Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Curtain |
Donor |
Hansen, Harley and Doris |
Description |
Curtain. Part of a set; its mate is 1989.080.006b. Curtain made from linsey-woolsey, a mix of linen and wool. Tan in color, with 4 sets of red horizontal stripes. The top of the curtain is narrower than the bottom edge due to pleats; top edge has three folds stitched together in the center and three folds stitched together on each end. Seven loops of blue thread handstitched along top edge on proper back surface, for a curtain rod to pass through. Along the top and bottom edges, fibers have been teased out to create a short length of "fringe." |
Dimensions |
W-28.5 L-66 inches |
Creation Date |
prior to 1882 |
Place Of Origin |
Denmark/Haderslev/Tyrstrup Sogn/Faurevraa |
Owned By |
Smidt, Jes |
Used By |
Smidt, Jes |
Material |
linsey-woosley/wool/flax |
Associated People |
Smidt, Jes Hansen, Doris |
Search Terms |
Smidt, Jes Hansen, Doris feather bed curtains linsey-woolsey Denmark Haderslev Tyrstrup Sogn Faurevraa Clinton Iowa Milltown Wisconsin stripes sewing handstitch |
Given In Memory Of |
In Memory of Jes Schmidt and His Wife Adelheid |
Provenance |
This set of linsey-woolsey curtains were made from materials recycled from Jes Smidt's feather bed. The date the feather bed was converted to curtains is unknown. Originally, the linsey-woolsey fabric was stuffed with geese feathers to make a feather bed. The feathers, plus the the flax and wool used to make the linsey-woosley fabric, were all from Jes Smidt's father's farm. Jes Smidt brought this bed with him when he immigrated in 1882. Jes Smidt is the maternal grandfather of Donor Doris Birkholm Hansen. Jes Smidt was born on 5 May 1855 in Faurevraa, Tyrstrup Sogn, Haderslev, Denmark. His father was Arendt Therkildsen Smidt (one variation of numerous spellings found in family and church documents) and his mother was Anne Eleanore Grau. Jes immigrated to the United States in April of 1882 on the S.S. Geiserand and settled in Clinton, Iowa, where he worked as a carpenter, woodcarver, and cabinet maker, and did some farming. His woodcarvings are reputedly found in churches throughout the United States. After three years in the United States, Jes returned to his hometown in Denmark and proposed to Adelheid Magdelene Raben (born 13 April 1854 in the same town). Jes and Adelheid married on 14 November 1888 in Clinton, Iowa. By 1894, they had three children: Erik Ahrindt Smidt, Eleanora Augusta Smidt (later Eleanora Birkholm, the donor's mother) and Augusta Elisa Smidt. After the death of Jes Smidt's mother Anne, Jes's father, Arendt, remarried. After his second wife died, Arendt immigrated to the United States and resided with his sons, Jens and Kristian, from 1891 until his death in 1896. When Arendt immigrated to the U.S. to be with his sons, he brought a family heirloom, his first wife's stepmother's mother's wedding dress. The wedding dress (1989.080.001) was passed down through the family and is now part of the museum's collection. In 1906, Jes and Adelheid Smidt moved to Milltown, Wisconsin, where they remained for the rest of their lives. Adelheid died on 10 May 1930 and Jes died on 30 June 1942. |
Date Received by Museum |
1989 |
Images |
015\1989080006a.JPG |
Accession number |
1989.080 |
Object Identification Number |
1989.080.006a |