Cap, possibly baptismal cap, with Flemish Pottenkant bobbin lace border, five inches wide with motifs of the Virgin, the angels and lilies of Annunciation. Much mended. Tiny initials "C" and "E" are embroidered on the sides in pink.
Triangular shawl of handmade Chantilly bobbin lace, black silk thread. Overall densely patterned field with numerous floral bouquets; scalloped lower borders of the triangle. Elegantly designed.
A member of the Durston family from Pennsylvania wove this all-wool, "Rose and Table," overshot coverlet sometime in the first half of the nineteenth century. The coverlet is made in 2 sections, which are stitched together with a center seam. The warp yarn is blue, 2-ply, s-twist, z-spun wool. The weft is a 2-ply, s-twist, z-spun medium indigo dyed blue, and the red is 2-ply, s twist, z-spun wool also. The ground weft is wool same as the warp. The coverlet measures 85 inches by 73 inches. Although not unknown, all-wool overshot coverlets are rare.
This blue and white, overshot coverlet panel was executed in a “Double Bowknot with Window Sashes” pattern sometime in the nineteenth century. The white warp and weft ground cloth yarns are 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton, and the supplementary pattern weft blue yarns are Z-spun wool singles. The coverlet panel has side selvedges. There is sewing thread along one side, indicating it was once attached to another panel. Coverlets not woven on a broadloom feature center seams because the width of the fabric was determined by the width of the loom and the weaver’s arm span. This panel measures 95 inches by 30 inches.
This red, blue, and white, overshot coverlet was woven in the "Granite State" pattern. There is a decorative self-fringe at the lower edge with a woven heading. The coverlet measures 87 inches by 70.88 inches, and it was constructed from two panels, woven as one length, cut, and seamed in the middle. The warp is a 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun cotton. The ground weft is a Z-spun cotton single, and the pattern weft is red and indigo, 2-ply, S-twist, Z-spun wool.
Pair of decorative embroidery scissors, blades in shape of armored pikeman, die cast steel blades, handles and armor have gold coating. The donor, Charles Wiebusch, was associated with the cutlery firm that shared his name, "American and Foreign agents, manufacturers, and importers" of knives, scissors, etc.
A perforated paper bookmark with two embroidered dancing African American figures. “We’s gwine norf” is embroidered on the top and “good by dixie” on the bottom.
This unfinished silk quilt top of slightly elongated 5/8" hexagons is basted over paper templates and joined by overcasting on the wrong side. Six of these hexagons are of the same fabric or color with plain peach silk hexagons in the center and 4 plain black hexagons where these units are joined.
This blue and white, overshot coverlet was woven in a variation of the "Double Bow Knot" and " Window Sash" pattern which is also known as “Lady’s Delight.” Overshot coverlet pattern names, much like quilt patterns, varied according to place and time. The blue yarns are wool singles and the natural yarns are 2-ply, S-Twist, Z-spun cotton. The design repeat is 8.25 inches by 10.25 inches. The coverlet was woven in three panels each approximately 26" wide. The overall coverlet measures 92.25 inches by 79 inches. There is no information about this coverlet’s maker or where it may have been made and used. Textiles such as this were often made at home by women seeking to beautify their homes while providing the bedclothes needed to keep themselves and their families warm. These overshot patterns require only a four-shaft loom.
Bamboo tray for carrying cut mulberry leaves for feeding silkworms, As used in Japan for sericulture. Transfer from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology's Sericulture display, July 9, 1912.
At various points in American history, from colonial times onward, people experimented with sericulture - meaning the raising of silkworms and reeling of silk filaments from silkworm cocoons. At first it was hoped that this silk could be shipped to Great Britain for use in its silk textile manufacturing industry. Experiments in the 1760s and after, into the early 20th century, hoped to raise enough silk to support an American silk textile industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts in California and other (primarily) western states were supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a display in the department's headquarters building in Washington, DC. The display also highlighted the imports of raw silk from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that most manufacturers used in their products. The contents of the display were transferred to the (then) U.S. National Museum in 1912, for exhibition in the Textile Hall, as educational background for the exhibition of silk textiles manufactured in the US.
12 skeins of reeled raw filament silk. White. Transferred from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture sericulture display, Bureau of Entomology, July 9, 1912.
At various points in American history, from colonial times onward, people experimented with sericulture - meaning the raising of silkworms and reeling of silk filaments from silkworm cocoons. At first it was hoped that this silk could be shipped to Great Britain for use in its silk textile manufacturing industry. Experiments in the 1760s and after, into the early 20th century, hoped to raise enough silk to support an American silk textile industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts in California and other (primarily) western states were supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a display in the department's headquarters building in Washington, DC. The display also highlighted the imports of raw silk from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that most manufacturers used in their products. The contents of the display were transferred to the (then) U.S. National Museum in 1912, for exhibition in the Textile Hall, as educational background for the exhibition of silk textiles manufactured in the US.
5 skeins of yellow raw silk filament, reeled. Transferred from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture sericulture display, Bureau of Entomology, July 9, 1912.
At various points in American history, from colonial times onward, people experimented with sericulture - meaning the raising of silkworms and reeling of silk filaments from silkworm cocoons. At first it was hoped that this silk could be shipped to Great Britain for use in its silk textile manufacturing industry. Experiments in the 1760s and after, into the early 20th century, hoped to raise enough silk to support an American silk textile industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts in California and other (primarily) western states were supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a display in the department's headquarters building in Washington, DC. The display also highlighted the imports of raw silk from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that most manufacturers used in their products. The contents of the display were transferred to the (then) U.S. National Museum in 1912, for exhibition in the Textile Hall, as educational background for the exhibition of silk textiles manufactured in the US.
Ebonite mortar, used in sericulture in Japan. Transferred from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Entomology sericulture display, July 9, 1912.
At various points in American history, from colonial times onward, people experimented with sericulture - meaning the raising of silkworms and reeling of silk filaments from silkworm cocoons. At first it was hoped that this silk could be shipped to Great Britain for use in its silk textile manufacturing industry. Experiments in the 1760s and after, into the early 20th century, hoped to raise enough silk to support an American silk textile industry. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, efforts in California and other (primarily) western states were supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a display in the department's headquarters building in Washington, DC. The display also highlighted the imports of raw silk from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East that most manufacturers used in their products. The contents of the display were transferred to the (then) U.S. National Museum in 1912, for exhibition in the Textile Hall, as educational background for the exhibition of silk textiles manufactured in the US.
"Queen's Patch" variation pattern; Summer and Winter coverlet; first half of the 19th century. Lightweight, blue and white coverlet in a small block pattern known as a "Queen's Patch" pattern. The coverlet is made in three lengths that are seamed together with natural, unbleached cotton thread. The warp and weft are made of highly-twisted, mill-spun, natural or unbleached cotton. The pattern is achieved with the addition of a supplementary warp yarn made of indigo-dyed wool yarn. Mr. George H. Kernodle of Washington, D.C. donated the quilt in 1936 with no background information which makes dating and identifying the location of manufacuture difficult.
This coverlet is an example of a diamond twill weave coverlet. The weaver used 2-ply S-twist Z-spun red and indigo wool and white cotton warp and weft to create the pattern. The weaver’s use of color to create the diamond figures formed by weave brings out red and blue diamonds on alternate blocks, creating a textural and visually stunning textile. There is self-fringe along three sides and an applied satin tape along the upper edge which may be a latter addition. The coverlet was woven as one length, cut, and sewn up the middle to create the completed width. This coverlet is in overall excellent condition.
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 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.