Jacquard Coverlet

Throughout much of the 19th century woven coverlets were widely used as bedspreads. Introduced into the United States during the later part of the 18th century by Scottish immigrant weavers, their patterning progressed from simple block patterns woven on counter balance looms to elaborate floral and figurative designs made on complex jacquard equipment. This coverlet was a commission completed by William Ney, a weaver working in Meyerstown, Pennsylvania. The pattern is often referred to as summer and winter; the red background you see here would be used during the winter months and during the summer the coverlet would be reversed to display the white ground. The clarity and evenness of the red color, probably derived from a cochineal dye, and the refinement of the weaving make this an exceptionally fine bed covering of its type.