Description:
Jacquard woven, cotton table cover in a plain weave of light brown warp threads and medium brown weft threads, by the Scottish weaver, James Cunningham, who worked in New Hartford, Oneida Cty, NY. around 1835-1850. This piece is typical of his 1835-40 work. The design consists of four groups of stylized flowers arranged in a square in the center and a border of designs and/or text on all four sides. Each center flower group has an abstract round flower surrounded by six stylized tulips, with individual flowers with leaves between each group. On each of the two long sides (selvedge sides) is a border of spread eagles with shields, each separated by a flower and scroll design. All the eagles are 7 1/2" x 5-5 1/2", except two at one end which are 7.0" wide. The shorter ends have a border of matching eagles and designs, under which is "UNDER THIS WE PROSPER" repeated with alternating right and wrong sides as to how each phrase is read. A trellis-like design is underneath the repeating phrases. In each corner of the two shorter sides is text and a stylized figure of George Washington on a horse, with raised sword and bicorne with plume. Each corner has a right side and a wrong side, with opposite corners each having the same right side. Around the each corner figure: "1839 /UNITED /WE /STAND /DIVIDED /WE /FALL / WASHINGTON / J.CUNNINGHAM[?] /WEAVER N.HARTFORD /ONEIDA Co_ N. YORK." The shorter sides have two three-layered arches of eight-pointed stars, cherries (three to each group), and eight-pointed stars; arches are between each corner. The width of the table cover is complete, running from selvedge to selvedge. Condition is good, with general fading. Small amounts of darning throughout the table cover, and at each corner measuring 1.0 x 1.0" (possibly hung at an earlier time?). Dark brown spots, ring exist on both sides and 3 small patches.
Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=HD+1999.1 |
