Textile fragment

Description

The Dwight Manufacturing Company, located in Chicopee, Massachusetts, manufactured this cotton cloth sometime in the first half of the 20th century. This section of cloth includes the bolt end, with manufacturer information stamped in blue ink and an original label still attached. This textile was sold under the “Anchor Brand” trademark and features an embossed silver and gold label with orange accents. From the late 19th and into the 20th century, textile mills tended to market their goods under a variety of different brand names, or trademarks, depending on what the product was and where it was being retailed. Memorable names and labels helped differentiate products, while familiar brands held the promise of consistency and quality. The ornate “Anchor Brand” label on this cotton sheeting may have been intended to help the fabric stand out on crowded store shelves. This object is one of a large group transferred to Winterthur from the American Textile History Museum when it closed in 2017.