Blankets, English and French, circa 1750-1800.

With a brief appendix of some 19th century types.

(A 1st Draft.)

The following notes include evidence for several English and French types manufactured as such. Other forms of
coverings, such as Native American trade "strouds", "matchcoats" and other textiles occasionally pressed into use,
require further study and a separate topic.

For information on Dutch blankets, also common in America during the 18th century, please see the excellent blog
post here: "Of Sorts for Provincials" http://ofsortsforprovincials.blogspot.com/2011/05/dutch-blankets.html

Further information may be added in the future as it is collected. For the time being, these seem to be the more
common types.

Pair of Thin Lines.

English. 1760.

Below: The Witney Master Blanket Weaver's Sash, 1760. This sash has two such sets of lines, one set
deep brown, the other a yellowish brown or golden shade. Witney Blanket History.

http://www.witneyblanketstory.org.uk/wbp.asp?navigationPage=Blanket+Weavers+Company

French. 1773.

Below: Detail from Nicolas-Bernard Lepicie, "Le Lever de Fanchon" 1773. Web Gallery of Art.
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/search.html

English. 1789.

Below: Detail from George Morland, "The Effects of Extravagance and Idleness", 1789. Sterling Times.
http://www.sterlingtimes.org/morland3.htm

For further examples of English blankets having a pair of thin lines, please see the following links:

"Evacuation Day and a Discarded British Blanket" by Patrick Browne.

A British military blanket with provenance to Boston ca 1776. Duxbury Rural and Historical Society.

http://historicaldigression.com/2013/03/16/evacuation-day-and-a-discarded-british-blanket/

An example at the New York Historical Society is 86 3/4 by 69 1/4 inches, and described as being "ivory"
in color and has lines in blue. It is attributed to being captured from HMS Boxer in 1813. This is unusual
as the other blankets from the Boxer have the lines in brown.
http://emuseum.nyhistory.org:8080/emuseum/

Additional images of the Duxbury blanket, and a blanket with brown stripes in the collection of Fort
Ticonderoga, may be seen here:

http://2nd95thrifles.myfastforum.org/index.php?component=content&postid=10274

English. 1800.

Below: "Rare Dated Norfolk Blanket Ca 1800". Meg Andrews Antique Costumes and Textiles.
http://www.meg-andrews.com/item-details/Rare-Norfolk-Blanket/7114

Single Stripe.

French. 1763.

Below: Detail from Jean-Baptiste Greuze, "Filial Piety", 1763. Hermitage Museum.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jean-Baptiste_Greuze_-_Filial_Piety_-_WGA10664.jpg
This blanket is "lettered". English blankets for the Native trade were made to mimic the French style.

Sir William Johnson describing blankets for trade with the Native peoples.

To John George Libenrood [Mount Johnson, August the 22th 1752.]

"Pray let me know if there be a possibility of Sending me a parcel of french Blankets, Kersey whale &
lettered, such as they Send to Canada for the use of the Indians... v I, p. 376-77.

To William Baker. [Mount Johnson, December 24, 1752.]

"...Please to observe the greatest fault of the Blankets formerly Sent me, was that they were woven too
Cloose, & the Wool too Short & Coarse. besides the letters, and other marks, Selvage &ca were not
exactly the Same of the Pattern, nor so neat, all which the Indns. are verry curious In." v. I, p. 384.

Sullivan, James, ed.; "The Papers of Sir William Johnson." 14 Volumes. University of the State of New
York, Albany. 1921.

It is worth noting that English blankets were typically a plain or "cloth" weave, while French blankets
were twilled or "kersey" weave; these English imitations of French blankets for trade in America were
evidently made to mimic the French in that respect.

Canada. Ca. 1778.

Below: This style, originally used by the French was copied by the British for trade to Native Americans.
After Friedrich von Germann, "Ein Canadischen Bauer", ca 1778. New York Public Library.
"Notes: 19th century watercolor copy after the original, which is in Germany."

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchdetail.cfm?trg=1&strucID=1928742&imageID=ps_p
rn_cd22_318&total=2&num=0&word=Von%20Germann%2C%20Friedrich&s=3&notword=&d=&c=&f=4
&k=1&lWord=&lField=&sScope=&sLevel=&sLabel=&sort=&imgs=20&pos=1&e=w

1775-1782.

Below: The Henry Marble blanket. Museum of the Fur Trade.

http://www.furtrade.org/museum-collections/clothing-textiles/?show=gallery
The Henry Marble blanket is top row, second from the left. The stripe is 2 3/4" wide. The blanket is 53"
wide by 72" in length per John Rees' article here. http://revwar75.com/library/rees/variety.htm

Single Stripe Bordered by Two Lines.

Single Stripe Bordered by Two Lines, in Red.

English-Colonial Trade. 1736.

