Done in cross stitch. Background in wheat gold, floral pattern. Repeated every 21'. Edge turned under and lined with green cotton twill. One end is turned under and weighted, other end is folded triangularly and stitched. Brass ring on latter end is 3/4"
Remains of green silk at both ends over linen. Backing appears to be natural color linen with an open weave wool decorated with needlepoint floral-design repeated about ten times down length. Red rose/lavender rose/blue violets, with green leaves also shadings of brown.
Bellpull. Yarn braid (green and tan) on edges. Needlepoint and beadwork, simple paisley pattern. Red, clear, and gold beads. Yarn colors are red, gold, greens, and browns. Canvas backing. Brass molded ends with 'c' scroll and eagle and leaf motifs.
Brass end measurements: Top: 2.938' Bottom: 3.625'
Condition
Poor
Condition Date
2023-07-22
Condition Notes
Both brass ends are missing hardware fasteners, decorated material is threadbare and numerous beads are missing. Both the decorated material and the linen backing is dirty.
Object ID
W.1989.374.001
Notes
Belonged to donor's great-great-grandparents in 1850s in New York (Brooklyn).
Hand towel, plain-weave linen, elaborately decorated with blue and red cotton cross stitch as well as drawn thread panels. Hanging tabs are plain-weave linen tape, 3/8" wide and very long.
Panel #1 has "MARIA" at the top flanked by large floral trees growing out of hearts. Second line reads: "MACDALLNA DAMY" and 3rd line is: "MY HAND AND NWEDLE." Below are 5 large tree motifs grounded on a horizontal embroidered line, followed by 8 small grounded trees.
Panel #2 is a drawn thread panel w/ cotton darn-stitched designs. Drawn threads stop short of sides -- unusual.
Panel # 3 has five blue and red motifs: star at center flanked by crowned peacocks, in turn flanked by geometric motifs.
Panel # 4 is a tripartite design: center has "HF" within an ornately embroidered red and blue heart, flanked by drawn thread panels w/ cotton darn-stitched trees surmounted by birds. (Initials stand for future husband Henry Fenstermacher, married the following year,1837.)
Panel #5 is very similar to panel #3.
Panel #6 is another drawn thread panel stopping short of sides, decorated w/ cotton darn-stitched geometric designs.
Panel #7 has upper case alphabet ending with the date 1836.
Panel #8 has three lines: "CHRISTOPHER/ DAMY CATHARINE/ DAMY A D 1836." (parents)
Plain self fringe at bottom has an applied short panel of linen with an elaborate knotted self fringe.
Made by Maria/Mary Magdalena Demmy (1811-1884).
Seller pinned on a note stating the mate to this towel (made by sister Elizabeth) was sold in the Rich and Joan Smith sale for $2400, inventory # CB29. Both towels illustrated in This is the Way I Pass My Time, p. 31.
Note: Older sister Maria/Mary Demmy's taufschein is P.06.15.1.
Framed hand towel. One large embroidered panel with pelicans. Two-inch panel of loose weave linen added to bottom,decorated with wide band of red cotton with sawtooth edges . Main panel is bleached plain weave linen. Embroidered decoration is done in red cotton, now faded to dark pink.
Panel is 13" high x 16.5" wide, with a symmetrical design except for the initials and date. Embroidered stylized heart at top center with two interior stars and smaller interior heart. At upper corners of panel are large flowers above a decorated branch, under which are large, facing pelicans, each feeding 2 young birds with blood from their pierced breast. At bottom is a small heart motif flanked by facing birds. To the right of this motif is "1808" and to the left is "A C" and "W I".
Conserved Nov. 1997 by Dorothy McCoach of Bethlehem, PA.
Yellowish stains around edges. Discoloration above initials. Pencil marks in upper right corner. Darned diamond pattern in bottom panel has a few minor "pulls". Bottom extension detaching at two points.
Mounted in frame by Lancaster Galleries.
Object ID
G.97.39.2
Credit
Gift of Hampton Randolph, Sr., Heritage Center Collection
