Kentucky Library and Museum Online -- Kentucky Museum Clothing & Textiles Collection

Clothing & Textiles Collection

The Clothing & Textiles collection includes more than 7,000 examples of nineteenth and twentieth century textiles. Major components include historic costume, clothing accessories, and quilts and coverlets. Other examples of household linens and fine needlework are present as well.

The majority of historical clothing dates between 1870 and 1960, although there are examples from every decade between 1810 and 1980. Thirteen garments attributed to a Bowling Green, Kentucky, dress making concern are perhaps the most significant component of the costume collection. Mrs. A. H. Taylor ran the business from 1878 until her death in 1917. A savvy business woman, she advertised by mail, maintained offices in New York and London and bought her fabrics and trims in London, Paris, Edinburgh, New York and Germany. Oral history interviews indicate her firm employed as many as 200 workers at one time.

In January 1996, the museum collection included more than 120 quilts and 45 coverlets. The most significant coverlet is a jacquard bed covering woven in 1839 by professional weaver John Mellinger that was featured as the frontispiece to Eliza Calvert Hall's work, A Book of Handwoven Coverlets. As of January 1996, it contained five jacquard, three double weave and 37 overshot coverlets.

Objects are available for researchers subject to museum policies and procedures. For more information contact the Museum Registrar/Collections Curator (Phone: 270-745-2592 )or write The Kentucky Museum, Western Kentucky University, One Big Red Way, Bowling Green, KY 42101-3576. Prior appointment is required.

Objects described on this web page may not be on exhibit. To learn more about what is currently on display, link to our exhibit pages.