Below: A Native of the Yuchi people. Detail from Philip George Friedrich von Reck, 1736. Royal Library,
Copenhagen, Denmark.
http://base.kb.dk/manus_pub/cv/manus/ManusPage.xsql?nnoc=manus_pub&p_ManusId=22&p_PageN
o=25%20verso&p_Lang=alt&p_Mode=img

Narrow Stripe bordered by Lines, in Brown.

English.

Below: "From home of Peter Burdett, Fort Lee." (New Jersey).

This example also has an embroidered "GR" and Crown in blue. We have not been able to associate this
with British military use. Other examples are mentioned in Florence Montgomery's "Textiles in America",
in a private collection in Virginia; at the Samuel Shaw house, Plainfield and at Sturbridge Village,
Massachusetts.
"Papers and Proceedings of the Bergen County Historical Society." 1915-1916. Number Eleven. Between
pages 68-69.

Montgomery, Florence; "Textiles in America". http://www.amazon.com/Textiles-America-1650-

1870Florence-Montgomery/dp/039373224X

Narrow Stripe bordered by Thin Lines, in Blue.

1770's.

Below: French. Detail from Jean-Baptiste Greuze, "The Complain of the Watch" 1770's. Web Gallery of
Art.
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/greuze/complain.html

Late 18th Century.

Narrow stripe bordered by thin lines, in red.

Below: French. Detail from Jean-Frederic Schall, "The Girl with the Birdcage," late 18th century. Victoria
and Albert Museum.
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O125770/girl-with-a-birdcage-seated-oil-painting-schall-jeanfrederic/

Stripes Overall.

English. 1780.

Below: Paul Sandby, "The Encampment in St. James's Park, 1780". Aquatint, 1783. Fine Art Museums of
San Francisco.
http://deyoung.famsf.org/search-collections

English. 1786.

Below: Thomas Rowlandson after Henry William Bunbury, "Symptoms of Tumbling", ca mid to late
1780's. Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection.

http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/oneitem.asp?imageId=lwlpr04733
English. 1799.

Below: Francis Wheatley, "Night", 1799. Yale Center for British Art.

http://collections.britishart.yale.edu/vufind/Record/1668648

Check Blankets.

English. 1768.

Below: "The Methodist Taylor caught in Adultery," Engraved by "Cabbage" (no doubt a fictitious name)
published by Robert Sayer, 1768. Lewis Walpole Library Digital Collection.
http://images.library.yale.edu/walpoleweb/oneitem.asp?imageId=lwlpr19478

Some references to check blankets in Colonial American homes.

746. Abel Shaler.

Bolton, Hartford County, Connecticut.

“Under bed 5/6 old sheets 10 pr new Do. £3 feather boalster 30/ 2 feather pillows 5 each 10/ two pillow
beers 4 each 8/ 1 Do. 3/ 1 Do. 3/ 1 check blanket 25_______________[£]7 04 00

1 birds Eye blanket 10 Linen bedticken 35/ old sheet 5/ 2 table cloths 4/ Strainer 2/ old Sheet 5/ 1 Do. 5/
1 trundle Bedstead 14___4 00 00...

A List of moveables Set to the Widow Hannah Shailor, Rellict of Abell Shailor late of Bolton Dec’d for her
necessity...
1 chekerd Blanket 25/ 2 old blankets 7...

June 3 1746.” p. 208-10.

Macdonough, Rodney; “The Macdonough-Hackstaff Ancestry.” Samuel Usher, Boston. 1901. Google
Books.

1785. Silvanus Blish.

East Haddam, Connecticut.
“An Inventory of the real and personal estate of Silvanus Blish, late of Colchester *Connecticut+,
deceased; apprized by us the subscribers, sworn as the law directs, November the ninth day 1785...

Bed, underbed, bolster, 2 pillows, 2 pare of sheets, bedstead, & cord, all wool black & blue & white
coverlid, brown & blue do black & white checked blanket, head sheet, vallance & Tester & mat, all in ye
room, all___4--15--0...” p. 59-60.

Blish, James Knox; “Genealogy of the Blish Family in America, 1637 - 1905.” Kewanee, Illinois. 1905.
Google Books.

1783-84.
Johann David Schöpf visiting Pittsburgh:
“One of their more important men was Captain Whiteye; who was strutting about wrapped in a
checkered blanket...” p. 276.

Schopf, Johann David; “Travels in the Confederation *1783 - 1784.+” Translated and edited by Alfred J.
Morrison. William J. Campbell, Philadelphia. 1911. Google Books.

Miscellaneous 18th Century Sources.

French Blankets and “Imitation” French Blankets.

“Nth Hampton, Aprill 29 -1747

Gentmn,

I have this day sent Pressing Letters to Mr. Lydius and to Coll Johnson to send twenty or thirty of the six
nations hither with all Speed, and have sent for 10 or 12 Stockbridge Indians, in Confidence that you will
Enable me to perform the Promise of the government.

