James Alexander; coverlet; Figured and Fancy, double-cloth; 1824; New York
date: label: date made
content: 1824-10-14
label: date made
content: 1824
name: label: owner
content: Van Etten, Eleanor
label: maker
content: Alexander, James
notes: label: Description
content: 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.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place woven
content: United States: New York, Orange county
topic: label: depicted
content: Eagles
label: referenced
content: Patriotism and Patriotic Symbols
label: depicted
content: Freemasonry
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
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content: Coverlets
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content: Domestic Furnishings
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content: Textiles
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Lynda Willamer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1982.0572.01
label: catalog number
content: 1982.0572.001
label: accession number
content: 1982.0572
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coverlet, figured
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: cotton, wool (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: blue, white (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 96 1/2 in x 76 in; 245.11 cm x 193.04 cm