Tablecloth

Description

This white linen tablecloth has a spot woven pattern consisting of a series of interlocking concentric octagons with a square at the center of each. The tablecloth is comprised of two separately woven pieces which were then sewn together down the center. It was probably made during the early 19th century in New England, and may have been woven by or for a Sarah Edson, whose name is written in the lower left quadrant. This tablecloth 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.