Circular braided wool rug, 1860–1890 (Historic New England 1998.1344)
Object · not yet checked at the source
- Date
- 1860–1890
- Place
- Castle Tucker, Wiscasset, Maine
- Held by
- Historic New England
- Number
- 1998.1344
- Materials
- wool
- Themes
- Rug-making techniques, Hooked & handmade rugs
Cite this source
Research notes
How it works: strips of cloth are folded and plaited into a three-strand braid, and the braid is coiled and sewn edge to edge into a round or oval mat. The Shaker Museum describes heavily fulled wool strips folded and braided in three strands and sewn into an oval (object 1959.11205.1, by Eldress Sarah Collins, South Family, Mount Lebanon; date not seen). Dating: Journal of Antiques says braided mats were common by the late 1700s, and Capel Rugs (a maker) describes settlers tearing old blankets and coats for braids. Both are trade sources, and no museum-dated 18th-century braided rug was found. Firm museum dates in this set begin with this 1860–1890 rug. Commercial braided rugs (e.g. Thorndike Mills, from 1921) are 20th-century. Sources: https://www.historicnewengland.org/explore/collections-access/gusn/18698/ · https://www.shakermuseum.us/object?id=19748 · https://journalofantiques.com/columns/antiques-peek-august-2017/ · https://capelrugs.com/pages/braided-info Research note (Oct 2026): from search results; pages not opened.