Historic Americana
Beautiful Signed & Dated “1851” Jacquard Pennsylvania Coverlet
1851-Dated, Signed & Dated, Jacquard-Woven Coverlet, Trexler Town, PA, Extremely Fine.
1851 Pennsylvania Made, Jacquard coverlet, 96” x 72.5” being olive, red, and navy in color, with woven inscription: “MADE BY E. HAUSMAN. TREXLER TOWN. PA. 1851.” Not listed in “Threads of History,” but the folk appeal could compare with some of the examples printed there. The pattern depicts a large flower at center--could also be a 12-pointed star--surrounded by additional floral and leafy vine designs in red, olive, and navy to the perimeter of the coverlet. Trexlertown is a community in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. It lies in the Lehigh Valley.

One of the repeating motifs along the border resembles a simplified angel with arms and wings outstretched; the design is perfectly symmetrical, as is the alternating coloration of the entire piece, which begins with an horizontal olive and canvas stripe in the center and radiates red horizontal lines, followed by navy and back to olive. Appealing “folk art" character, a few minor repairs, and slight tears near border; otherwise in great shape.
Joseph Jacquard (1752-1834) recognized that weaving, although an intricate and delicate task, was highly repetitive task. He believed that the weaving of complex patterns could be automated. He conceived a system that relied on stiff, pasteboard cards with various patterns of punched holes. At each throw of the shuttle a card was placed in the path of the rods. The pattern of holes in the card determined which rods could pass through, and thus acted as a program for the loom. This control system allowed for flexibility and various levels of complexity in the patterns.