Wholecloth Labor Comforter
Maker unknown
Provenance unknown
c1880
Cotton
82” x 86”
MSUM 1466.1, Gift of Mrs. Carl Bradford
Photo by KEVA, all rights reserved Michigan State University Museum

From American Toile: Four Centuries of Sensational Scenic Fabrics and Wallpaper, page 154, by Michele Palmer, it is called "Capital and Labor in Accord" by Cocheco Manuf., Cotton, 16" repeat. 1886 original roller print. "This toile was produced as propaganda during a period of strikes and labor unrest, factors that contributed to the Colonial Revival. It sought to soothe the American worker with images of a happy working life. The legends below each vignette read 'Labor is Honorable,' 'Honor to the Iron Worker', 'After Work the Happy Home and 'The Two Powers in Accord.'"

The Two Powers in Accord


After Work The Happy Home


Labor is Honorable


Honor the Iron Worker