May 27, 2020 Founders & Patriots
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/27/2020
"PIECE OF GENERAL ARTEMAS WARD'S BED-CURTAIN". It is approximately 20 inches wide and 24 3/4 inches long, one short edge being edge-bound with a 3/4 inch-wide, worsted crmson tape with yellow selvedge ends. Harrateen is a glazed, worsted upholstery material highly popular to about 1750, after which it gradually fell out of favor for more washable goods. It is of plain-weave, relatively coarse weave, with a wavy pattern achieved by a stamping pattern in a hot press, achieving a watered effect. It is believed that this piece of crimson "harrateen" was used on General Ward's camp bed during his Revolutionary War service. Harrateen was a popular choice for such purposes and in 1735, "a Field Bedstead and Bed, the covering a Blew Harrateen" were sold at "Publick Vendue" in Boston (Montgomery 1984: 256). CONDITION: very good, as described.
[with]
White linen sheet, approximately 92 L x 74 inches W, with a butt-joined, center seam. The sides are selvedge-edged and the top and bottom turned and overcast stitched. It is accompanied with a detailed note written in ink on an 8 x 5 inch sheet of laid paper with partial watermark "ire": "This is one of the Linen Sheets contained in the "Great Black Trunk" which was left by the British Officers, who left Boston in a hurry, at the "Evacuation" in 1775. The said Trunk was sold at Auction together with its contents a part of which (with the Trunk) was bought by Gen. Artemas Ward Commander in Chief of the Troops of Mass. Bay, and 1st. Maj. General under Gen. Washington. At the death of Genl. Ward, these articles came into the possession of his Daughter, Mrs. Sarah Brigham, and from her descended to her Daughter Mrs. Anna M. Phillips, and now, in 1881 to her Daughter, Mrs. H. M. Clark." CONDITION: the sheet is unmarked--there are some blood or rust stains at one end, near the center seam; otherwise the sheet is in good condition, with some old starch spotting and now an ivory color. JLK
Provenance: General Artemas Ward and by descent in the Ward-Brigham Family until 2012; private collection to present.