The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: W. N. Swett & Co.

Title: Perforated Embroidery Patterns

Dates: ca. 1890

Call No.: Col. 615

Acc. No.: 01x82

Quantity: 1 box and 1 folder

Location: 3 J 3, Map Case 3, drawer 4

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

W. N. Swett & Co. of New York was a publisher of books, chiefly having to do with handicraft, cooking, and music. The company was listed in New York City directories as a printer from 1889 to 1915. The company may have started in Lynn, Massachusetts, or simply had a branch there. The founder was William N. Swett. Later, he started Ye Little Book Shop.

Among the works published by the company was Complete Manual of Instructions in the Art of Stamping with Perforated Patterns (1891), a handbook to go along with the perforated patterns also printed by the company. In the manual, the person doing the transfer is instructed to place the pattern on the fabric, rub a special powder over the holes, remove the pattern, place a thin piece of paper over the fabric and then iron it in order to set the pattern. The special powder was available from the company, but the manual also included recipes for making one’s own. Although one could transfer, or stamp, patterns for oneself, the booklet also advises “professional” stampers on prices to charge for such items as widths of fabric (for borders for skirts), tidies, table scarves and covers, splashers, tray cloths, lambrequins, lamp mats, aprons, and toilet sets.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This group of forty-one perforated patterns was designed to ease the transfer of embroidery designs from paper to fabric. Included are patterns for alphabets, flowers and leaves, birds, insects, a few animals, some human figures, teapots and cups and saucers, a Palmer Cox Brownie, borders, and other designs. Some of the designs are complete in and of themselves, such as round table mats in several sizes. Others are small motifs which one could combine to make a larger design. The letters would have been used to monogram personal items. As well, there are several phrases that were to be used on fabric cases for gloves, handkerchiefs, or face veils (e.g. “Folded in this dainty case are filmy veils for thy fair face”). Some of the papers bear the watermark of W. N. Swett & Co.

ORGANIZATION

The collection is arranged in accession number order. All the sheets with alphabet designs are grouped together.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from Carol Sullivan, Marlboro, Massachusetts, whose great-grandmother, grandmother, and great-aunts used the patterns.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Cox, Palmer, 1840-1924.

Topics:

Embroidery – Patterns.

Handicraft.

Designers.

Embroiderers.

Patterns (design elements).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 3 J 3, Map Case 3, Drawer 4

Folder 1:

01x82.1 brown paper wrapper that covered the rest of the patterns, on the inside is a drawing of water lilies, signed Gracy Gardner

Folder 2:

01x82.2 holly table mat; floral table mat; scalloped borders; floral sprigs; windmill

01x82.3 floral table mat with butterfly; spray of flowers; fern frond; floral and leaf sprigs

01x82.4 basket of strawberries; triangles with circles; lamb; fruit; large floral design

01x82.5 sprays of flowers; border with teapot, teacup and saucer, creamer, sugar bowl, and plate; knife/fork/spoon; urn; numbers; fans; pitcher in bowl; crossed racquets; multipointed star; butterfly; floral sprigs

01x82.6 butterflies; thistles; stylized leaf border; shell-like border; paper watermarked with company name

01x82.7 square of water lily blossoms, squares of scalloped borders, sprigs of violets

Folder 3:

01x82.8 various birds; water lily and pad; butterfly; anchor; sugar bowl; umbrella; child with hands over its eyes; tennis ball and racquet; fruit and floral sprigs; teapot; ship; carving knife and fork; arrow; fan; head with wings; stylized leaf border; miscellaneous designs; number 139 in one corner (order number?)

01x82.9 2 dogs (a dachshund and a pug); wreath of fruit (olives?); floral sprigs; scalloped border; flowers

01x82.10 small table mats with stylized floral designs; Palmer Cox Brownie; tomato and ear of corn; loaves of bread; word “Baby” decorated with flowers; doves with sun rays; crossed shepherd’s crooks; sitting child; star-like and ribbon/floral borders; number in one corner: 369 D (order number?)

