Valance
date: label: date made
content: 20th century
label: used date
content: 20th century
name: label: user
content: Tuckerman, Walter R.
label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: Valance (part of a set 234919.0070a-g). Straight valance, one of a set of three valances in blue, black and gold. The base fabric is a blue and gold brocade featuring four types of flowers the largest being sunflowers and a meander "greek key" that pulls from Japanese symbolism. A 2.5" stripe of gold damask in a superposed circles or "shippo" pattern starts 3/4" below the top of valence. The stripe is edged on the top and bottom with gold, black, and blue twisted cord. Along the gold stripe run 10 rosettes made from the same blue and gold brocade as the main fabric of the valance. The center of the rosettes are decorated with concentric circles of black, blue, and gold thread. There is a small vertical seam after the first rosette on the right. It is echoed in the bottom right with a similar seam that sits in the middle of the first rosette. The same small seams can be seen in the center of the 3rd rosette from the left on both the top and bottom. Underneath the gold stripe, the center of the valance is composed of the main brocade fabric accented with inch-wide stripes of checkered braid at right angles. Two parallel and horizontal stripes of braid run the length of the valence with four vertical stripes that intersect them. The braid divides the horizontal length into five rectangles, two larger rectangles on either side of one smaller central rectangle. Underneath the lower horizontal braid is another 2.5" stripe of gold damask with 10 rosettes. The valance ends with a 2" stripe of blue and gold checkered braid edged with alternating black and blue tassels. On the braid are 19 decorative circles that match the centers of the rosettes. The stitching of the circles is coming loose on several. The top of the valance has loose rosettes. The first 3 rosettes from the right and the 1st and 4th rosettes in from the left are loose. The reverse of the valance is lined with undyed twill. The top edge has a ring on the left corner and 8 S hooks sewn in. It appears 2 hooks or rings are missing. There is a water stain 5 ½ inches long in the center of the top edge. 6 inches to the right from the stain tearing along top. The right side of the valance back has two vertical rows of black stitching.
label: Description
content: This valance (part of a set 234919.0070a-g) was donated by the daughters of Walter Tuckerman, a prominent man in the banking, real estate, and naturalist world of Maryland in the 20th century. In his early adulthood, he was part of the Alaskan Border Survey Commission in 1909. His letters home are full of optimism and wonder at the wilderness of Alaska, he even received the honor of a mountain named after him, Mt. Tuck. After he returned from Alaska, he founded The Bank of Bethesda in Bethesda, Maryland. Tuckerman also led the development of the nearby town of Edgemoor, Maryland. His daughters donated the drapes with a note stating that they came “from our parent’s house” (page 178 of scanned accession file). It is likely that the house in question was the family home called Tuxeden in Bethesda, Maryland. The drapes feature two different patterned silks. One pattern, the superposed circles or “shippo” is a symbol that represent the treasures of Buddhism, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, seashell, agate, pearl, and carnelian. The second symbol is a meander pattern represents the marvels of the natural world. There is no reference that the silk was made in Japan or for a Japanese audience, or if they are a European interpretation of Asian aesthetics. Trends of Chinoiserie and Japonaiserie were prevalent in the 20th century. It is certain that Walter Tuckerman was an avid traveler, and in his letter to his friend Mr. Sampson in September of 1909 he expresses a wish to visit China and Japan someday (page 104 of scanned accession file). Whether it was intentional or not, it is poetic that a man who had such a love of adventure and the outdoors should have drapes in his house that celebrate the wonders of the natural world.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: used
content: United States: Maryland, Bethesda
label: associated place
content: United States: Alaska
label: associated place
content: United States: Maryland, Bethesda, Edgemoor
topic: label: user's community
content: Exploration and Discovery
label: associated subject
content: Symbolism
label: user's community
content: Banks
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 Mrs. E. Tuckerman Biays, Mrs. Draper L. Kauffman, Mrs. Robert G. Metters, Mrs. Willard Triest, and Mrs. Robert H. Williams
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.234919.0070b
label: accession number
content: 234919
label: catalog number
content: 234919.0070b
objectType: label: Object Name
content: valance
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: blue, gold, black (valance color)
label: Physical Description
content: meander, greek key, sunflower, shippo (valance pattern)
label: Physical Description
content: brocade, damask, braid (valance material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 23 in x 67 1/4 in x 3/4 in; 58.42 cm x 170.815 cm x 1.905 cm