AMERICAN DATED LINEN DRAWN-WORK PLAIN-WEAVE HAND TOWEL / SHOW TOWEL, with cotton cross-stitch and darning stitch embroidery, linen drawnwork, tabs and cotton fringe, rectangular, having plain panel with narrow rolled hems on three sides, and right side selvage edge, buttonhole stitch loops attached at top corners, drawn-work panel attached to plain panel using cretan (needle lace) stitch, with manufactured woven and knotted fringe applied along the bottom edge; the upper portion consists of a top row having a central motif of two stags facing a small tree, flanked by two dogs, two birds, two eight-pointed stars, above a row having central five-blossom tulip plant in fanciful bowl, flanked by two crowned hearts, then two flowering bushes with two sets of perching birds, then two branched diamond motifs, all above a single border of cross-stitching, and inscription; the drawn-work panel having central branched heart with crowns and initials, flanked by two birds atop flowering plant, then central carnation plant with two birds and below two larger facing birds flanked by two large carnation plants in baskets; embroidered "HS 1835 SF" on plain panel, "OEHBDDE" counterclockwise around branched heart, "1834" (34 backward) in upper left corner, "HS" (backward S) in upper right, and directly below the heart motif is an "S" on the left and an "F" on the right. Likely Pennsylvania. Dated 1835. 66 1/2" x 16 7/8" OA.
Good condition overall with uneven toning, two small areas of damage on sides, and one minute hole.
Provenance: From the Allentown Art Museum to benefit future acquisitions for the Museum's textile collection.

Good condition overall with uneven toning, two small areas of damage on sides, and one minute hole.