Name/Title
Towel, Wallhanging: Crewel 263Description
A four-screen/six-color silkscreen print on off-white linen depicting a traditional crewelwork tree of life. The tree of life bears flowers and fruit while attracting an owl, dragonfly, a squirrel and a buck.
According to Margaret M. Geary, this design is “recognizably a Louise Chrimes pattern”. In 1961, Wert and Country Prints produced the silkscreen printed pattern for at least one Chrimes crewel embroidery kit for the Petersham Craft Center of Petersham, New Hampshire; see ad below. Wert also produced a Country Prints cut-and-sew chair cushion set that matches the Chrimes kit; see image below.
A matching tile was also produced; see images.
This design 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 this design is was a bestseller at the time.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Robert Darr WertRole
ArtistManufacturer
Country PrintsDate made
circa 1962Time Period
20th Century, Colonial RevivalPlace
Location
Gill MA.Continent
North AmericaNotes
The top edge is finished to accept a dowel rod for hanging; bottom and sides are hemmed.Inscription/Signature/Marks
“© wert COUNTRY PRINTS”, lower left corner; “by hand aLL Linen”, lower right corner.Dimensions
Height
28-1/2 inWidth
16 inMaterial
Bleached Linen, Textile InkColors
Color
Pink, Dark Chartreuse, Green, Blue, Brown, Dark GreenColor Notes
Brown is produced by overprinting dark chartreuse and green; dark green by overprinting green and dark chartreuse.
