Figured and Fancy coverlet; tied-Beiderwand; 1844; prob. Pennsylvania
date: label: Date made
content: 1830
label: Date made
content: 1844
notes: label: Description
content: This Figured and Fancy, tied-Beiderwand coverlet has horizontal stripes of pink [rose], white, gold, light and dark brown and fringe on three sides, It is possible that some of the colors visible today have faded due to age, light, and the dyes used. The fringe along the sides was created by the wool weft yarns and has mostly worn away over time. The centerfield pattern features the “Double Lily” and starburst carpet medallions. The border found on three sides of the coverlet feature addorsed Distelfinken (thistle finches) and rosebushes and Hom (tree of life). The two cornerblock show the name, Franz Rether, and the date 1844. There is no record of a weaver by that name, and Rether was likely the customer. More research is needed to determine just who Franz Rether was. Due to the pattern and color arrangement of this coverlet, it was likely made in Pennsylvania. Genealogical research revealed that Pennsylvania in the 1840s was full of families named Rether, Ritter, and Reiter, all of which have similar pronunciations. Adams County, Pennsylvania had a large number of Rether families living there in the 1840s, and it is possible that this is where the coverlet was woven.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Textiles
label: See more items in
content: Coverlets
label: See more items in
content: Textiles
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mrs. John W. N. Schulz
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TE.T13546
label: catalog number
content: T13546.000
label: accession number
content: 244500
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coverlet, figured
label: Object Name
content: coverlet
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: Figured and Fancy (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: tied-Beiderwand (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: Double Lily (center pattern)
label: Physical Description
content: pink (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: white (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: gold (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: brown (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: wool (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: cotton (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 104 in x 75 in; 264.16 cm x 190.5 cm