Anne Chew (1706-1777) embroidered her silk apron in anticipation of her marriage to Phillip Thomas on August 11, 1724, in Anne Arundel, Maryland. Being decorative rather than functional, delicately wrought aprons of the early eighteenth century displayed a woman’s high social standing and needlework skills. Ornamental aprons, such as Chew’s, added richness to fashionable ensembles with their lush colors, gold or silver gilt thread, and metallic sequins.
1724
Embroidered and worked by Anne Chew
Silk, silver
1931.5.1
223
Rediscovering this almost three-hundred-year-old textile revealed its fragile condition and necessary conservation. Impressive stabilization and a custom mount allow the displaying of Chew’s exquisitely embroidered apron, the earliest known piece in the Maryland Center for History and Culture's Fashion Archives.
Gift of Mrs. William Woodyear
Digital resource provided by the Maryland Center for History and Culture
This digital image is made available here for private study, scholarship, and research. Commercial and other uses are prohibited without the permission of the Maryland Center for History and Culture. For more information, visit the MCHC’s Reproductions and Permissions web page.