Description:

Early Americana

2 pieces of Early Americana, with excellent provenance

 

Two pieces of Early Americana deaccessioned from a Virginia museum. The items include a fragment of a paisley shawl and a handmade pin cushion, both with handwritten nineteenth century provenance.

 

The paisley swatch has a wine red ground with geometric and floral decoration in brown, olive green, tan, and teal. In very good to near fine condition, with a few loosened threads. Folded and pinned, the fragment measures 6.25" x 3.75". Accompanied by a paper slip inscribed "Piece of old paisley Shawl over 200 years old worn in late 1600s."

 

The Asian style pyramidal pin cushion has three sides covered in different patterned silk fabric with black fringe pompoms at its corners. In good condition, one side with fabric shattering and minor loss. Pin cushion measures approximately 1.75" h. Comes with a paper slip reading "Pin cushion. 1830." Both the paisley shawl remnant and the pin cushion eventually made their way into the collection of the Luray Museum of Luray, Virginia.

 

The Luray Museum of Luray, Virginia was started by town resident Mary "Mollie" Zeiler Zerkle (1845-1933), who safeguarded artifacts of mostly local interest. According to family history, nineteen-year-old "Mollie" nursed Union soldiers after the 1864 Battle of New Market. She married Lemuel Zerkle, and the two lived in New Market, Virginia until 1890. That year, the family relocated to Luray, fourteen miles east across the Massanutten Mountain range, where Lemuel had secured a post as Superintendent of Luray Caverns. Local historian Daniel Vaughn reported that the museum operated between 1938-1960, after which point the collection was sold at auction.

 

Gene H. Baber of Fisherville, Virginia was an avid antique collector. His collection included everything from Civil War letters to epaulettes, from early frakturs to vintage wind-up toys.

 

Provenance: Estate of Gene H. Baber, Fishersville, Virginia; Collection of Mary "Mollie" Zeiler Zerkle and Lemuel Zerkle, Luray Museum, Luray, Virginia

 

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