Valance
date: label: date made
content: 20th centrury
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" pattern with Japanese inspiration. 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 is decorated with concentric circles of black, blue, and gold thread. There is a small vertical seam after the first rosette on the left. 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 same small seam is hidden after the first rosette on the left, mirroring the top. The valance ends with a 2" stripe of blue and gold checkered braid edged with alternating black and blue tassels. The center of the braid is decorated with 19 circles that are the same as the center of the rosettes. The outer ring of black thread is coming off the 9th circle in from the left, and the third circle in from the right is almost entirely composed of black thread. The upper left edge of the valence is splitting open. On the reverse of the valance: The back is lined with an undyed twill cloth. There are 10 S hooks sewn into the top edge. The left side of the valance has two vertical rows of black stitching likely added to repair the stripes of braid. In the bottom right corner, there is water damage in a circular shape as well as a patch of further staining along the top, about 10 1/8" wide.
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: used
content: United States: Maryland, Bethesda, Edgemoor
label: associated place
content: United States: Alaska
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.234919.0070a
label: catalog number
content: 234919.0070a
label: accession number
content: 234919
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 1/4 in x 68 1/4 in x 15/16 in; 59.055 cm x 173.355 cm x 2.38252 cm