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Coverlets from the collection of Foster and Muriel McCarl. Hardcover book by Clarita Anderson.
Two private collections of American handwoven coverlets, both including well-preserved examples created mostly in the Middle Atlantic states, Ohio, and Indiana between the 1810s and the 1860s, are presented in these two books. The McCarl collection is on display in Colonial Williamsburg through next year, but the Shein collection is not currently on exhibit. The coverlets, of a type known as fancy and figured coverlets, feature elaborate patterns incorporating such images as flowers, foliage, animals, government buildings, and patriotic scenes. Names of the weaver and client and the date and place of production are frequently woven into the corner blocks. The volume on the Shein collection is mainly a lovely picture book, presenting full-page photographs of both the fronts and backs of 105 coverlets. There is minimal identifying text, and a short, disjointed introduction contains some tidbits about the production of coverlets and their place in the political and social setting of the 19th century. The book on the McCarl collection presents close to 60 coverlets in full-page photographs showing their front sides, with close-up photographs of their corner blocks and a page of text for each coverlet, explaining the design motifs and summarizing what is known about the weaver. Almost half of the McCarl book is devoted to a biographical dictionary of over 700 known coverlet weavers, including information about extant coverlets believed to be theirs and the historical record of their lives. Both books contribute additional examples to the coverlets that have been documented in a number of previous volumes, while the McCarl book includes a unique addition in the biographical dictionary. Providing a good overview of the artistic range and the current appeal of these historical coverlets, these beautiful books are suitable for public libraries and specialized collections.
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