Tablecloth

Description

This linen tablecloth was woven in New England during the early 19th century, and was possibly made or owned by a Lucy Estes of New Hampshire. It has an overshot M’s and O’s pattern and an attached cotton fringe, which is less worn than the body of the tablecloth and may have been added at a later date. There is a large area repaired with a patch, which is also linen and the same pattern as the tablecloth, but more thinly worn – suggesting it may have been a napkin or towel repurposed as a repair patch. 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.