linen in the warp it is possible to date this coverlet from 1770-1820.
This unsigned, blue & white, Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet has no fringe. There is a large stylized ovular central medallion made up of flowering baskets and scrolling foliage. Beyond this are scattered flowers. There is a double border around four sides of the coverlet. The innermost border is composed of similar flowering baskets and foliate scrollwork. The outermost border contains the date, “1844” and is made up of stylized floral designs and peacock feather eyes. The designs are similar to those used by New York weaver, Ira Hadsell. However, Hadsell usually signed his work. According to the donor, this coverlet was made for her great-grandmother near Syracuse, New York.
Coverlet woth a large medallion center motif, within a "frame", surrounded by an over lapping petal shape. Deep borders consist of paired deer (in each corner), paired quail grapevines, and oak leaves with acorns, and a domed building (the U.S. Capitol ? A plain weave was used, and double layered pockets are present. There is a coarsely hand-hemmed top and bottom with a woven wool weft colored cut fringe (2.5 inches long). to match the wool wefts which form the side fringes. The wap is beige z twist cotton singles, and grey z twist cotton singles the weft is dull yellow green, brown red and dark blue, 2 ply z twist wool, and thick grey z twist, singles cotton. This coverlet may have been woven in a mill, in Kentucky.
Coverlet; Jacquard-woven; double-cloth; repeating stylized floral Medallion centerfield with stylized floral borders and cornerblocks. Jacquard, dark blue or black & white double weave with fringe on 3 sides. 1. (border) flower chains 2. (center) medallions. Made for Mrs. Harvey Bemis, of New York circa 1850, style of the motifs would reinforce this family legend. The coverlet is in overall good condition with minor and expected wear to the fringe. Further research into the cornerblocks is warranted as these sometimes serve as a weaver's mark and could help to identify a maker.
Gold and off-white cotton and wool coverlet with a fringe. The coverlet is woven in two pieces. The center seam is sewn with 2 ply cotton thread. The applied fringe is sewn with 3 ply cotton thread.
This is a blue and white, cotton and wool, overshot coverlet from the 19th century. The patterns used is similar to both “Governor’s Garden” and “Double Chariot Wheels.” The upper edge is hemmed, the lower edge has a warp fringe, and the remaining two sides have applied fringe. There is a border along three sides created from a fractional reduction of the main pattern. There coverlet measures 100 inches by 72 inches and was constructed from three panels which were woven as one length, cut, and seamed together to create the finished coverlet width. There is little provenance on this coverlet’s origins, but based on the design and construction, this coverlet was likely domestically produced by a woman or group of women sometime in the first half of the nineteenth century.
Geometric, double-cloth coverlet in blue wool & natural cotton. Said to have been made by Susan Fussell Alexander; Columbia, Murray County, Tennessee, in about 1840. No fringes.
There is no information known about the provenance or origins of this coverlet other than it is said to have been woven near Somerset, Pennsylvania around 1846. The pattern is interesting because this blue and white float weave coverlet is imitating a “Bird’s Eye” or “Diamond Twill” weave in the center field, with a zigzag twill border on three sides. Fringes also on three sides. Blue wool weft, natural cotton warp.
According to the donor, her ancestor, Hannah Gray (b. July 13, 1823) wove this coverlet sometime before her wedding in 1858 in Connecticut. The blue and white, overshot coverlet is woven in a “Single Chariot Wheel" pattern. Hannah was the sister of Tompkins C. Grey, a member of the House of Representatives. The coverlet measures 98 inches by 76 inches and is composed of two panels which were woven as one length and seamed together to create the finished width.
This white and blue, geometric, double-cloth coverlet features a “Nine Snowball” pattern centerfield and “Pine Tree” border. These patterns were developed in the German States of the Holy Roman Empire at the end of the seventeenth century and were initially used in damask linen weaving on a much smaller scale. Several German weavers published books during the Early Modern period, and they were translated into numerous languages and this style of block weaving, as it is known, spread across Europe. Immigrant weavers brought these structures and patterns to the United States, increased the scale of the patterns, and wove them as double cloth both for coverlets and ingrain carpet. This coverlet panel was initially woven as one length, cut, folded back on itself, and seamed up the middle to create the finished coverlet. The coverlet panel measures 78 inches by 69.75 inches. The “Pine Tree” borders found along three sides were created from fractional reduction of the main block patterning. While women were fully capable of weaving overshot and summer and winter coverlets on their own simple looms, many of the geometric double loom patterns required looms with multiple shafts and are traditionally associated with male, professional weavers. There is no information about who may have woven this coverlet or where it may have come from. Double cloth requires the use of two sets of warp and weft that exchange places, binding what would otherwise be two separate pieces of plain weave fabric and creating the color contrasting design. The white cotton yarns are all 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun and the indigo-dyed wool yarns are all 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun as well. According to the accession file, this coverlet was woven between 1800 and 1825. The donor believes that Priscilla and Sarah Furbee, grandmother and aunt of her husband John Kinder, carded, dyed the yarn used in this coverlet, and wove it as well. See the hand written note on an envelope in the accession file.