Textiles and the Triplett Sisters

As promised, I’m returning to the research topic of Baltimore Album Quilts. On a recent research trip to Baltimore, I spent time reading original sources including three diaries from the mid-nineteenth century. Two of the diaries were instrumental in guiding my research onto new discoveries about Baltimore Album Quilts. I’d previously written about the importance of the Washingtonians’ connections to Baltimore Album Quilts. (Here’s a link to that blog, if you’d like to reread.) At the time, I searched for the women’s auxiliary to the organization, which was sometimes referred to as Martha Washingtonians. However, I was puzzled when I couldn’t find much about these groups. However, one of the diaries mentioned that the Washingtonians women’s groups were associated with the local fire division. Consequently, it was easy to find information in the newspaper about these...

Debby Cooney a long time Baltimore Album Quilt researcher has correlated the Fountain block (follow link to see all the quilts) with the Temperance movement. It seems to have such a clear connection, but it made me wonder if it could be traced to a specific Temperance Society in Baltimore and/or members of a specific society. I began researching many of the different temperance societies and my working theory led me to the Washington Temperance Society which was created by 6 men who were artisans/laborers including a tailor who would become President at the Chase Tavern at 22 N Liberty Street in 1840. Membership topped 700 by the end of the year, and it had 5,000 members by 1842. The Washington Temperance Society used the phrases “fountain of health, fountain of life” in their promotional materials. Additionally, the...

According to Peter Floud, former curator at Victoria & Albert Museum, the generally accepted theory that English calico printworks was established about 1690, has no factual basis. Instead, we need to acknowledge that English textile printworks were established much earlier. Yet the myth persists, as well as the myth that complicated printing techniques in England didn’t start until 1815-1825. Block printing of simple patterns had been practiced since the 12th century onwards, although not necessarily colorfast. The credit for establishing calico printing as an industry in England should be given to William Sherwin at West Ham in 1676, yes, the 17th century. William Sherwin was an engraver in the 1660’s to the crown and in 1676 he was awarded patent #190 for inventing a new method of printing calicos. (Note: According to the British Museum, “this...

Blackburn greys was a fabric of linen weft and cotton warp that was made in the Blackburn area of Lancashire, England and primarily made in the area by weavers at home. About 1750 Robert Peel living on Hole House Farm, near Blackburn invented a wooden roller system (wooden cylinder carved in relief) which was later known as a mule machine to print on fabric. Robert Peel would give up farming to focus on calico printing. Later one of his sons would introduce the engraved copper cylinder to their firm Peel & Co. Sadly, in December 1791 their cotton works made the newspaper for a large fire. The company then called Peel, Aintworth, and Co. would recover, but needed additional capital. William Yates would provide the capital and thus the company would become known as Peel, Yates,...

Just a reminder that because of the chinoiserie medallion in a recent acquisition quilt, we are continuing to research early textile printers in England. Because the medallions, panels, and borders printed were considered furnishing prints, not a basic calico, we’ve been exploring early furnishing printers from the late 1700s and beyond. Bannister Hall and Bromley Hall are the most frequently cited textiles printers from the period, however both printers went through multiple different owners and did commission printing for furniture manufacturers. (To learn more about Bannister Hall and Bromley Hall, click on their names to read a previous blog post.) Besides William Kilburn, a leading textile designer discussed in our last blog, Richard Ovey of Covent Garden was the leading London merchant for furniture prints from 1790 to 1831. Textiles at the Victoria and Albert Museum...