Name/Title
Frame, NeedleworkContext
Perched in front of the Eastlake fainting couch in the Cochran Girls' Room on the second floor of the Neill-Cochran House Museum is a walnut tapestry screen used to stretch out textiles to work on larger needlework pieces.
This needlework stretcher was signed and dated on the bottom of the left leg by master woodworker, Peter Mansbendel in 1925. Mansbendel (1883-1940) was born in Basel, Switzerland, learned woodcarving under a local master, and later studied at the Coquier-Roland School of Art in Paris, before immigrating to the United States. Mansbendel arrived in Austin, Texas, in 1911, and opened a studio at 109 W. 9th Street, where he worked until his retirement in 1939. His pieces are prized for their fidelity, strength, and spirit.
The pre-worked needlework is a reproduction of a period design (pre-worked patterns were very popular in the early 1900s). NSCDA-TX member Vereen Woodward stitched the wool background in 2016.
This stretcher was gifted to the NCHM by the estate of Virginia Woodward Houghton. You can see all of the artifacts in our collection, Wed-Sun, 11-4pm.
Source: Texas State Historical Association Handbook of TexasAcquisition
Accession
2007.06Source or Donor
Houghton, DudleyAcquisition Method
GiftCredit Line
On behalf of Virginia Woodward Houghton