Lucy Bakewell Audubon (attributed to)
British-American, 1787-1874
Table Mat, circa 1832-1833
Kerstin Houger Collection, JJA.2014.2a
This is a lamp mat thought to have been crocheted by Lucy Bakewell Audubon, wife of John James Audubon. The mat is circular and one of two identical mats (2014.2b). It is made of wool yarn that is red, pink, and brown and gathered in swags and stitched to a linen backing. The yarn forms a concentric circle pattern starting with the pink colors and ending with the brown colors on the outside. There are eight rows of stitching with beads. Six rows of stitching in various shades of red going towards the center, with the outer two rows in brown. It is possible that the pink colors were once red but faded with time. Between each of the swags are several stitched-on dark gray metal beads. The center of the mat has no wool but a layer of beige silk against the linen backing. The lamp mats are believed to have been made by Lucy at Lincoln House in Dennysville, Maine.
Where can you view this object? As of the writing of this post, the table mat is located in a display case in Gallery C of the Audubon Museum.
Questions? Contact museum curator Heidi Taylor-Caudill at 502-782-9716 or [email protected].
