Antique JACQUARD Woven Coverlet, date 1840, Center Seam, Blue White Reversable

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Antique JACQUARD Woven Coverlet, date 1840, Center Seam, Blue White Reversable:
$200.00

This is a Jacquard woven coverlet that measures about 84 inches by 74 inches. It\'s blue and white. It feels like wool, and smells like wool, but the burn test was more like cotton (I only used one loose thread). No acrid burning hair smell and it didn\'t self extinquish like wool does. This has a center seam because the looms were not wide enough to weave spreads to cover the bed. They wove twice the length needed and stitched the two halves together. To get this complicated pattern the master weaver would have had a loom with 8 to 12 harnesses. Jacquard Coverlets were often made by itinerant weavers who would set up in an area and weave for as many local orders as he could. Then he would pack up and move to another area, loom and all. That was not an easy thing to do. In more urban populated areas they might could stay in one place and have requests sent to them. The Jacquard looms used a card system that helped keep track of the pattern and is considered a pre-cursor to computers. This spread is reversible with what would be considered a summer side (lighter), and a winter side (darker). All that is why Jacquards are usually much more expensive than overshot coverlets. The simpler geometric \'Overshot\' coverlets were colorful, but simpler to make. They could be woven on a 4-harness loom and homemakers could learn the process for themselves, if their husband built the loom. Plans were available. My Great Grand had a 2 harness loom she used to weave wool blankets with no pattern in Carroll County VA. Just a couple of stripes at each end. Grandaddy carded and spun the wool for her. He insisted on sleeping next to one of her blankets his entire life.

This coverlet is dated 1840 in the corners. The first several pictures are of the darker side. The last several are of the lighter side. The white seems to have more wear than the blue, but the blue has been mended in a few places. This might should be considered a cutter, but I hate to do that to items this old regardless of the condition. You can though. It does have areas where the pattern is intact and beautiful. It has some staining. Email if you have questions. This came from an estate sale, so I don\'t know it\'s exact provenance.

This will be sent Priority Mail insured.