Pattern: Vine
Concord Stripe and Vine
This striped flowering vine pattern was quite popular at the turn of the 19th century. It exists in at least two virtually identical versions, and has been found throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Adelphi’s pattern is from an example in the collections of Historic New England. It is from the Wheeler House in Concord, where it was … Continued
Chestertown Vine
The surviving document for Chestertown Vine was found in the Buck-Bacchus Store, the oldest commercial building in Chestertown, Maryland (and also the home of Adelphi’s Buck-Bacchus Border). The building was constructed in 1735 by John Buck, a wealthy Devonshire, England merchant who expanded his business holdings in the Colonies. The building was purchased by William … Continued
Butterfly Chintz
The original antique document for this pattern was purchased by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for its collection. Little is known about the origins of this early French pattern, although the use of multiple floral species emanating from a single vine was a popular one. Exceptionally beautiful, it illustrates how closely fabric and wall hangings correlated … Continued
Blue Hill Stripe
Discovered in the parlor of an 1803 Federal house in Blue Hill, Maine this dramatic pattern is an excellent example of the melding of two motifs: one, a set of stripes and the other a dense, overall foliate. The concise interplay between these two components, plus the bold use of colors, strongly suggest a French … Continued
Bixby Vine & Drapery
The Bixby Vine and Drapery pattern is similar to patterns being printed by Moses Grant, Jr. during the same time period. Nevertheless, it is thought that the document of this pattern was probably not from the Grant factory but was a copy. Two examples are known to exist. One is found lining a hide covered … Continued
Bellingham Cary Vine
Found in the parlor of the 18th century Bellingham-Cary House in Chelsea, Massachusetts, this scrolling vine pattern is an example of an early 19th century roller printed pattern. The relatively small repeat is typical of early mechanized printing, as the technology for producing larger rollers, and therefore larger repeats, had not completely been developed. The … Continued
Ada Harris
This wonderful, folksy paper, clearly American in style and design, was found in the home of Ada Harris, a legendary antiques dealer from upstate New York. The house was originally a tavern in Sangerfield, along the post road from Boston to Buffalo. Ms. Harris claimed the paper was from an upstairs bedchamber; it is typical … Continued