Chair cushion
Label Text
In 1766, Martha Washington received from London upholsterer Philip Bell the materials needed to create "one dozn. Chair bottoms." Over the next thirty-six years, she carefully cross-stitched a scallop-shell design she herself possibly created. While she may have intended for the canvases to upholster slip seats, they were ultimately fabricated into cushions that were likely placed on Windsor chairs. Its yellow worsted wool casing, multicolor, hand-knotted silk and wool fringe, and woven silk tape remain intact, making it a rare documented example of Martha Washington's needlework and original upholstery at Mount Vernon.
Read MoreRead Less
Date1765-1802
Maker
Martha Washington
(American, 1731 - 1802)
Supplier
Philip Bell
(English, 1740 - 1774)
Medium/TechniqueWool, silk, linen
DimensionsOverall (H x W x D): 3 1/2 in. × 19 in. × 16 1/2 in. (8.89 cm × 48.26 cm × 41.91 cm)
Credit LineGift of Mrs. R. H. Plant McCaw, 1949
Object numberW-1533/A
DescriptionD-shaped chair cushion with rounded front, cross-stitched with an all-over, repeating shell design in shades of yellow and red multi-strand worsted wool and yellow silk threads on 9 to 10-count linen canvas; yellow worsted wool casing, bound with silk tape; multicolor, woven silk tape with hand-knotted silk and wool fringe applied to the upper front seam; linen backing; on the reverse, following the curve of the top, is a row of running stitches in dark brown thread.Published ReferencesWilliam Armstrong, “Some New Washington Relics, I. From the Collection of Mrs. B. W. Kennon,” The Century Magazine XL: 1 (May 1890): 16.
Mount Vernon's object research is ongoing and information about this object is subject to change. For information on image use and reproductions, click here.
There are no works to discover for this record.