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Description
This linen coverlet was probably woven in New England during the first half of the 19th century. It is comprised of two panels sewn down a center seam and is hemmed along two edges. The coverlet has an overshot pattern, sometimes called a “Table and Wheels” or “Sixteen Snowballs” pattern, which consists of groups of circles arranged in rows to create a square area. Overshot rectangular areas fill in the cardinal directions between each group of circles. This coverlet 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.