Name/Title
Towel, Wallhanging, Christmas: Twelve Days of Christmas 243Description
A towel/wallhanging featuring an abbreviated, illustrated version of the traditional English Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas. The four-color silkscreen print on bleached white linen depicts drawings of the twelve major figures in the carol, as well as Wert’s hand cut text naming each figure.
The order of characters nine through twelve is consistent with contemporary versions of the song published and recorded during Wert’s lifetime (Swortzel, 1966; see web link), even in the use of “collie birds” rather than the standard “calling birds”.
A matching tile and apron were also produced. These items were available singly or in matched gift sets; see images.
This print appears in the brochures “Fall and Christmas 1965, Robert Darr WErt/Country Prints”, and “Country Prints by Robert Darr Wert and Neighbors”, c.1963 and c.1966; see images.
This is one of over sixty designs sold by Country Prints to Stevens Linen Associates of Dudley, Massachusetts, in January 1969. From that point onward, the designs were produced by Stevens with all reference to Robert Darr Wert and Country Prints removed. Many of these designs continued to be produced by Stevens throughout the 1970’s and some into the 1980’s.
In a memo from Fritz Kaufhold (Country Prints business manager) to Bob MacKay (Stonelea Mills/Stevens Linen Associates) dated February 12, 1969, Fritz notes, “Seasonl — fair”, indicating this was no longer selling well by that time.
This towel/wallhanging appears on a c.1965 promotional postcard for Bromley & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, Country Prints’ New England wholesale representative to the gift trade.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1962Time Period
20th CenturyPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaNotes
Top edge is finished to accept a dowel rod for hanging. The three remaining edges are hemmed.Inscription/Signature/Marks
“COUNTRY PRINTS pure Linen”, lower left corner; “© wert by hand”, lower right corner.Dimensions
Height
30-3/4 inWidth
16-1/2 inMaterial
Bleached Linen, Textile InkColors
Color
Teal, Red-Orange, chartreuse, BlackColor Notes
Brown is produced by overprinting teal and red-orange.
