Ira Hadsell; coverlet; Figured and Fancy, double-cloth; 1859; New York
date: label: Date made
content: 1859
name: label: weaver
content: Hadsell, Ira
notes: label: Description
content: Ira Hadsell (b. 1813) of Palmyra, New York wove this red and white, Figured and Fancy, double cloth coverlet for Catharine M. Wilson in 1859. The coverlet design is symmetrical along the center seam and feature a large compote overflowing with flowers and accent by more botanical designs, birds, and cornucopias. There are borders on all four sides featuring swag garland designs. The warps and wefts are made up of red, S-spin wool singles and white 3-ply cotton yarns. The date"1859" appears woven under each of the cornucopias. "Catherine M. Wilson woven at Palmyra NY by Ira Hadsell" is woven along the bottom border. The coverlet measures 86 inches by 78.75 inches. Ira Hadsell was born March 16, 1813, in Marion, New York. He was the son of Sarah Hadsell and William Cogswell. Ira Hadsell led an interesting, if somewhat difficult life. He was "bound out" to A.R. Galloway and apprenticed as a canal worker at the age of eight. From age 14 through 26, Ira worked at various jobs on the Erie Canal until returning to Palmyra in 1839. Eventually, Ira went to work for James Van Ness, another well-known weaver of Wayne County. Ira Hadsell had finally found his calling. During his lifetime, Hadsell wove over 1,180 coverlets. Ira married Lydia Dansits Scudder (1810-1879) April 9, 1840. On December 30, 1879, he married Laura Jane Ingram (1855 - 1945). He died July 17, 1896. The coverlet was made for Catharine M. Wilson. She was the wife of Daniel P. Wilson and was born c. 1819 in New York. Wilson was the great-grandmother of the donor.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Palmyra
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
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content: Coverlets
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content: Textiles
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Elinor W. Allard (Mrs. Dwight W.)
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1986.0880.01
label: accession number
content: 1986.0880
label: catalog number
content: 1986.0880.01
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coverlet, figured
label: Object Name
content: coverlet
label: Object Type
content: double weave
label: Object Type
content: jacquard coverlets
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: Figured and Fancy (overall style)
label: Physical Description
content: double cloth (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: red (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: white (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: wool. cotton (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 86 in x 78 3/4 in; 218.44 cm x 200.025 cm