Name/Title
Towel, Wallhanging: Good Morning 226Description
A four-color silkscreen print on off-white linen depicting roosters, weathervanes and radiant suns above the text “Good Morning” in script. Two roosters and a hen are rendered as Wert’s typical calico print fowl. A rooster sits atop a shock of wheat similar to those found on his Daily Bread prints. Two apple trees with heart-shaped apples complete the composition, the apple shape mimicking the red outlined heart on the tag line at lower right.
Good Morning is a recurrent theme in Wert’s work and can be found on table linens, tiles and art prints.
A matching tile and apron were also produced. These items were available singly or in matched gift sets; see images. This print was offered on both off-white and natural linen. This example is printed on off-white linen.
This towel/wallhanging appears in the brochures “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, “Suggest printing this number on white only”, indicating the unbleached linen version didn’t sell as well as the white linen version. Later in the memo he indicates the version on white was a bestseller overall amongst the Country Prints line.
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 a rod pocket to accept a dowel for hanging. Remaining edges are hemmed.Inscription/Signature/Marks
“© wert COUNTRY PRINTS” at lower left, and “by hand on pure Linen” preceded by outlined red heart.Dimensions
Height
30-1/2 inWidth
17 inMaterial
Bleached Linen, Textile InkColor
Teal, Red, Yellow Ochre, Black
