Star-patterned, pieced-wool bed cover, created by Martha Lutz Walter from her husband William Walter's Reading Railroad uniforms. Alternate black wool blocks are decorated with multicolored wool plushwork stars w/ raised, sculpted appearance. Remaining alternate wool blocks are secured with wool yarn ties. Seams of pieced blocks have green and red feather stitching. Binding stitch secures edges. Backing is blue and orange, striped, pilled cotton flannel.
Provenance
Made by donor's mother. William Walter was a station agent for the Reading Railroad in Denver, PA.
Plushwork decoration was popular in the early 20th century.
See Trish Herr's Amish Arts of Lancaster Co.1998 for other examples of plushwork and a description of this decoration on page 44. See page 45 for photos demonstrating this technique. See also pp. 90-91 for another example of a plushwork bed cover.
"This Newcomen address ... was delivered at the '1946 Schuylkill valley luncheon' of the Newcomen society of England, held in Mr. Brown's honor in the ballroom of the Necho Allen, at Pottsville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., on June 26, 1946."
"First printing: June 1946. Second printing: June 1946."
Pictorial survey of the Reading Railroad's Victorian era stations in the U.S., both large and small, highlighting the important work of architect Frank Furness. Includes complete 1920 station list. With bibliography. 120 pages with index.
