Towel

Description

This towel has a spot woven pattern resembling a checkerboard of overshot squares. It has a cotton warp and linen weft, and small loops, for hanging, are attached to the center of the top and bottom edges. This probably dates to the first half of the 19th century, and may have been made or owned by a Harriet Story, whose name is written on the front. This towel comes from Helen D. Young’s collection of handwoven textiles made in the northeastern United States before 1900. Young (1894-1983) was a prominent weaver, teacher, author, and collector of coverlets. Her collection, now at Winterthur (2017.0019.051.001 - .038), contains a diverse variety of weave structures, reflecting Young’s interest in structure and regional variation, as well as her understanding of textiles as an art form. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017. The Winterthur Library also received a significant amount of material from ATHM, including the Laura M. Allen weaving draft collection, which was previously acquired by Marguerite Porter Davison and then Helen D. Young.