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Coverlet

Maker: Daniel Arnold ((Chambersburg, Franklin County, PA), born c. 1790 - 1810)

Made for: Louisa Crider ((Cumberland County, PA) 1806 - 1898)

Date: c. 1838
Medium: cotton and wool, biederwand weave, jacquard technique
Credit Line:Museum Purchase
Object number: 1975.8.85

Daniel Arnold worked as jacquard coverlet manufacturer in Chambersburg, PA and appears in the 1830 census as head of the household. He is listed as a weaver in the Census of Taxables, Franklin County, PA. in 1828 and 1835.  Other existing Arnold coverlets are dated 1835, 1836, 1838, 1839, 1844. 

This Beiderwand coverlet is made from cotton and wool with cotton supplementary binding warp, and was woven on a hand loom with a jacquard attachment.  Beiderwand is the term for a compound weaving structure which combines warp faced plain weave with weft faced plain weave, with the two constructions reversing themselves throughout the fabric.  Also characteristic are the vertically running ribs which are caused as the result of warp thread groupings.

It was made for Louisa Crider (1806 - 1898), the daughter of John Crider and Barbara Smith Crider of Chambersburg.  She was the second wife of John Shopp [Shupp] (1794 - 1887) whom she married on March 16, 1843.  She was a member of United Brethren Church, where her brother Christian S. Crider was a minister.

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