I have a few goods sent to me by Mr Wheelwright which I know those Indians will despise being used to
wear much better.

I desire you would Please to send to New York for at least twenty Pieces of Stouds[sic] mostly blue, but
some red, and the like number of Pieces of French Blankets, or white Striped Blankets made in Imitation
of them, and let them be delivered to Mr. Edwards at Hartford or to my order...

John Stoddard.

*To+ Messrs. Coll. Wendal, Mr. Hutchinson and Mr. Hubbard.” p. 146.

“The New England Historical & Genealogical Register... for the year 1866.” Vol. XX. New England Historic-
Genealogical Society. Boston, 1866. At Google Books.

Samples of French Blankets.

“Please to observe the greatest fault of the blankets formerly Sent me, was that they were woven too
Close, & the Wool to Short & Coarse. besides the letters, and other marks, Selvage &ca were not exactly
the Same of the Pattern, nor so neat, all which the Indns. are verry curious In.”:

To William Baker

A. Df. s.

[Mount Johnson, December 24, 1752.]

“Sir

I am favoured with yours by Cap [missing] difficulty got home the goods sent me [missing] being so
[missing] Season (occasioned by a tedious passage) that the River froze ere [missing] Could reach Albany,
However they are all Safe. I am glad to find Strowds are something fallen, and I reckon all Wollens will
now [missing] Wool we hear is very low. Mr. Warren some time ago desired [missing] would Send him
Samples of French Blankets, & Such Ratteens as ye. Indians [missing]ost for Stockings, & coats, with the
prices that could be afforded for [missing] here. which I accordingly sent him last Summer, and presume
Lady [War]ren has received them. If so I should be glad you would please to send [missing]er for them,
and if you find such can be made there exactly to pattern [missing]erry way, & at the following prices,
then I would have you Send me four [hu]ndred Blankets, that is a hundred of Each Size, & 20 peices of
the Stocking Stuff Vizt. 10 Ps. of Each Sort. The largest Blankets at 6s. P, Next size at 4/6 P, Next to that
3/9, or 4s the most, & 2/6, or 2/9 for the smallest. Two Shillings a yard for the Ratteens, or two & three
pence [a]t most. If it cannot be made for that price, then please to Send me [in] lieu thereof four Ps. of
the darkest purple Rateen Cloath Breadth as I usually have had, but let it be of the deepest or darkest
Colour, otherwise it soon fades. Please to observe the greatest fault of the blankets formerly Sent me,
was that they were woven too Close, & the Wool to Short & Coarse. besides the letters, and other marks,
Selvage &ca were not exactly the Same of the Pattern, nor so neat, all which the Indns. are verry curious
In. Please to send me also 12 Dozen of blew linnen [p. 384.] [p. 385.] Handkercheifs wth. small white
flowers, or Spotts in them, and 12 Doz: of India Do. Sorted. I am

Yrs. &ca

Wm. Johnson

P. S. pray be so good as to Write me wt. You think conscerning ye. ginseng for I shall be entirely directed
by what You advise me conscerning yt. Commodity the approaching Season

As I shall have occasion early in the Spring for a Surveyors Compass & Case of Instruments, beg the
favour of You to Send me a good one & let it be tryed there, for Several Sent from thence are not true,
let there be a Couple of Spare needles with it, and a Neat Strong Case of Wood to Carry the Compass in,
when I go abroad with it

Copia Vera Verbatim

[Indorsed by Johnson:

Coppy of a letter to

Mr. Wm. Baker dated

Decebr. the 24th, 1752-” p. 384-85.

Sullivan, James, PhD.; “The Papers of Sir William Johnson.” Division of Archives and History. Vol. I.
University of the State of New York, Albany, 1921.

Witney, and Decorating the Corners of Blankets.

