PENNSYLVANIA DATED LINEN PLAIN-WEAVE HAND TOWEL / SHOW TOWEL, with cotton cross-stitch and darning-stitch embroidery, linen and cotton darned panel, tabs and fringe, rectangular, with commercial fringe and darned panel joined to a plain panel, hemmed side edges and selvages to the top and bottom; across the top of the panel is a row of 'S' motifs, stylized tulip plant with drop flower on top, eight-pointed star and stylized plant, eight-pointed star, and stylized tulip plant, above a second row of "S" motifs with stylized flower tulip plant on heart base, carnation plant on heart base, potted stylized plant, carnation plant heart base and tulip plant heart base, all above a third row of letters "IHBHAHEHMH" with date "1836" and name "Maria Hunsicker", empty border around panel with stylized tulip plant in center with date "1836" across top, plant flanked by eight-pointed stars with initials "MH" flanking base of plant. Possibly Lehigh Co., Pennsylvania. Dated 1836. 53" x 15 5/8" OA.
Good condition overall with some scattered small stains and overall fading to red embroidery.
Provenance: From the Allentown Art Museum to benefit future acquisitions for the Museum's textile collection.
Catalogue Note: A Maria Magdelena Hunsicker was born in 1822 to Peter Hunsicker and Sarah Bachman.

Good condition overall with some scattered small stains and overall fading to red embroidery.