Philip Schum; coverlet; Jacquard; double-cloth; 1869; Pennsylvania
date: label: Date made
content: 19th century
label: date made
content: second half 19th century
label: date made
content: 1869
name: label: maker
content: Schum, Philip
notes: label: Description
content: This coverlet features horizontal color banding in stripes of red, green, muted aqua, and muted purple. A large scalloped floral medallion dominates the centerfield design. The four corners have faces of Washington flanked by confronted horses. Below Washington’s portrait bust is a banderole with his name. Under this is an eagle in flight with a banderole in its beak proclaiming, “Hail 1869,” and beneath that, tucked into each corner is a steamboat flying the American flag. In the middle of the border designs is an onion-domed rendition of the Capitol Building. Factory produced coverlet. Floral scrollwork and birds unite the border design. Although this coverlet is unsigned, it is identical to one signed by Philip Schum’s Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory. This coverlet measures 88 inches by 73 inches and has no center seam. It was likely produced on a power loom with a Jacquard attachment.
label: Description
content: Philip Schum (1814-1880) was born In Hesse-Darmstadt, Holy Roman Empire. He immigrated to New York, moving to Lancaster County, PA in approximately 1844. He was not trained as a weaver and there is no evidence that he ever was. What we do know is that Philip Schum was a savvy businessman. He worked first as a "Malt Tramper" in New York, a position presumably linked to brewing and malting of grains. After six months, Philip was able to afford to bring his first wife Ana Margartha Bond (1820-1875) to join him in Pennsylvania. Once reunited, Philip worked as a day laborer, shoemaker, and basket-maker. He purchased a small general store in Lancaster City in 1852. By 1856, he has built his business enough to sell at a profit and purchase the Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory. Philip's first wife, Anna, passed away sometime before 1879, because in this year, Philip married his second wife, Anna Margaret Koch (1834-1880). The two were tragically killed in a train accident in 1880, when a locomotive stuck their horse and buggy. The New Era, a local Lancaster newspaper titled the article about the incident with the headline, "Death's Harvest." Lancaster Carpet, Coverlet, Quilt, and Yarn Manufactory began with just one or two looms and four men. It grew to four looms and eight men quickly. By 1875, the factory had twenty looms and employed forty men. Philip Schum was no weaver. He was an entrepreneur and businessman who invested in the growing market for household textiles. Philip's estate inventory included a carpet shop, weaving shop, dye house, two stores, and a coal yard. At the time of his death were also listed 390 "Half-wool coverlets." These were valued at $920. In 1878, Philip partnered with his son, John E. Schum to form, Philip Schum, Son, and Co. Another Schum coverlet is in the collections of the MFA-Houston.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Lancaster
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 Ann Locy, Mr. Frank Locy and Mrs. Beatrice Zrepsky
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1997.0375.01
label: accession number
content: 1997.0375
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coverlet, figured
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wool, cotton (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: Jacquard power loom (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: Figured and Fancy (overall style)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 88 in x 73 in; 223.52 cm x 185.42 cm