“-Witney- is very famous for its woollen manufactory, which consists of what they call kersey-pieces,
coarse bear-skins, and blankets. The two first they make for the -North American- market; vast quantities
being sent up the river St. -Lawrence,- and likewise to -New-York.- Their finest blankets, which rise in
price to 3-l.- a pair, are exported to -Spain- and -Portugal;- but all are sent to -London- first in broad-
wheel waggons, of which, four or five go every week. The finest wools they work, come from
Herefordshire- and -Worcestershire,- and sell from 8 -d.- to 10 -d.- a pound. The coarsest from
Lincolnshire;- they call it daglocks; they sell for 4 1 / 2 -d. per lb.- and are used for making the coarse
bear-skins. There are above 500 weavers in this town, who work up 7000 packs of wool annually.
Journeymen, in general, on an average, earn from 10 -s.- to 12 -s.- a week, all the year round, both
summer and winter; but they work from four to eight, and in winter by candle-light; the work is of that
nature, that a boy of fourteen earns as much as a man. One of seven or eight earns by quilling and
cornering, 1 -s.- 6 -d.- and 1 -s.- 8 -d.- a week, and girls the same. Old women of 60 and 70 earn 6 -d.- a
day in picking and sorting the wool: a good stout woman can earn from 10 -d.- to 1 -s.- a day by spinning;
and a girl of 14, four or five pence. They weave according to the season; in winter kerseys and bear-skins,
ready for shipping in the summer up the St. -Lawrence;- and in summer blankets for home consumption,
and -Spain- and -Portugal.- One remarkable circumstance is, that none of the manufacturers ever work
for the farmers. The blankets usually purchased at home, are about 23 -s.- or 24 -s.- a pair, ten quarters
wide and twelve long; and the corners are wrought for a halfpenny a-piece.” p. 130-32.

*10 quarters = 90”. 12 quarters = 108”.+

Young, Arthur; “A Six Weeks Tour, through the Southern Counties of England and Wales...” London, M
DCC LXIX. [1769.] At Google Books.

“Point” Blankets.

September 15, 1776. New York Committee of Safety. Lists needs and alternates. Among them:

“Twenty Tons of Lead to be purchased and the residue of the money invested in 2 1/2 & 3 point
Blanketts fit for a Soldier to cover himself with or wrap himself in - and if Blankett cannot be procured
that they direct the Money to be Invested in such Coarse Woollens as are fit for Soldiers Coats, the Cloths
to be Blue Brown or Drab Colours.” (Rev’y MSS., N. Y. State Lib’y, I. 139h.) p. 94.

Mather, Frederic Gregory; “The Refugees of 1776 from Long Island to Connecticut.” J. B. Lyon, Albany.
1913. At Google Books.

A 3 point blanket with strong provenance, see John Rees’ article at:

http://tinyurl.com/7ko5sk
Use of Colonial Civilian Blankets by the British. Also comment on Quality of British Military Blankets.

“Epigram.

*‘Wrote extempore by Joseph Stansbury on seeing a thin, Sieve-like blanket returned by General Howe,
in lieu of a good -Rose Swanskin,- taken from a Quaker. 20]

When Congress had fled in a Fright from their Foes,

The Quakers they thought to snug under the -Rose.-

But -Billy,- who sees with the Glance of an Eye,

Soon found though the quakers were grave, they were sly:

Resolv’d to distinguish the -good- from the -bad,-

I’ll sift ‘em, he cries, if there’s sieves to be had!” p. 19.

Proclamation by Howe regarding need for Civilian Blankets.

Cites: *20.+ “-Philadelphia, October- 31, 1777. Five or Six Hundred Blankets are wanted for the Troops.
The inhabitants are requested to furnish that Number to the Barrack-master, who will pay for them, or
return them in a few Days.” p. 131.

[According to the editor, only one hundred copies of this proclamation were printed. SR.]

Sargent, Winthrop; “The Loyal Verses of Joseph Stansbury and Doctor Jonathan Odell; relating to the
American Revolution.” J. Munsell, Albany, 1860. At Google Books.

Below: Proclamation by General Sir William Howe. Philadelphia, January 15 1778. Library of Congress.
At this time "Rug" was a term commonly used for a bed covering. They were typically listed among
Barrack Stores.

http://tinyurl.com/ky6obpl

19th Century Blankets.

1834.

Below: George Catlin, "Kotz-a-tó-ah, Smoked Shield, a Distinguished Warrior", 1834. Smithsonian
Institution.
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/catlinclassroom/catlin_browsepagetribe.cfm?StartRow=1

1846.

Below: George Caleb Bingham, "The Jolly Flatboatmen," 1846. Manoogian Collection.
http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/american_stories_met_lacma/poel_mma_1109_09
.htm

English. 1817-1880.

Below: Henry Nelson O'Neil (1817-1880), "The Sleeping Soldier". Sotheby's sale, May 23 2013, Lot
L13132.

http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/british-irish-art-l13132/lot.8.lotnum.html
Some late 19th century Witney Blankets.
http://witneyblanketstory.org.uk/WBP.asp?page=hitlist&navigationPage=Object+search&mwsquery=%2
8+%7BObject+name%7D+%3D+%7Bblanket%7D+%29&filename=WBPobjects&submitButton=VIEW+RES
ULTS

Below: "Description Woven wool cream blanket with single blue stripe; made on a hand loom 1892, and
used until 1937." Witney Blanket Story.

http://witneyblanketstory.org.uk/WBP.asp?page=details&navigationPage=Object%20search&filename=
WBPobjects&mwsquery=(%20{Record%20number}={OXCMS%20:%201976.27.12}%20)