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 and 2” up from the bottom of the valance. The stripe is edged on the top and bottom with gold, black, and blue twisted cord. Along the gold stripes run 6 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 seam after the first rosette from the left on the top and bottom. Underneath the gold stripe, the center of the valance is composed of the blue and gold sunflower brocade. It appears to be made from the two selvage edges of the fabric, as the bound edges are whip stitched together 16 7/8” in from the left edge. Two horizontal sections of braid run along the length of the valance 2” below the top gold stripe and directly on top of the lower gold stripe. The valance ends with a 2" stripe of blue and gold checkered braid edged with alternating black and blue tassels. On the braid are 13 decorative circles that match the centers of the rosettes. The black stitching is coming loose on several circles. The center of the first rosette from the left is coming loose. On the top and bottom it appears that the 3rd rosettes from the left are missing. Most notably, the left side of the valance is a raw edge and there is some fraying. The reverse of the valance is lined with undyed twill. The top edge has 7 rings sewn in. It appears the leftmost ring is missing. There is a circular water stain 12 5/8” in from the left edge and 7 1/8” down from the top. There is a smaller circular water stain 1” down from the first.
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, Edgemoor
label: associated place
content: United States: Alaska
topic: label: associated community
content: Exploration and Discovery
label: associated community
content: Banks
label: associated subject
content: Symbolism
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.234919.0070c
label: accession number
content: 234919
label: catalog number
content: 234919.0070c
objectType: label: Object Name
content: valance
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: blue, gold, black (overall color)
label: Physical Description
content: meander, greek key, shippo, checkerboard, sunflower (overall pattern)
label: Physical Description
content: brocade, damask, braid, twill (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 22 3/4 in x 46 1/4 in x 7/16 in; 57.785 cm x 117.475 cm x 1.11125 cm