01x82.11 spray of carnations or pinks; fish and fishing rod; snowflake; flag; scalloped borders; leaf; crossed shoes

01x82.12 spinning wheel; horseshoe with flowers; knife/fork; floral sprigs; sunburst; word “Hankerchiefs” [sic]

01x82.13 three owls, one with guitar and another with music book, with words “I can not sing the owl a song”; words “Christmas Greeting” with flowers; words “ The rose is a sign of joy and love,” with roses; floral sprigs

Folder 4:

01x82.14 man with dog; large stylized flowers (Japanese-type design); floral and leaf sprigs; leaf and scalloped borders

01x82.15 words “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry” with flowers; words “Folded in this dainty case are filmy veils for thy fair face,” floral corner, spray of flowers

01x82.16 round floral table mat; windmill; scalloped, floral, and zigzag borders; fuschias in a v-shape design

01x82.17 sheaf of wheat; girl waving; house; swan; crossed brush and comb; floral and strawberry sprigs

01x82.18 basket with ribbons and flowers; square design with leaves and scalloped border; floral and leaf sprigs; word “Power” penciled in one corner

01x82.19 rectangle of ribbon with flowers and floral sprigs [for a large table mat?]

Folder 5:

01x82.20 sprays and sprigs of flowers and leaves; paper watermarked with name of company

01x82.21 student frog on a bench; man with bird; chicks looking at spider web; fan; dogwood spray; round table mat with wreath of flowers; floral sprigs; figure with muff

01x82.22 boats on sea; large iris design; floral and leaf sprigs; border with teapot and cups and ivy; the word “Cake is penciled in one corner

01x82.23 spider in its web web, hanging in a fruit tree; butterflies; fruit sprigs; dragonfly; stylized leaf and flower border; words “Hide what hides my lady’s face within this sweet and dainty case,” decorated with ribbons

01x82.24 peacock feather; butterfly; word “Baby”; leaf; floral sprigs; spray of buds; coffee pot between cups resting on top of dragon heads; word "Power” written in pencil in one corner

01x82.25 male figure (perhaps a lion tamer), floral and leaf sprigs, anchor, star, flowers, cat playing a fiddle, animal (rabbit with short ears?), man with elephant

Folder 6:

01x82.26 small round table mats with floral designs, and one that might be stylized butterflies; fan; floral sprig; scalloped design; leaf border

01x82.27 woman in bloomers riding a bicycle; ribbon bows; floral sprigs; flowers; leaves

01x82.28 spray of tulips; word “Gloves”; scalloped borders (one with flowers); holly; bird; flowers; spider web

01x82.29 small table mats with different flower borders, labeled Sweet Pea, Rose, Pansy, Lily of the Valley, Orchid, Bluebell; butterflies; anchor over 2 v-shaped stripes

01x82.30 words “Useful as well as ornamental” with leaves; flying insects; floral, leaf, and acorn sprigs; flag; teacup; pitcher; anchor

01x82.31 dog within a circle decorated with dogwood; floral sprigs; miscellaneous motifs; scalloped border with flowers; words “The last and greatest art – the art blot” with crossed quill pens; crown

Folder 7:

01x82.32 three alphabets (same as in 01x82.35); transferred onto the piece of paper are another alphabet, a bowl, knife/fork/spoon, cup, asparagus, and fan – these patterns are not perforated but show what the designs would have looked like after having been transferred

01x82.33 two alphabets, one decorated with flowers and with a rectangle in the middle of the letters; fruit; words “Best Wishes”

01x82.34 alphabet; flowers; cross; horse’s head; horse shoe; 2 figures and a sun over the word “Miami”; figure holding bottle labeled “Sherry”; girl wading; mouse (?) wearing a beret (?)

01x82.35 three alphabets (same as in 01x82.32)

01x82.36 two alphabets, one with flowers; spray of flowers

01x82.37 alphabet with leaves; numbers’ scalloped border

Folder 8: (oversize, in Map Case 3, Drawer 4)

01x82.38 large round table mat with floral design and butterflies; floral sprays and sprigs; spider in its web

01x82.39 large round table mat with floral design; scalloped border; floral sprigs; spray of fuschias; birds looking at birdhouse with the words “House Hunting” underneath

01x82.40 floral sprigs; bird; long floral design; church within a border; racquet with floral spray; dogwood; scalloped border; large floral design

01x82.41 group of people under a very large umbrella; teakettle over a fire being lit by dragons; fleur de lys; floral designs and sprigs