American Coverlets & Their Weavers: Coverlets From Collection Of Foster & Muriel Mccarl (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series) [Hardcover]

Clarita S. Anderson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

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.
Kathryn Wekselman, M.Ln., Cincinnati
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 261 pages
• Publisher: Ohio University Press; 1 edition (June 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821414445
• ISBN-13: 978-0821414446
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #376,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative, helpful, July 14, 2009

By 

David McCarty (State College, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Coverlets & Their Weavers: Coverlets From Collection Of Foster & Muriel Mccarl (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series) (Hardcover)

Bought the book for research on a coverlet passed down to me through family. It contains the information I needed and a great deal more information about coverlets and their backgrounds.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect resource, May 7, 2009

By 

Swuanette A. Smith "Swan" (Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Coverlets & Their Weavers: Coverlets From Collection Of Foster & Muriel Mccarl (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series) (Hardcover)

When we needed information on a specific weaver, John Kaufman, this was our best source. It was exactly what we needed for written information and photographs of early American weavings.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great resource, but limited, January 21, 2012

By 

R. Rust - See all my reviews
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This review is from: American Coverlets & Their Weavers: Coverlets From Collection Of Foster & Muriel Mccarl (Williamsburg Decorative Arts Series) (Hardcover)

I have learned through my recent dive into genealogy that my gggrandfather was a weaver. So after discovering via GoogleBooks that he was included among the weavers, I excitedly bought this book. My hope was that I would learn some new information and actually see something he had created. However, he is one of the 700 weavers briefly referenced in the second half of the book with a short paragraph of information that I already knew taken from the census records. The first half of the book showcases beautiful coverlets of almost 50 weavers with a full page of information on both the coverlet and the weaver. Unfortunately, my gggrandfather was not among the 50.

If you are simply looking for a book on the history and background of coverlets and their makers, then I would highly recommend this book. It is beautifully illustrated, well-written, and very informative. If, however, you are hoping for extensive information on a specific weaver that you believe is included in the book, it would be wiser to find the book in a library first to see if your weaver and his work are actually showcased before purchasing the book. Lesson learned, but I will still keep the book because it is so well done, and the coverlets of his contemporaries are obviously reflective of his type of work.