Valance
date: label: made date
content: 1876
label: used date
content: 1876
notes: label: Description
content: Valance, blue tiered valance (part of set 60.400a-60.402d). The valance is made from a floral damask fabric. It has an arched central opening with tiered edges. The concave curve of the inner arch is decorated with a warp-face tape with tied self-tassels. The tassels themselves alternate between thread tassels and three-tiered pompom tassels. On either side of the arch, longer points of fabric support large ornate tassels in an ice blue. Below the tassels the edges cut in 3” on each side to form the tiered sides. An inch in from the interior edge of the valance there is a decorative knotted gimp trim that forms tall loops at the two points where the edge cuts away to form the tiers. The top of the valance has three swags of matching brocade fabric applied 3” down from the top and 4.5” in from each side. At each gathering point of each swag there is a matching rosette. The lower looped edge of the swags is trimmed with a two-toned blue cord. The top of the valance has twelve ½” rings sewn along the edge. The reverse of the valance is an undyed twill. There is some water damage on both the right and left side of the valance. On the right side, the water damage affects a large amount of the outer edge, extending 30.75” across the middle of the valance. The damage extends in 12” at its deepest point, level with the central arch. The water damage caused the damask to shatter level with the first tier as well. In the area that has water damage there are also several small holes, the largest measuring 1.5x0.5”. The left side has sustained similar damage. It extends 30” across the middle and 13” in at the deepest point. The silk has shattered in the same place on the left side, and there are also smaller holes throughout the water damaged area. The water damage is visible on the reverse, but there is not the same shattering or holes from pests.
label: Description
content: This valance (part of set 60.400a-60.402d) was donated by Charles Holten as part of a gift containing a bedroom and suite from the home of Richard Kennerdell, an American manufacturer from Pennsylvania. Kennerdell opened a wool, iron, saw, and grist mill in Venango County in western Pennsylvania during the 1850s (page 54 of scanned accession file). The mill grew, and Richard Kennerdell built the town of Kennerdell, Pennsylvania around his mill. The objects in the set came from his grand mansion in his town. Sadly, the house has since been destroyed. The damask fabric of the blue draperies corresponds to blue damask panels in the bedframe and the towel rack from the grand bedroom. According to the family, the objects in the set were bought at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876 (page 56 of scanned accession file). The furnishings are most likely manufactured by Allen and Brother of Philadelphia. The wooden furniture contains the markings of the company, and the set matches examples from their published book of object displayed at the Exhibition. The draperies and bedroom set are examples of Victorian furniture in the French style inspired by Louse XIV. The rich damask valances evoke luxury and splendor.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: Place Made
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
label: used
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Kennerdell
label: purchased
content: United States: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
topic: label: associated subject
content: Exhibitions
label: associated subject
content: Manufacturing
label: related event
content: Centennial Exposition
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
label: See more items in
content: Domestic Furnishings
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles W. Holton
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.0400a
label: catalog number
content: 60.0400a
label: accession number
content: 228471
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Valance
label: Object Name
content: valance
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: blue (valance color)
label: Physical Description
content: damask (valance material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 57 in x 54 1/4 in x 2 1/4 in; 144.78 cm x 137.7696 cm x 5.715 cm