coverlet; Figured and Fancy, double-cloth; 1839; New York
date: label: Date made
content: 1839
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: This Figured and Fancy, double-cloth coverlet was woven from two sets of wool and cotton warps and wefts in 1839 in Western New York. The coverlet measures eighty-two inches by seventy-six inches and is made up of two sections seamed in the center. There is fringe on three sides. The side and bottom borders feature confronted, eagles from The Great Seal of the United States and willow trees. Between the eagles and willow appears a stylized tulip flanked by two small peacocks. The centerfield is composed of floral medallions in the "Double Lily" of “Lilies of France” pattern combined with eight-pointed starbursts. This centerfield design is reflective of medallion patterns commonly found on carpets and of the fact that these weavers wove not only coverlets but also ingrain carpets. It is believed that the coverlet was commissioned either by or for the donor's great-great grandmother Mary Cooke, and family legend holds that she may have spun the wool yarns for this coverlet. Her name and the date 1839 appear in the lower cornerblocks. Although there are several Mary Cooks in Erie County near Spadina, NY in the 1840 census, it is likely that the Mary Cook named on the coverlet is Mary Graves Cook (1792-1871). A genealogical link to the donor has not yet been able to be established and more research is required to definitively link the donor with this particular Mary Cook. Clarita Anderson's American Coverlets and Their Weavers lists no as-of-yet identified weavers associated with Erie County, NY, however there are several in neighboring counties. More research into the recorded occupations of the county's residents is required to help narrow down and hopefully identify a maker. The border pattern is nearly identical to those used by coverlet weaver and loom patent holder, Jonathan Conger ((1801-1867) of Chemung and Tompkins Counties, New York. The “Eagle and Willow” border and “Lilies of France” centerfields were incredibly common patterns, so a Conger attribution may be premature at this time.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Sardinia
topic: label: depicted
content: Eagles
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 Lt. Col. Dwight Irving Cooke U.S.A.
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TE.T8867
label: catalog number
content: T08867.000
label: accession number
content: 163106
objectType: label: Object Name
content: coverlet, figured
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: Figured and Fancy (overall style)
label: Physical Description
content: double weave (overall production method/technique)
label: Physical Description
content: Eagle and Willow (border pattern)
label: Physical Description
content: Lilies of France/Double Lily (border pattern)
label: Physical Description
content: carpet medallion (center style)
label: Physical Description
content: blue (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: white (overall color)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 82 in x 76 in; 208.28 cm x 193.04 cm