Tablecloth

Description

This white linen tablecloth was probably woven in New England during the early 19th century, and may have been made or owned by a Harriet Story, whose name is written in one corner. Its double-faced twill pattern consists of alternating warp-faced and weft-faced blocks of different sizes, which is meant to create an optical illusion effect if seen in the right light. 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.