Bag (Carpet)

Description

This carpet bag, featuring a large floral pattern, was made around the mid-19th century. The floral design on the exterior is woven from wool in black, red, brown, orange, and yellows. The interior is lined with plain weave, white cotton fabric and contains a hinged divider. In the 19th century, carpet bags were often used to hold luggage; this bag has a metal locking mechanism so the owner could secure their belongings while traveling. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.