Embroidery Patents

April 10, 1790: The U.S. patent system is established

Here’s the needlework connection to this date:

Intrigue. Depositions. Embroidery. Yes! Three embroiderers working in New York City in the 1880s, including the well-known mother of the Society of Decorative Art, Candace Wheeler, filed for patents to protect embroidery stitches each had devised. The other two applicants, Mary Elizabeth Tillinghast and Kate Tarbox, were employed at Candace’s workshop at the very time they filed.

Pillow cover by Candace Wheeler. Wool twill embroidered with wool and silk thread, silk velvet border. Circa 1876–1877. Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art; gift of Candace Pullman Wheeler, 2002. (2002.355.1)
Image courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Marilynn Cowgill covers all of the drama in her article, “A Case of Three Patents: Women and the Decorative Arts,” in the July/August 2016 issue of PieceWork:

Marilynn summarizes the events in this table:

Candace Wheeler is well known for her needlework and for her role in organizing the Society of Decorative Art. Mary Tillinghast is known for her work as a stained-glass artist. Kate Tarbox remains a mystery.

Who knew embroidery patents could be so fascinating?

—Jeane

Read more about these three embroiderers and their patents in Marilynn Cowgill’s article, “A Case of Three Patents: Woman and the Decorative Arts,” in the July/August 2016 issue of PieceWork.

Mary Polityka Bush includes additional information on Candace Wheeler and the Society of Decorative Art in her article, “Discover the Beauty of Art Silk Embroidery,” in the November/December 2016 issue of PieceWork.

“Candace Wheeler: Champion of Decorative Arts” by May Sue Hannan is in the March/April 1999 issue of PieceWork.