Hooked Rugs of Winterthur

In the early 1920s, Henry Francis du Pont began purchasing outstanding examples of decorative art objects made or used by Americans between 1740 and1860. By the mid-1930s, he was recognized as America's foremost collector of American antiques and an icon of interior design.  Furnishing Winterthur with the finest Americana, he set out to transform his boyhood home from a private residence into a country-place museum of the highest caliber. Located in Wilmington, Delaware, Winterthur is now a destination for those interested in both horticulture and antiques; it has become a museum of American heritage.

The hooked rugs of Winterthur have stories to tell. I was fortunate enough to tour Winterthur and view some of the extensive textile collections. We spent time in the textile preparation area and saw several rugs that were not currently on display in the public areas of the museum.

This article is from the June/July/August 2010 issue. For more information on our issues, check out our issues page.